Swords, Season 2, Episode 1 Premiered, as Three Crews Go for Swordfish

Swords, Season 2, Episode 1 premiered on Discovery Channel Tuesday night. The North Atlantic's Grand Banks is the setting for this hour-long program that featured three crews going for swordfish. Season 2, Episode 1 of Swords saw one captain try to redeem herself from a bad season. And another captain brought in a personal record first set.

Captain Scott Achieves a Personal Best on Swords, Season 2, Episode 1

At Bay Bulls, Newfoundland, the Eagle Eye II is waiting to cast off with Captain Scott Drabinowicz. They're loaded up with supplies and will make a two day journey to the Grand Banks fishing grounds, hoping to find a good spot. Soon, the first hooks are baited and tossed into the sea, part of 40 miles-plus of mainline into a fishing spot that's unproven. Hoping to catch at least 25 swordfish, the first two caught are "double markers" (200 pounders), and the Swords keep on coming in, which will help pay off expenses early. Biologist Lisa even gets to tag a shark that was caught. The first set is 58 fish caught at 9,000-plus pounds, Captain Scott's best first set. He wants to keep it a secret, but since Captain Greenlaw is a mile away, he "shares" his spot with her on Season 2, Episode 1 of this show.

The Big Eye is in Trepassey, Newfoundland with Captain Chris "Chomps" Hanson. His finance Anna owns the boat. Hanson's brother Woody had a bad infection which almost cost him his arm and $25,000 in hospital bills. The boat leaves land with three new deckhands. Greenhorn Don has to prep the bait, and has an auspicious start doing this task. But when the first haul is done, it's in stormy seas, though some large swordfish are brought in for about 4,500 pounds. Yet the work begins to take a toll on Don, who's not getting sympathy from "Chomps."

Season 2, Episode 1 of Swords is an Attempted Comeback for Captain Greenlaw

The 105 ton Bjorn II is skippered by Captain Linda Greenlaw, who's trying to comeback from a crappy season on the Sea Hawk. As she leaves the shores of Barnegat Light, New Jersey, her boat soon gets stuck, but she manages to get it out of the mud. After a six day trip, they make the Grand Banks fishing grounds. Deckhand Dave is slow to start, feeling seasick. The first fish brought up is a shark, but finally a "double marker" is pulled in. But otherwise, only 11 fish are caught at well under the 2,000 pound goal on Swords, Season 2, Episode 1. Greenlaw threatens to retire if she can't get better catches. After getting to "share" the fishing grounds with Captain Scott of the Eagle Eye II, lots of "double markers" are caught, with a total of 17 swordfish for some 3,000 pounds.

Comparing this program to Deadliest Catch is like comparing apples and oranges. Swords doesn't have the same drama, and part of that reason is that Mike Rowe isn't the narrator. Nonetheless, the program is engaging and fast-moving to keep interest while fans deal with Deadliest Catch withdrawal.

Sources:

"Grand Banks or Bust", Swords, August 10, 2010, Discovery Channel