Scariest Moments on Discovery Channel's Deadliest Catch

The Deadliest Catch will soon begin its 5^th season on the Discovery Channel. In case you are unfamiliar with the program, the Deadliest Catch follows a group of Alaskan Crab fishing boats as they brave the treacherous Bering Sea. The name of the program comes from the fact that commercial fishing is listed as one of the most dangerous occupations in the world. According to the Bureau of Labor Statistics commercial fishermen have a fatality rate of 141.7 per 100,000. This is 75% higher than pilots or loggers, which are next on the list. Crab fishing is even more dangerous with a fatality rate of 300 fatalities per 100,000. That is nearly double the rate for commercial fishermen which was already well above any other occupation. Hurricane force winds, forty foot waves, freezing temperatures and constantly working with heavy equipment on the rolling deck of a ship are just some of the contributing factors which make crab fishing the most hazardous job on the planet.

The danger for these crews is always there and they are all keenly aware of the potential for disaster. Each episode covers the struggles of the captains and crews as they fight Mother Nature to bring in as many crabs as possible in the short fishing season. The camera crews have an equal share in the danger as they man the decks to film the crews in action. Monstrous waves of freezing water, stinging jellyfish, dangerous ice buildup and shifts of over 48 hours without sleep make for some dangerous and hair raising situations. The first four seasons of Deadliest Catch have provided many tense situations both with physical dangers as well as emotional confrontations. As we look forward to season five, let's take a moment to look back at ten of the scariest moments from the Deadliest Catch series. You will notice almost all of the incidents listed come from seasons 3 or 4. This is partly because the camera crews have gotten better and have improved their abilities to film the crew. This has allowed them to catch much more of the action than ever before and has shown us the true dangers of the profession.

Bonus Selection: Season 4 - Episode 1 - Not exactly a scary moment, but it certainly caused some concern among the superstitious fishermen of the crab fleet. As the fleet prepares to head out for the start of the season the traditional prayer is broadcast over the radio. Suddenly, half way through the prayer, the transmission ends. The crews wait anxiously for the broadcast to resume, but it never does. Some crews finish the prayer themselves, but all seem a little disturbed by what could only be perceived as a bad omen.

Number 10: Season 3 - Episode 1 - While the drama took place off camera the fear and uncertainty showed on the faces of each captain. As a captain is speaking with his family on the first night out, a Coast Guard alert is sent out. One of the ships, the "Ocean Challenger" has reportedly capsized and sank. As we see the faces of several of the captains' the emotion is clear. They each know it could have been their boat and their crew who had just slipped beneath the surface. The danger of what they do on a daily basis was brought front and center and it could not be disguised, or dismissed. Eventually it is learned three of the four crew members were lost in the accident. The fourth crewman was rescued by a Coast Guard helicopter. One of the crew member's body was never found.

Number 9: Season 4 - Episode 15 - Aboard the Time Bandit the crew is routinely pulling in the pots of crab when an unexpected wave slams the ship. The force of the impact causes the line to be thrown free from the block. The pot is sent crashing back into the Bering Sea. A rope attached to the pot falls across the back and neck of a deckhand working the rail. Only quick reflexes saved the crewman as he quickly frees himself from the rope before the 1,000 pound pot pulls the rope taught. Had he been just a little slower, the force of the heavy pot could have caused the rope to cut him in half.

Number 8: Season 4 - Episode 15 - Another near miss for a man working the rail. The Northwestern is pulling in a string of pots when a broken bridle sends a full pot back into the sea. The rope which had been being coiled on the deck loops around the foot of a crewman. Fast action by the deck boss frees the deckhand just moments before he would have been yanked overboard to an almost certain death.

Number 7: Season 4 - Episode 14 - For every job there is a training period and aboard the Time Bandit a new man was working the hydraulic crane as pots were being launched. Just as the boat rolls with a wave the operator is distracted for a moment and the pot swings out of control. The 1,000 pound plus pot narrowly misses the head of another deckhand. Tragedy and death were avoided by a matter of inches.

Number 6: Season 4 - Episode 11 - The crew of the Northwestern had been working straight through for nearly 48 hours. The exhausted crew continued to haul pots, but in their fatigue they failed to properly secure a pot as it was brought on board. Moments later a strong wave hit the ship and the pot bounced from the rack and slid across the deck. A deckhand working the sorting table was pinned between the 1,000 pound pot and the steel table. Other crew members quickly rescued the man before a second wave could apply potentially deadly force to the runaway pot.

Number 5: Season 4 - Episode 4 - Going ashore for a Halloween party the crew of the Time Bandit are ready for a good time. The captain forgets his wallet and they return to the dock. As the captain goes to jump onto the ship he slips and falls between the dock and his ship. Fortunately he is not injured and his crew is able to rescue him from the frigid water before he is pinned or is incapacitated by the water temperature.

Number 4: Season 4 - Episode 13 - During a violent storm the Northwestern loses its anchor. The needed and very expensive piece of equipment now sits on the bottom of the Bering Sea. Determined not to leave the anchor behind the crew fashions a drag hook and are able to snag the anchor line. As they struggle to bring the anchor on board a series of dangerous and tense moments ensue. A line breaks and as the deck boss goes to secure a second line the current pulls the boat away from its target. The ship is pulled hard to one side and is leaning at a precarious angle before the crew can secure the anchor and winch it back on board. The entire operation took more than four hours of hard work, but ended in success.

Number 3: Season 3 - Episode 12 - After off loading at a processing ship the Time Bandit attempts to head back out to sea. They have traveled only a short distance before the boat is surrounded by the ice flow. As sirens sound and the crew is mustered to the deck we are shown the rusted remains of a ship which was around in these exact same conditions just a few years earlier. The captain attempts to return to the processing ship but is unable as the ice continues to push him toward the beach. With crewmen stationed below deck to watch for ice punctures the captain slowly maneuvers his ship toward open waters. The following morning the exhausted crew is happy to see blue water ahead, and freedom.

Number 2: Season 4 - Episode 12 - During a rough storm the captain of the Cornelia Marie is thrown from his bunk and strikes a cabinet. He thinks he has possibly broken some ribs and as his condition worsens he begins to wonder if he has punctured his lung. Attempting to work through the pain, the captain begins to cough up blood and fears his injuries may be more severe than he had first thought. He contacts a hospital and they recommend he come in immediately. He ignores the advice and continues to man his post. Only when the pain is so severe and at the urging of his crew does the captain agree to put in to port and receive medical help. When they arrive, the port is closed due to bad weather and the boat must circle the island until morning. Once on shore the captain is examined and it is later discovered a blood clot moved from his leg, through his heart, and lodged in his lung. As the season ended the captain's status was unclear as he continued to receive treatment for his condition.

Number 1: Season 3 - Episode 4 - The fun loving crew of the Time Bandit was maneuvering to new fishing grounds when they found themselves in the middle of a struggle between life and death. As they passed another crab boat they observed a crewman working in a precarious manner. A moment later the crewman was swept into the sea. Acting quickly, the crew of the Time Bandit donned rescue gear and maneuvered their boat toward their fallen comrade. With the frigid temperature of the waters in the Bering Sea any rescue must take place within a matter of minutes or the person is doomed. Thanks to their constant practice at rescue procedures, being in the right place at the right time, and acting quickly, the Time Bandit crew was able to save the lost crewman. After just a few minutes in the water the man could not walk when he was brought on board. The relief and joy of the crew was evident as they welcomed the newcomer aboard.

Season Five looks to hold more adventure and more danger as the camera crews once again brave the elements to bring you the Deadliest Catch. All of the old favorites are back along with some new comers and certainly some new greenhorns who are always entertaining. Next time you enjoy Alaskan Crab at your dinner table, remember what these guys had to go through to get it there.

Source: Bureau of Labor Statistics "2006"