Bering Sea Gold

Narrator: ON THIS EPISODE OF "BERING SEA GOLD"...

Shawn: I GOLD MINE BECAUSE I LOVE TO GOLD MINE,

AND THAT'S HOW I'VE SUPPORTED MY FAMILY.

I WANT TO TAKE CARE OF THE PEOPLE I LOVE AND CARE ABOUT.

HERE WE GO.

NICE, HEAVY MATERIAL.

WHOO-HOO!

Kris: SHAWN STARTED TO GOLD RUSH, BUT THAT'S NOT HIS GOAL.

WE'RE DESPERATE PEOPLE, AND MY FAMILY NEEDS THIS MONEY.

HERE, ALL THAT'S HERE UNDERNEATH THIS ONE ROCK!

I THINK I'M ON MY WAY!

SHAWN IS NOT GOING TO STAND IN MY WAY OF DOING THIS.

IF KRIS GETS WITHIN AN ARM REACH OF ME,

I'M GOING TO STRANGLE HIS LITTLE NECK.

YOU'RE GOING TO HAVE TO KILL ME TO STOP ME NOW.

POP HIS HEAD OFF LIKE A GRAPE.

HIT ME THEN. GO FOR IT, JOHN.

NAH, I'M SCARED OF YOU! YEAH? YOU BETTER BE.

YEAH, I'M SCARED OF YOU, YOU LITTLE MOTHER

Emily: THESE MEN POUND THEIR CHESTS AND SAY, "THE GOLD IS MINE."

THE GOLD BELONGS TO WHOEVER MINES IT FIRST.

OH, WOW. THIS LOOKS PHENOMENAL.

YOU KNOW WHAT? I'M FREEZING MY ASS OFF HERE.

Man: IF WE DON'T GET THIS FIXED, THERE'S NO DIVING.

IF WHAT HE WANTS IS A LITTLE COMPETITION, WELL, HE'S GOT IT!

Kris: ALL RIGHT, HERE WE GO. HOW CAN I BE SO GOOD?!

CAPTIONS PAID FOR BY DISCOVERY COMMUNICATIONS

**

Narrator: IN THE WINTER MINING SEASON, EVERY SECOND COUNTS,

AND WITH A NEW GOLD RUSH RAGING,

FOCUS IS EVERYTHING.

ONE MOMENT OF DISTRACTION, ONE DEVIATION FROM THE GOLD,

AND SOMEONE ELSE WILL SNATCH IT AWAY.

IN NOME...

**

I KNOW HITTING IT BIG AT BLUFF WILL PUSH THIS COMPANY

INTO MEGA-DREDGE STATUS.

Narrator: ...MR. GOLD, SHAWN POMRENKE,

IS ON A MISSION TO FUND THE $6 MILLION MEGA-DREDGE PROJECT

THAT HE BELIEVES WILL FINALLY TURN HIS FAMILY BUSINESS

INTO A GOLDEN DYNASTY.

WE WERE ALREADY INTO THE MEGA DREDGE FOR DAMN NEAR $1 MILLION,

AND IT'S GOING TO TAKE A MILLION MORE TO FINISH IT.

Narrator: TO MAKE UP THE DIFFERENCE,

HE'S COUNTING ON INCREDIBLY RICH GROUND

OF HIS OWN DISCOVERY 80 MILES EAST OF NOME AT THE BLUFF.

YEAH, WHEN THEY SAY "BLUFF" THIS WHOLE TIME,

DAD DOESN'T LIKE IT BECAUSE IT ADDS TOO MANY VARIABLES.

Narrator: BUT TODAY, SHAWN HAS BEEN CALLED TO NOME

FOR AN UNEXPECTED MEETING WITH FAMILY PATRIARCH

AND BUSINESS PARTNER STEVE POMRENKE.

Shawn: REALLY SCREWED MY PLANS UP FOR TODAY.

Narrator: AND GIVEN HIS DAD'S PAST LACK OF FAITH IN THE BLUFF...

Shawn: HE'S ALWAYS ARGUING WITH ME ABOUT ANY DECISION I MAKE.

THAT'S THE WAY HE IS, AND THAT'S THE WAY HE'S ALWAYS BEEN.

Narrator: ...THERE'S NO TELLING WHAT THE OLD MAN HAS IN STORE.

Shawn: DAD BUILT QUITE THE EMPIRE OFF OF A LITTLE $30,000 INVESTMENT

AND BORROWED AND HAD LOANS HERE AND LOANS THERE

AND CREDIT CARDS MAXED OUT HERE

AND CREDIT CARDS MAXED OUT THERE,

AND IT WAS ALL OFF OF A DREAM,

BUT IT'S GOING TO BE MY JOB TO CONTINUE IT INTO THE FUTURE.

Narrator: FOR YEARS...

YEAH! WE JUST HIT 1,000!

OH, BROKE THE SCALE!

AND WHAT A BAD PROBLEM WE HAVE.

WE'RE GONNA NEED A BIGGER SCALE!

Narrator: ...THE POMRENKE EMPIRE HAS FLOURISHED

UNDER THE LEADERSHIP OF STEVE AND SHAWN.

I'M PROUD OF YOU.

BUT AS THE OLD MAN PASSES THE TORCH...

BECAUSE IT REALLY IS UP TO YOU.

...ATTEMPTS TO EXPAND THE COMPANY...

THEY DIDN'T ACCEPT OUR OFFER.

...HAVE FAILED.

THEY SOLD NOME GOLD TO SOMEBODY ELSE.

NOW...

I'VE HAD MORE THAN MY FAIR SHARE OF FAILURES BUT NOT THIS TIME.

THE BLUFF CAN'T FAIL.

THE FUTURE OF THE FAMILY IS AT STAKE.

I HAVE TO MAKE MONEY ON GOLD MINING NO MATTER WHAT.

HI, SON. HEY, DAD.

HOW'S IT GOING?

NOT TOO BAD, I GUESS.

WELL, YOU KNOW I'M HEADING HOME HERE TOMORROW,

SO I CAN LEAVE AND NOT WORRY ABOUT THIS JOINT, YOU KNOW,

BECAUSE AT THE POINT OF HEADING TOWARDS RETIREMENT,

I'M NOT SUPPOSED TO HAVE ALL THESE THINGS TO WORRY ABOUT.

I'LL MAKE IT HAPPEN.

I DON'T KNOW IF THERE'S ANYTHING I CAN DO

TO GET DAD TO TRUST ME,

BUT SOONER OR LATER, HE'S JUST GOING TO HAVE TO.

YOU KNOW, ALL MY BUDDIES MY AGE, THEY'RE ALL RETIRED NOW.

I'M TELLING YOU, IT'S GOING TO BE UP TO YOU

TO KEEP ALL THIS STUFF RUNNING

AND KEEP IT ALL MOVING, KEEP IT MAKING MONEY.

I WORRY A LITTLE BIT ABOUT ME LEAVING THIS WHOLE OUTFIT

AND HOW WILL EVERYTHING PROCEED

WITHOUT ME BEING IN THE BACKGROUND.

I CAN'T OVERSEE EVERYTHING YOU DO.

IT'S UP TO YOU.

YOU'RE THE BOSS.

I'M GIVING YOU THE SERIOUS LOOK, TOO.

OH, I SEE IT. YOU DON'T NEED TO BE HERE.

BUT I'M JUST TELLING YOU THE PRESSURE'S ON YOU.

YEAH.

PRETTY SURE HE'LL DO JUST FINE, YOU KNOW, BUT IF HE DOESN'T,

HE'S GOT TO LEARN FROM HIS OWN MISTAKES.

DON'T WORRY ABOUT NOTHING.

I THINK HIS BIGGEST PROBLEM IS KNOWING

THAT HE WON'T BE IN CONTROL

AND BE ABLE TO HAVE HIS MITTS INTO EVERYTHING.

WELL, I'M GOING TO HEAD BACK TO BLUFF.

ALL RIGHT, WELL, FIND THAT BIG PILE

OF DAMN GOLD DOWN THERE, SON.

I WILL. I WILL. WE NEED IT.

YEAH. LOVE YOU.

LOVE YOU, TOO.

BE GOOD. I WILL.

STAY OUT OF TROUBLE. YEAH.

GET THE JOB DONE. OH, I'LL GET HER DONE.

THIS TOOK ME AWAY FROM HALF A DAY OF MINING,

AND SOME PEOPLE WON'T UNDERSTAND,

BUT FAMILY IS THE REASON I MINE.

IT'S THE GLUE THAT HOLDS US ALL TOGETHER

AND PUTS FOOD ON OUR TABLES, KEEPS THE ROOF OVER OUR HEAD.

TIME TO HEAD BACK OUT.

LAST COUPLE OF THINGS HERE.

IT'S TIME TO KILL IT AT BLUFF.

**

Narrator: 80 MILES EAST...

AT THE BLUFF...

**

Kris: WE MADE IT. SURPRISE.

...CAPTAIN KRIS KELLY IS WILLING HIS PLAN

TO BECOME A MILLIONAIRE INTO REALITY.

WHEN HE SHOWS UP AND SEES US HERE WORKING, IT'LL BE LIKE,

"YEAH, YOU SHOULDN'T UNDERESTIMATE ME.

WE'RE THE REAPER, AND WE COME HERE TO DO BUSINESS."

HE'S ALREADY ACCOMPLISHED STEP ONE --

FOLLOW MR. GOLD TO THE GOLD.

SHAWN STOP TELLING EVERYBODY ABOUT THIS.

HIS DIVERS WENT AROUND SHOWING THEIR FRIENDS THEIR GOLD,

AND I FOUND OUT ABOUT IT. THAT'S WHAT HAPPENS.

IT'S STATE LAND, AND IT'S OPEN TO ANYBODY.

HE STARTED THE GOLD RUSH.

Narrator: SO FAR THIS SEASON...

WE'RE GOING ON THIS CRAZY ADVENTURE.

THIS IS THE FIRST DAY OF IT.

...NEWS OF THE GOLD STRIKE AT THE BLUFF

INSPIRED THE CAPTAIN TO ACTION.

I PROMISE YOU IF WE PULL THIS OUT OF OUR ASSES,

WE'LL GET 500 OUNCES, FOR SURE.

BUT NOT EVERYONE IS 100% ON BOARD.

JUST GOING TO BE A CLUSTER .

AND DESPITE THEIR SIGNATURE LACK OF PLANNING...

OH, MY GOD.

WE MADE IT.

WE BARELY MADE IT.

Narrator: ...THE YOUNG CAPTAIN'S PLAN HAS AT LAST GOT THEM THIS FAR.

NOW, LEAVING ABSOLUTELY NOTHING TO CHANCE,

KRIS HAS SET UP CAMP RIGHT NEXT TO MR. GOLD.

SO, THIS IS A TRUCE RIGHT NOW.

SUPPLIES ARE DANGEROUSLY LOW, DANGEROUSLY LOW.

WE'RE DESPERATE PEOPLE,

AND, YOU KNOW, MY FAMILY NEEDS THIS MONEY.

Narrator: SORT ON CASH AND SUPPLIES...

HEY, THIS IS THE CLOSEST THING

I'VE HAD TO A SHOWER IN FOUR DAYS!

IT ACTUALLY FEELS GREAT.

Narrator: ...AND PERSONAL HYGIENE, IT'S TIME FOR PART TWO

OF KRIS' MASTER PLAN -- GET ALL THE GOLD.

**

**

HOLY THAT'S DARK.

**

OKAY.

ANDY, ARE YOU ON THE COMMS?

YEAH, I'M HERE. OKAY.

JUST ROCKS EVERYWHERE.

THEY LOOK LIKE THEY'RE STUCK IN THE CLAY.

FIRST DIVE OF THE SEASON,

IT WAS A REAL STRUGGLE TO GET HERE,

BUT WE MADE IT.

READY TO DO SOME DAMAGE.

ARE YOU READY? YEAH, I'M READY.

OKAY.

FIRE IT UP!

OKAY, LET'S GO TO WORK.

OH, IT'S REALLY HARD TO PUNCH THROUGH, INITIALLY.

WE GOT TO FIND ONE OF THESE 10-OUNCE POCKETS

I HEAR THAT'S AROUND HERE.

LET'S SEE THE MOTHER LODE.

WHAT IS THIS?

THERE'S SOME REAL WEIRD HERE.

I FOUND YELLOW CLAY.

IT'S VERY WEIRD. LET ME CHECK THIS OUT, FOR SURE.

**

THAT'S WEIRD.

IS THAT GOLD?