Deadliest Catch Season 7 Episode 7 Recap Thick As Thieves

"Thick As Thieves"

Well this week was a very interesting and frustrating episode.  I am a person that tries to look at both sides of a situation, and this episode had my head going like a ping pong ball.

We start off with a clip of Freddie Maughtai saying this boat will never be the same, and the policeman is approaching the Cornelia Marie.

The Cornelia Marie is headed back into town. Captain Derrick Ray says he tried to bring a different culture to the boat, but they don't want things to change, they want things the way they were. Well yeah, I don't think they asked you to change the boat, they asked you to Captain the boat. Derrick says he knows there is dope on this boat, he just can't prove it. No there's not they smoked it all. Derrick says its zero tolerance with drugs, the coast guard could take the boat and keep it; they don't even have to give it back with a fine if they don't want too. He says he could lose his license he could go to jail over this. I don't believe that is an entirely true statement. I'll elaborate more after the episode. 

Captain Derrick Ray says it has been keeping him awake at night, but he thinks he has finally figured it out. It must be in the engine room. He thinks that's where they are down smoking dope. Hum he said they so he thinks it's more than one of them.  He said they got to be hiding out in the tunnel. The Captain goes to look. He smells the cardboard boxes and says he can smell the weed that someone has been smoking down there recently. He finds ashes. It doesn't look like a very safe place to be smoking, in the engine room with cardboard boxes. Looks like a fire hazard to me. He finds some lighters, and what he says is a homemade marijuana pipe made out of aluminum foil and air freshener.

He goes and wakes the boys up telling them he wants to have a family meeting. The boys tell Captain Derrick Ray that Steve Ward is done. Captain Derrick Ray says Steve Ward is a quitter. He quit on you guys, he quit on your dad. He's a quitter. Josh Harris tells Captain Derrick that no one wants to be there. Poor Jake just looks like he just wants to cry.  Captain Derrick says he asked them to step up, be responsible, don't lie and take some pride in what they are doing, that's all he asked. He says so you are basically all quitting and we are not going red crab fishing. He addresses each of the boys asking them if they are quitting. 

Josh Harris tells him you did not win over the hearts of the crew. You came onto this house and tried to take it over in what would be considered to us as somewhat of a hostile environment. Some what? Trashing Captain Phil Harris every chance he gets. I'd say that's definitely hostile. Your iron fist ruling has made it so no one feels comfortable. Derrick says iron fist ruling? Josh, that's right. We've had other skippers on this boat and this has never happened. That is true, where is Murray anyway? This boat has never been in this type of shape morally, and you go to each person individually and tell them how messed up Jake Harris is at which point Captain Derrick slaps the baggie of paraphernalia on the table and says who does this belong to? Derrick is smiling like a proud peacock. I kind of want to slap him. Where did this come from? Jake Harris says it's not mine. Captain Derrick says well I'm gonna go CSI on you. I think if Derrick was planning on going all CSI he should have worn gloves before picking up all that stuff. With the crew as mad as they are at Captain Derrick Ray they could tell the police it is Derricks stuff and his fingerprints would be on it. Jake, go ahead go for it. You can go CSI all you want. Derrick you haven't smoked any marijuana on this boat while we are fishing? Jake I am clean as a whistle, not a bit. Jake says they are clean, go CSI all you want. Derrick, that's what I am going to do. I just noticed Steve is at the table, I thought he stayed in bed. Derrick, You put my license at risk, my livelihood, you are an f'ng liar. Jake, you want respect? What you have a little merit badge, respect is earned. Derrick, you've got to respect yourself first. You are a drug addict and a pathological liar. Jake, Okay whatever, what are you trying to do to me? Steve, What is your trip? Derrick, my trip the lie, the deceit, the BS. They are all talking at once its kind of hard to understand what they are saying. Derrick tells them they are thick as thieves, you look out for each other. As they should. We will tie the thing up, I'll finish my job out, I'll get my quota taken care of, and that's fine. Jake says pack your bags. Derrick laughs at him and walks out calling them quitters he says that's what they are.

Captain Derrick has picked up the phone. Jake Harris says now he's scrambling, in any possible thing trying to make us look bad, because he is embarrassed about the way he has presented himself on this vessel. Captain Derrick has called the Unalaska police yes that is really the name of the town and says he has had numerous occasions to believe he has a crewman on there smoking marijuana, I found the paraphernalia, I know he's the one that has been doing it. Do I have any options when I have suspicion of drug use that I can just have him arrested at the dock? Okay, that was confusing first he says do I have any options, but in the same sentence he's saying can I have him arrested at the dock. In my mind he still has no proof that Jake Harris was smoking pot other than an odor on him. Did he smell all of the other crew members? Earlier he said they were smoking pot, meaning he suspected more than one of them, now it's all on Jake. I'm pretty sure odor isn't proof; it certainly is suspicious, but not proof. Maybe Jake just didn't wash his clothes, not a smart move for an addict but it's a possibility I guess. Maybe it's his cologne? The boys are sitting in the galley, it appears they are listening to him make the call. Wow all that and we are only ten minutes into the show.

On the Northwestern. They are pulling really bad pots. Looks like Captain Sig Hansen isn't doing any better with his string than Jake Anderson did. I hope that makes Jake Anderson feel better. There is a lot of tension between Jake Anderson and Edgar Hansen. Then Edgar holds up a sign to Jake. "I'm Sorry and I Love You". Jake Anderson laughs. Things are all better now. Too funny.  They are sorting crab and Jake tells Edgar how does the saying go you only hurt the ones you love. Edgar is trying to train Jake so he can leave the boat. I really hate to see Edgar Hansen leave but he seems hell bent on doing it.

On the Kodiak. Captain Wild Bill Wichrowski is still down two men. Jake Jolibois and Adam McCalden. Jake Jolibois is now up and says he is going on deck. Wild Bill tells him he can't. Jake says he was at 0 percent yesterday; today he is at 20 or 30 he's going. Captain Bill is worried about him. He thinks moving around will do him some good but he's nervous. I would think being out in the cold would cause muscle spasms. Now Eric Anderson is having problems with his foot. The pot falls off the launcher, and Adam sticks his head out to tell them how to pick the pot up. Adam has been sent to the engine room to work after the incidents in last week's episode. Then they show Adam coming to the wheel house telling Captain Bill there is a leak below. Is he having a problem steering? Captain Wild Bill goes down below to see what's going on and asks Adam whatever happened to motivate not alienate. Adam apologizes, they shake hands. Are you seeing a pattern here? I am, the boats not catching crab are fighting with each other. At least with the exception of the Cornelia Marie they seem to be making up. Adam is going back out on deck. Captain Bill says it's good to see you all back out there I love you guys I really do over the loud speaker. haha Most is forgiven. I don't think one of the deckhands has forgiven Adam yet for the way he spoke to him. 

On the Ramblin' Rose. Captain Elliot Neese is gripping about his crew. Says he is not happy. Well fix it it's your job. Elliot tells Kevin "Kado" Davis he is sleeping too much. Faresa Alofa "Face" Iaulualo says everybody deserves time to eat. So the Captain's idea of fixing the crew is to not allow them to sleep or eat. Sounds like preparation for brain washing to me. They go out on deck, pull the first pot and the line breaks. They lose the pot. Nine hours later, they have bad weather and worse fishing. The crew isn't happy. The captain says the boat is not a democracy, there is a judge and jury and that's him, that is it. What an ass. I think he is going to have the same problem Captain Derrick Ray is having if he keeps up. Then the boat takes a roll and Kado gets hit in the face with the coiler. Oww Kado says he's ready to go home. Captain Neese calls him up to the wheel house, asks Kado if he got bit by a mosquito? Kado has blood running down his face. He asks the Captain to shoot him up with some cortisone. The Captain says sure whatever you want cortisone, morphine whatever the f you need. Kado says that could have been a bad day. The cut starts right at the edge of his eye; he could have easily lost an eye.

The weather continues to be bad. Captain Neese shuts them down. He says all of these guys are his friends and he doesn't want anyone to get hurt. It is hard to believe that. They are going to eat and sleep.

On the Kodiak. They are having dinner; Captain Bill thanks the guys for sticking in there with him, as it has been a rough trip. Later, Eric Anderson is still having problems with his foot. Adam tells Captain Bill that Eric has had problems with his foot all year. That he has had two cortisone shots this year. It appears that this problem has been kept from Captain Bill up until now. Captain Bill says take him off deck. Wild Bill says maybe tomorrow is my turn. Adam tells Eric get off his foot. The camera man asks Eric what is wrong with his foot. He says he has planters fasciitis. I can't do my f'ng job alright. Eric screams in pain as he takes off his boot. He is putting his foot on a frozen turkey breast, crying because it hurts so badly. Eric Anderson says it's a hard job but a great life. Just don't weaken. 

The Cornelia Marie is back at port. Jake says he never wanted to get away from the dude driving the boat so bad in his life. Ryan, this is the worst he has felt coming in off of a season. Derrick says he is finishing this job with his head held high; he has done everything he was paid to do. The Unalaska police are on the dock. Jake gets off the boat; Steve says something to him and watches him leave. Derrick sees him leaving, says unbelievable. Jake walks right past the police officer. My first thought was the officer had to know who he was, but then I realized he didn't know who he was after yet.  Derrick gets off the boat with the paraphernalia and takes it to the officer who is already talking to Josh Harris. Jake is still walking down the pier. Derrick says he doesn't know where he took off too. He describes to the policeman what Jake was wearing. Derrick then goes to Josh and asks him where Jake went to. Josh says he should be on the boat. I was one of the first people off the boat. Derrick says he was quicker than you; he was off the boat before the last line was tied off and down the dock about 100 yards. Derrick says there is just one step left that is to carry through and get him to do what he said he was going to do. There is no way to cheat a blood test. I'm either going to be right or wrong this is going to be the last shot across the bow. Okay, wanting to slap him again, and I don't slap people.

Officer Kelly calls security and tells them he is looking for Jake Harris; he wants to talk to him. He goes in a restaurant; the guy there says Jake called a cab. Jake is at the airport check-in. Officer Kelly contacted the cab company; they tell him they took him to the airport. Officer Kelly goes to the airport. He see's Jake and takes him to a back room and asks "whose is the weed".  Jake said he has no idea, they had a guy on the boat last season, the cops got called he had all kinds of shit going on on the boat. It is not my stuff. And so this guy pops up with some weird shit and tries to blame it on me. Officer Kelly asks Jake if he has any drugs or weapons on him, Jake says no search me up. The officer has Jake empty his pockets and searches him. The officer asks him if he takes a drug test now will he pass it? Jake says he's not taking another blood test, he has already taken two. This is harassment. I mean how many times do you have to prove yourself. The officer, so you are not willing to take another blood test. Jake no I don't want to I don't feel like I have too. Officer Kelly, this stuff is pretty fresh. Jake says it's not his stuff he doesn't know where he is coming from that he is trying to pin it on me. The officer says you've got nothing on you right now. So as far as I'm concerned you are good to go. But we are going to go search your state room. Jake says go search it up, go do what you gotta do, my name is clean. I'm out of here, I'm heading for --. Officer Kelly, if you are doing drugs you need to stop cause you are going to end up in jail. You know that right? What a good Officer. Jake gotcha yeah, gotcha. You're not going to find anything. 

Back on the Cornelia Marie, they are unloading the blue crab. Josh Harris says if my dad were here I don't think he would be happy. 

Officer Kelly returns from the airport and goes on board to talk to Captain Derrick. He tells him Jake is at the airport with a ticket for a flight out of here. Josh is in the galley listening. Officer Kelly says he searched Jake and didn't find anything on him. No drug paraphernalia. Steve is at a bunk listening. Officer Kelly says he is denying any drug use. Derrick laughs. He tells Officer Kelly you've seen drug use your whole life. Okay Derrick just because he is a cop doesn't mean he's seen drug use his whole life. He may have seen more than most people but his whole life? I've been around fisherman, I know the signs, I can smell it, I can see it, I know when it's going on. Officer Kelly, the stuff you gave me the lighters are no big deal, we don't have any evidence to suggest that he has been using drugs. There is nothing we can do as the police. He did give me permission to search his stateroom. He gave me consent to do that. Yeah, after you told him you were going too. I'd like to have a quick check in there, but he's free to go, he's on a flight out of here. 

Officer Kelly searches Jake's room. Derrick says when Jake jumped on a plane just like that, no clothes, no bag, and no nothing. That's an admission of guilt. I'm not buying that Derrick. I don't think the guys pack up their stuff every trip unless they are never coming back. When he told me this morning he would go up and take a blood test. No problem. Josh talks to Officer Kelly as he's searching. Josh, things got ugly. Officer Kelly says it sucks you're going to be a man down. Josh tells him we are not going out, everyone on the boat is quitting. Officer Kelly says really? Josh is protecting his brother. If Jake isn't using drugs, this is a good thing. If Jake is using again it's not good for Josh to cover for him. Derrick says next thing you know he's got this story line how it's because we didn't catch any crab and I'm pissed off.  Well you didn't catch any crab. Officer Kelly tells Derrick marijuana is illegal in Alaska, we do prosecute for that, but there's no sign of that here. Why didn't Derrick take Officer Kelly to the tunnel to smell the boxes that he said smelled like pot? Officer Kelly, I wish we would have had more but we don't.  Steve is smiling. Out on the dock Derrick thanks the police officer for his time. Says bleep this boat bleep this crew.

Jake Harris is boarding the plane and says c'est la vie Derrick. 

Josh Harris is in the wheel house he says when they left this dock he never meant to let anyone down. I had big hopes and dreams. Nobody likes to fail.

Derrick Ray says he wanted to come out to the Bering Sea someplace I loved to fish for twenty five years. One last time, and to do that I have to put up with this. That one sentence right there might just tell the whole story. It's over and done with now; I'm going home with my head held high.

Ryan Simpson, I can't believe that everything went as far as it did. I can't believe that it just all came down the way that it did. I really am sad for everyone involved in it.  Interesting at the end you see Jake, Josh, Derrick, Steve and Ryan. No Freddie. Where did he go? I saw him when the boat was pulling up to the dock.

No Time Bandit at all this week. Come on Discovery don't you think the Hillstrands have been punished enough already, and no Seabrooke or Wizard either.

The Crab Count

Kodiak Seabrooke Northwestern Wizard Ramlin' Rose Time Bandit Cornelia Marie

250,000 240,000 210,000 180,000 160,000 140,000 21,000

I've been a boss, a mom, around addicts and rehab workers and I am a fan of the show so this is what makes my head go back and forth.

Captain Derrick Ray - I understand that there is a zero tolerance policy for drugs. I get that he can lose his license for knowing drugs are on board and not reporting them. Especially when they put on TV that drug paraphernalia is found. Last week and this week I looked up the laws on fishing vessel seizure. The stuff I found last week I couldn't find again this week. Go figure. But if I remember correctly the zero tolerance laws went into effect in 1988 and were changed in 1998 to say that commercial fishing vessels will not be seized when the violation involves the possession of a personal use quantity of a controlled substance, the vessel shall be issued a summons to appear in lieu of seizure, provided that the vessel is: (1) Proceeding to or from a fishing area or intermediate port of call; or (2) Actively engaged in fishing operations. So while there is a risk I guess that they could appear in court and have the vessel seized, it seems highly unlikely. The 2005 Regulation 33 CFR 1.07-100 Summons In Lieu of Seizure of Commercial Fishing Vessel still in affect.

Captain Ray has had my thoughts all over the place from thinking he was trying to be a father figure dosing out some tough love to he is just an ass trying to cover up for not catching any fish. Now hearing his last line of the show, his intent was to only go out for one season and in order to do that he had to put up with all this. This statement makes me think we were all set up. That the whole Jake Harris is still going drugs was just scripted for the show. As we have come to learn reality shows do to some extent to make the show more exciting.

Jake Harris - While I do believe we are being played a little. I'll go with it. Jake Harris has earned the title addict. So on one hand he's screwed no matter what he does. He can say he is doing drugs, which would be a problem, or he can say he's not doing drugs and no one is going to believe him, because he's an addict and addict's lie. Or they are in denial. So no matter what answer he gives he is between a rock and hard place. But he has brought that on himself. I know that sounds mean and some of you won't like it but he did. You know I love Jake and just want him to be healthy and drug free. He did the drugs, he has a problem, and drugs are a problem. Now he has to deal with the consequences. So we have Captain Derrick saying he smells like drugs. The paraphernalia found on the boat which the Captain and the Officer both said are fresh. Jake blames the guy from last season, which doesn't make since if it's fresh. I'll have to go back and check, but I'm pretty sure all of the guys from last season are the same guys from this season. So are they Jake's drugs or is he covering for one of the other guy's and why does he smell like pot. Even if he's not doing drugs, standing next to someone who is, isn't good for his sobriety. Since the paraphernalia was found in the engine room is it Steve's.

Since Jake refused to take a blood test, it does make it harder to believe his side of the story. I understand Jake not wanting too, because he had taken two already, but he brought all this on himself by doing drugs. And if he really is clean why not prove it. Especially to the cops, that would certainly make Captain Derrick look bad if he tested clean. Jake has lied before about using. When he was arrested for alleged DUI he allegedly refused to take a breathalyzer, failed sobriety tests and his attorney denied he was using, but when he went on Dr. Drew he admitted he was driving drinking. So I'm seeing the same thing here denying using but refusing to test. I'm a firm believer in trust but verify. If Jake refuses to test he appears guilty.

Last but not least it is a show. So we don't know how much of this is clipped together just for the entertainment. We can only hope that all the men and boys on the Bering Sea stay safe and drug free. As we have come to love all of them. Even the ones we don't like once in a while.

What do you think? Is Jake Harris using again? Or was this all just to spice up the show?

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