Battling the Storm: A High-Stakes Crab Fishing Expedition
For captains Josh Harris and George Harris, the unforgiving Bering Sea offers no warm welcome—only 20-knot winds and 4-meter waves as they begin their latest crabbing expedition. With worsening conditions predicted, the stakes couldn’t be higher. “By tomorrow night, we’ll be facing 35 to 40 knots. It’s going to be insane,” one of them remarks. Time is short, and their quota is large, leaving no room for delays.
Their first offload of 31,750 kilos was achieved after just four grueling days at sea. However, the challenge intensifies as they must meet another massive offload within a limited timeframe. “We’re just a couple of guys with a huge quota to catch,” Josh acknowledges. Each scheduled delivery represents another million-dollar payout, adding relentless pressure to their already demanding work.
A Risky Bet on Familiar Grounds
Under immense pressure, Josh decides to head straight for an area known as “the old rock pile,” a rocky seabed historically known for its crab population. However, crabbing there can be unpredictable—sometimes it yields a massive haul, and other times it’s barren. Josh is betting that the rugged terrain will offer some protection for the crabs from the turbulent waters. “If luck is on our side, we’ll find them there,” he says optimistically.
As the crew gears up, the tension is palpable. “Let’s do this, guys!” shouts Josh as the first pot hits the water. The waiting game begins.
The First Haul: Promising or a Fluke?
Meanwhile, on the Cornelia Marie, Captain George Harris and his crew set their sights on their own crabbing grounds. Despite battling exhaustion—having worked until 2:30 AM the previous night—the team pushes through as worsening weather looms. “The guys are moving slow today,” George notes, adding that time is against them. Their best hope lies in the rocky waters, where they expect to find signs of life.
The first pot is pulled. “Show me some luck, Harris,” George mutters. As the cage rises above the waterline, anticipation mounts.
“Come on, let’s see 80 or 100 in there.”
As the door swings open, the verdict is in—155 crabs. A solid start. “That’s a good pot! We’re in business!” George exclaims, his voice laced with relief.
The Challenge of Keeping the Catch
While the first few pulls are promising, the challenge is far from over. “Finding them is one thing—keeping them is another,” George warns. As more pots are retrieved, the numbers dwindle. “They’re moving south. We’re losing them,” a crew member reports. The excitement fades as pot after pot comes up light—some with as few as 24 crabs. “That’s it, we’re done here. We need to move north.”
However, before they can reposition, all 165 pots set in the south must be retrieved. The pressure mounts, as the looming storm threatens to disrupt operations. “If we want to get ahead of this storm, we need to find better numbers—and fast.”
A Desperate Move North
Facing diminishing returns and an impending storm, George and Casey decide to move their gear north—doubling their bait in the hopes of locating the bulk of the crab biomass. “We have 3,600 kilos onboard now, but we need to hit 34,000 as fast as possible.”
With limited time before their next scheduled offload, the move is a gamble. “If we don’t start seeing big numbers, we risk missing our quota.”
As the first pot from the northern drop is pulled, everyone holds their breath. If this fails, the consequences will be dire.
“Come on, show me something!”
The pot surfaces, and the crew erupts in cheers. “225!” someone shouts. The energy onboard shifts immediately. “This is the best haul we’ve had all season!”
One after another, pots filled with hundreds of crabs emerge. “Look at that! We’re back in the game!” The gamble has paid off—Casey’s strategic move north has secured their path to meeting the quota.
Racing Against Time and Nature
Now, the crew must haul and reset all 165 pots before returning to their offload in just 30 hours. The weather, however, is deteriorating fast. Massive swells rock the boat, making every movement onboard treacherous. A rogue wave smashes against the ship. “That one hit me right in the face!” a crew member yells, drenched.
Navigating in these conditions requires precision. The boat’s starboard side, with a lower protective barrier, is too risky to work from in rough seas. Instead, the crew operates from the port side, which has a 2-meter reinforced wall for added safety. “If a big wave hits us from the starboard side, it could take out the whole crew,” George explains.
Final Push Before the Storm
As conditions worsen, exhaustion sets in, but the crew pushes forward. “We need to get as many crabs onboard as possible before this storm gets any worse,” George reminds them. With the final few pots coming in, they reach their 34,000-kilo target.
“We did it, boys!” George shouts, raising his fist in victory. But the celebration is brief—there’s no time to rest. The storm is closing in fast, and they must make it to port before it hits full force.
The Unforgiving Sea
As waves continue to hammer the vessel, a crew member stumbles. “I just want to go home,” he mutters. The sea, however, offers no mercy.
“Now you understand why we keep to the port side in weather like this,” George says. “This is the only way to stay safe in a storm like this.”
With their quota met and their deadline looming, the crew braces for the final leg of their journey. They’ve conquered the odds, but in the Bering Sea, the battle is never truly over.
As the Cornelia Marie fights through the swelling seas toward port, the crew knows that while today was a success, tomorrow will bring a new challenge. That’s the nature of the job. That’s the nature of the sea.
