Bering Sea Gold

Narrator: NOW ON "BERING SEA GOLD"...

Kris: DAD, YOU CAN'T BREAK UP THE TEAMS!

AT THIS POINT RIGHT NOW,

EVERYTHING IS STARTING TO COME UNFRAILED.

I NEED MY BROTHER AND MY DAD TO STAND BEHIND ME.

FAMILY IS THE ONLY REASON I'M DOING THIS.

Man: THE GOLD IS THERE. I'VE SEEN IT.

NOW IT'S JUST BUILDING THE MACHINE TO GET IT.

THE FUTURE OF THE FAMILY IS AT STAKE.

I'M GOING TO MAKE IT HAPPEN NO MATTER WHAT.

Man: WHOA! SHUT IT OFF!

SHUT IT OFF!!

Emily: WE LOST ALL THIS TIME,

AND I FEAR I'LL HAVE NOTHING TO SHOW FOR ALL THE WORK

I'VE DONE UP HERE, AND THAT'S NOT GOING TO BE ME.

BLUFF IS THE ONLY THING THAT CAN SAVE THIS SEASON,

AND I NEED TO MAKE IT HAPPEN.

THIS ISN'T THE CRAZIEST THING SOMEBODY'S EVER DONE FOR GOLD,

BUT IT'S PRETTY CLOSE.

WHOO!

I WISH THIS WAS SITTING IN NOME, NOT HERE IN A SWAMP.

Man: I'LL MAKE THEM RESPECT ME IN THE END.

OH MAN.

Man: OH, MAN!

THERE'S GOLD ALL OVER THE BOTTOM RIGHT HERE.

HOLY MOTHER OF THAT'S SO BEAUTIFUL!

CAPTIONS PAID FOR BY DISCOVERY COMMUNICATIONS

**

Narrator: THE END OF THE SEASON IS JUST WEEKS AWAY,

AND ALASKA IS POISED FOR A DAZZLING SPRING THAW.

SOME MINERS ARE CLOSER THAN EVER TO A GOLDEN BONANZA,

WHILE THE LESS FORTUNATE NEVER SAY, "DIE,"

DIGGING DEEP TO KEEP THEIR DREAMS ALIVE.

**

IN NOME...

**

Kris: WELL, WE'RE SO CLOSE,

AND NOW WE'RE SO FAR AWAY.

I'VE GOT A MILLION AND ONE THINGS TO DO TODAY.

**

...DESPITE A SERIES OF SETBACKS,

CAPTAIN KRIS KELLY STILL BELIEVES IN HIS MISSION

TO LEAD HIS FAMILY TO GOLDEN GREATNESS.

THIS IS OUR YEAR TO TURN IT AROUND.

WE'RE SO CLOSE.

Kris: AT THIS POINT RIGHT NOW,

EVERYTHING IS STARTING TO COME UNFRAILED.

WHEN YOU HIT THAT POINT, THE BREAKING POINT,

WHERE YOU'RE READY TO JUST TURN AROUND AND GO HOME,

AND THAT'S WHEN YOU REALLY HAVE TO TAKE A COUPLE BREATHS.

**

Narrator: THIS SEASON...

Kris: 9.3 OUNCES.

THAT IS THE BEST GOLD CLEANOUT WE'VE EVER HAD IN OUR LIVES.

IN OUR LIVES!

Narrator: AFTER A RECORD-SETTING START...

Man: KRIS, THE AIR!

...BUSTED EQUIPMENT...

...BAD DECISIONS...

Kris: DUDE, WHERE'S THE NIGHT CREW?

MY EQUIPMENT'S TRASHED.

Narrator: ...AND AN UNFRIENDLY NEIGHBOR...

GOT SOMETHING FOR YOU, ANDY.

...HAVE DERAILED THEIR PLANS.

EITHER YOU GUYS CAN GIVE THE STUFF UP PEACEFULLY,

OR I'LL BRING THE TROOPERS OUT.

YOU GOT MY PROPERTY RIGHT NOW.

NOW...

Kris: HE THOUGHT TAKING OUR EQUIPMENT

WAS THE KNOCKOUT BLOW AND WE'D BE DONE.

WE'RE JUST GONNA KEEP COMING BACK, LIKE ROCKY.

...KRIS IS DETERMINED TO GET THE FAMILY BACK ON TRACK.

THERE HE IS.

LET'S GO TAKE CARE OF THIS. I TOLD YOU HE WAS HERE.

BUT THERE'S A PROBLEM.

YEAH, IT'S GOING TO BE A REAL FUN DAY, NOW.

THE FORMER CAPTAIN KELLY MAY HAVE JUMPED SHIP.

DO YOU THINK WE CAN HAVE A WORD ABOUT WHAT YOU'RE DOING?

...SLUICE ON MY SLED.

I'M GOING TO TAKE MY ENGINE,

I'M GOING TO TAKE MY HOT-WATER SYSTEM,

I'M GOING TO GO TOMORROW.

YOU'RE NOT GOING TO DO ANYTHING. YOU'RE NOT TAKING IT.

WE'RE SO CLOSE TO MAKING IT.

WHAT THE IS YOUR PROBLEM?

Brad: UNDER KRIS' CAPTAINCY, THE COSTS ARE ADDING UP

AND HE'S LEADING US ON A WILD GOOSE CHASE.

I CAN BREAK AWAY FROM HIM AND NOT LISTEN TO HIS BIG MOUTH

FOR A FEW MINUTES AND I CAN GO GET SOME GOLD.

THAT'S MY ROPE, TOO, YOU LOSER.

EVERYTHING HERE IS MINE!

NO, IT ISN'T. YES, IT IS!

NO, IT ISN'T. YES, IT IS!

DO YOU WANT TO GO THROUGH THE INVENTORY?

YES, I DO!

Kris: NOBODY BELIEVED

I WAS GOING TO MAKE IT TO THE BLUFFS THIS YEAR.

NOBODY BELIEVED THAT WE WERE GOING TO GET AN OUNCE AN HOUR.

NOT ONE PERSON BUT ME.

THIS WINTER, I THOUGHT WE WERE ALL GOING TO DO WELL TOGETHER.

BUT I NEED TO SUCCEED, NO MATTER WHAT,

EVEN IF I DO ALL THE WORK MYSELF.

Kris: DAD! YOU CAN'T BREAK UP THE TEAMS!

**

I REALLY FEEL VIOLENT WHEN I LOOK AT HIM.

I CAN'T BELIEVE THAT'S MY FATHER.

**

Narrator: ON THE OTHER SIDE OF TOWN...

THIS IS INSANE.

Narrator: ...CAPTAIN EMILY RIEDEL IS ROLLING THE DICE...

THIS ISN'T THE CRAZIEST THING SOMEBODY'S EVER DONE FOR GOLD,

BUT IT'S PRETTY CLOSE.

Narrator: ...JOINING THE GOLD RUSH AT THE BLUFF

IN A LAST-DITCH EFFORT TO SAVE HER SEASON.

Emily: IF THERE IS REALLY BEAUTIFUL, AMAZING GOLD THERE,

THEN I WON'T HAVE THESE REGRETS.

Narrator: SO FAR THIS WINTER...

I JUST FOUND A NICE THING OF GOLD DOWN HERE.

WOW! THAT'S AWESOME.

AFTER A HOT START...

...IT'S BEEN BAD HOLE AFTER BAD HOLE...

Emily: WE'RE NOT MAKING MONEY.

I DON'T KNOW THE HELL IT IS WE'RE DOING OUT HERE.

Narrator: ...AS EMILY WENT BUST AT HASTING'S CREEK...

Emily: I JUST THOUGHT I'D MAKE A TRIP DOWN

AND ASK YOU ABOUT GETTING OUR DOWN HERE.

...AND SOON HEARD THE SIREN SONG OF GOLD AT THE BLUFF.

YOU GUYS NEED TO GET YOUR STUFF OUT HERE.

WE'RE RUNNING OUT OF DAYS.

NOW THE CAPTAIN HAS EMPTIED HER BANK ACCOUNT

TO BUY A WEEK'S WORTH OF FUEL AND SUPPLIES

TO MOUNT HER EXPEDITION.

WE ONLY HAVE SO MUCH TIME TO RECOVER GOLD

BEFORE THE STATE SHUTS US DOWN.

SO THEY'D HAVE TO BE SOME PRETTY PHENOMENAL GOLD

FOR THE RISK TO PAY OFF.

GOLD MINING IS ALL ABOUT TAKING CHANCES AND CRAZY RISKS.

**

Narrator: DESPERATE TO LAND ON BIG GOLD,

EMILY IS TAKING A PAGE FROM THE KELLY PLAYBOOK

AND SET UP SHOP RIGHT NEXT TO MR. GOLD.

Shawn: OH, HE'S GETTING READY TO GO IN THE WATER.

ABOUT TO KILL IT.

GOING TO BE AMAZING.

AMAZING GOLD DOWN THERE.

Emily: I WANT TO START REALLY SUCCEEDING UP HERE.

AND WHAT PEOPLE THINK ABOUT ME FOR GOING THERE, LIKE,

THEY CAN ALL RIGHT OFF.

I DON'T CARE.

ONE THING I DID HAVE TO LEARN IN BEING A FEMALE GOLD MINER

IN NOME IS TO NOT CARE.

I'M TRYING TO BE THE BEST GOLD MINER I CAN POSSIBLY BE.

I JUST HAVE TO PUT MY BLINDERS ON AND GO TO WORK.

**

Narrator: FIRST IN THE WATER, VETERAN DIVER JESSE STRICKLING.

HERE I GO.

**

**

**

ALL RIGHT. BACK TO WORK.

HERE WE GO.

**

YEAH!

YEAH!

WHOO!

**

WELL, THIS IS IT, YOU KNOW? FIRST TIME OUT HERE.

IT'S EITHER GOING TO WORK OR NOT.

**

JUST MOVED A NICE, BIG ROCK.

I'M GOING TO TAKE A PEEK UNDERNEATH IT NOW.

Emily: HEY, JESSE, HOW FAR AWAY ARE YOU

FROM THE DIVE HOLE?

UH...

PROBABLY LIKE 25 FEET OR SOMETHING.

OH, OKAY.

YOU'RE ALMOST MAXED OUT UP HERE.

ALMOST?

YEP.

I PROMISED JESSE AND RICKY.

I PROMISED THEM A SPOT WITH A LOT OF GOLD.

I MEAN, WE CAN -- THERE'S STILL SOME TIME LEFT IN THE SEASON.

WE CAN GET ONTO SOMETHING AND FOLLOW IT

AND MAKE A LOT OF OUNCES,

MAKE A LOT OF GORGEOUS, COARSE OUNCES.

OKAY.

WHAT WAS THAT?

MY REGULATOR KEEPS FREE-BLOWING ON ME.

THAT'S AN EARLY FREEZE-UP WARNING.

YEAH.

Narrator: A REGULATOR FREEZE-UP OCCURS

WHEN CONDENSATION FROM THE DIVER'S BREATH COLLECTS

AND FREEZES INSIDE THE REGULATOR,

CUTTING OFF THE FLOW OF AIR TO THE DIVER.

IF JESSE'S REGULATOR FREEZES, HE'LL HAVE MERE SECONDS

TO GET BACK TO THE SAFE EXIT OF THE DIVE HOLE.

**

BUT THAT IS NOT HIS ONLY PROBLEM.

UH, DO YOU THINK YOUR HOT WATER IS STILL RUNNING?

UM...NO.