Deadliest Catch Season 8 Episode 16 Recap

"The Bitter, Bloody End"

Wow! You can say that again. I didn't notice the title until now. LOL Very appropriate. What a season finale. I would say they saved all the good stuff for the end, but it was really a lot of bad stuff. This season needs to go down in the books as one of the worst ever, if not the worst. I'm looking forward to a better season next year.

This episode has a content warning at the beginning that it contains graphic images which some viewers might find disturbing. You know that's not a good sign. I don't remember normally seeing that before, anyway.

The episode starts off with Captain Keith Colburn saying the 2012 Opilio is not a nightmare, it's an ice-mare. Captain Andy Hillstrand says this is the worse ice stream they have ever had in their lives. He hopes it's the beginning of the end of getting the crab knocked out. Captain Sig Hansen, we need to get the boat full to be done with this season so we can go home. Captain Scott Campbell, we are fisherman. We catch our crab and go home. If we don't catch our crab, we don't go home.

At the Island of Saint George. The crew of the Kodiak are loading pots on board that are filled with snow. They load the pot onto the launcher, open the door, shake out the snow, iced up rope, and buoys of each pot before securing them on deck. Captain Bill is even out there with a shovel. Crosby Leveen says they are just going to have to work harder on deck to keep everything going.

Mike Vanderveldt is shoveling the snow off of the decks around the launcher. He reaches up and rests his left hand on the side of the launcher, kind of to brace himself while shoveling underneath the launcher with his right hand. Zach Larson is at the hydros. He moves the pot from the launcher. Mike Vandervelt falls to the ground screaming in pain. His finger got caught between the launcher and the pot.

He runs inside. He has torn or cut the tip of his ring finger off. He is sitting at the table in the galley being instructed by Nick Morrow exactly what to do. Nick tells him very calmly, wrap it up, control the bleed no matter how bad it hurts. He takes him to the bathroom sink and tells him to rinse his hand, it's going to hurt. Mike rinses his hand wincing in pain. Nick tells him, okay, pull it out, this is going to hurt. He pours peroxide on Mike's finger. Mike groans in pain. He lifts a leg and stomps it back down. You know that hurts like a you know what.

Nick, this is going to hurt, but we've got to keep pressure on it. Nick wraps the finger and instructs Mike to hold it with his other hand. Nick tells Mike, you are going to want to keep it over the sink. Try and calm down and control your heart rate. Mike, who is clearly in pain, raises his hand above his head. Nick tells him to sit down, so Mike sits on the toilet. Nick Marrow is like a robot ER doctor. I can't believe how calm and controlled he is. You would think he has done this a thousand times. I sure hope not.

Captain Bill sticks his head in the bathroom door and asks if he took the tip off. Mike says he slipped and put his hand down just as Zach was pulling it off the launcher and it just scissored it. Warren Hicks the greenhorn is just standing there watching. Captain Bill goes to the wheelhouse and calls someone and tells them they've had an incident on the dock.

Mike is sitting at the table in the galley. They show a shot of Mike's fingertip laying on a paper towel. It was cutoff just below the nail. Mike holds up his glove and says this is the glove I was wearing. It is a blue rubber glove with "pain" written across it. He holds up the glove for his right hand and says not that one. The right-hand glove has "joy" written across it.

Captain Bill comes back in and says he got a hold of somebody in town that is going to be there shortly. Mike tells Captain Bill he is sorry. Captain Bill says, what are you going to do? You cut your finger off so...

Nick says, Mike's gotta leave, he's flying out of here in 30 minutes, he's going to Anchorage. Zach comes in and apologizes to Mike saying he feels guilty. Mike tells him not to spend another second thinking about it. It wasn't his fault. As they are having this discussion, Zach is helping Mike to put his jacket on.

Mike is lifted by crane to the dock. Captain Bill tells the rest of the crew they will go out with a four-man crew, and Nick and Zach will have to do the hydros, definitely not an ideal situation.

On the Time Bandit. Captain Andy says, it's very nautical out. It's raining with 20-25-foot seas, wind blowing SE 40. Captain Andy says, it's hard to steer the boat, but he's going to get it done. The ice is about two miles away. Captain Andy needs another 150,000 pounds. Failure is not an option. Captain Johnathan says, it ain't pretty out here. There's got to be a light at the end of the tunnel for the longest season in the history books.

On deck, Eddie Jr., says this is the last season with his father. He's been helping him out, so he is ready when his dad isn't there. 46-year-old Eddie Uwekoolani is retiring at the end of opies. Captain Johnathan says he's watched Eddie work for 15 years. We've made some money, and I just watched him work. Mike Rowe, he's passing the torch to his 22-year-old son.

Captain Andy says he can't see but 200 feet in front of the boat. Anybody see a pot? Anybody? They find the pot. It's been soaking 24 hours. They pull it up. It's full. Everyone's doing the happy dance. They are ready to fill the boat and go home.

Eddie Jr. says he doesn't think his dad is going to miss fishing at all. Eddie Sr. is standing there watching the deck. Captain Andy says, Eddie is in retirement mode. You start thinking retirement you'll get yourself hurt.

Captain Andy says, look at this big wave right there. Holy mackerel. He starts screaming, "Watch out!"

On deck, Josh has a hold of a table full of crabs and it is rolling out of control. The pot goes to the back side of the boat, then rolls towards the launcher. Josh is trying to hold on to it, but he slips and lets go. It rolls up against the other side of the deck and the launcher and catches Eddie's elbow in between the table and launcher. He says he's okay, but it whacked his elbow good.

Captain Andy says, Josh couldn't hang on to his table. Josh says, the weather sucks, he just lost control and couldn't get the pin in on time. Eddie Jr. is laughing nervously saying there is a lot of stuff going wrong on the boat. I was just watching. I didn't know what to do. Eddie Sr., that's why it's a dangerous job. You've always gotta watch your "bleep."

The Wizard is in St. Paul offloading 394,000 pounds of crab. Captain Keith leaves. He flies out leaving Monte in charge. Captain Keith says this is the best and the worst season they've ever had. There is 500,000 pounds left to catch. Monte and the crew all seem pretty happy, especially Lynn Guitard. Captain Keith says, you are married to your boat, that's why it's so hard to retire.

Monte puts on his shades and pulls out of the harbor. They are pushing 900 RPMs and going nowhere. There are chunks of little ice everywhere. It almost looks like he is driving the boat through snow. All of a sudden, an alarm goes off.

Monte calls down and says, I need to talk to Lenny right away, somebody go get him. No one responds, the camera shows an empty hallway. Monte says where is everybody? Monte can't get anybody to answer. The boat is dead in the water bouncing around like a rubber duck in a bath tub. He heads down the hallway saying, where the f*** is everybody? He goes down to the engine room and asks Lenny, what do you got for temperature? Lenny says, 230 and steamy. Monte says, we need water on that engine somehow, and he heads back to the wheelhouse.

They show the boat in between what looks like a dock and a very rocky beach. Lenny comes up to the wheelhouse. Monte says, we need water, as much water on that engine, is that what you are doing? Lenny says, just on the tank. Monte, no on the whole engine. Lenny is concerned putting water on the engine will crack something. Monte tells him try to cool it any way he can.

He says, the engine has sucked up ice into engine so it's not getting cold seawater to it. The stuff is so thick it is clogging the suction. You can see the waves rolling under the ice. I swear it looks like snow on the water. With the waves rolling under it, it curls up and kind of looks like a sea monster's under there.

Gary Soper is in the wheelhouse with Monte. Monte says they just need a shot of water in the engine. They just need to thaw it out. He says, I know what we do. He picks up the phone and calls Lenny, tells him to close the suction so the ice will fall out, then reopen it. It works. They get going and get out of the ice. Monte says he thought they were going on the beach back there. She's a good girl, The Wiz.

On the Ramblin' Rose. They are getting ready to leave for fishing again. The crew is still unhappy. Dale Robertson says he's watched more movies on the boat than he has at his house in the last year and a half. He's spent 18 days on a boat with guys that are okay to work with but to hang out with... He has four kids and one on the way. He's made $4,000 this year compared to $51,000 last year. How is he expected to live on that?

Elliott says, he was bitching because they were fishing in the ice, now he is bitching because they aren't fishing. He doesn't want to fire him because he is a friend of his, but he just wants him off the boat. Dale is downstairs telling someone the whole operation is a joke that Mickey Mouse himself is running the boat. Elliott goes down to talk to Dale. Dale tells him he made 51 grand on the Atlantico last year and was home by the 17th of March. Elliott says, there wasn't ice last year. Dale, they are still fishing right now, guy.

Elliott and Dale start arguing. Dale telling Elliott, you really want to burn up your friend card right here? I don't mind working, guy, that's why I'm here. There is a lot of beeping going on. Elliott tells him just get his stuff and go. Dale leaves. Elliott says, we'll go with four guys. The rest of the crew is outside wrapping the boat in plastic wrap.

On the Seabrooke. Captain Scott informs the crew nothing is going to stop the ice from coming and it is coming. LMAO Mac White says he's treating us harshly, we can't get any bathroom break. I love him! Mahlon Reyes has to go to the bathroom. Captain Scott calls down and tells him, piss on deck when you gotta go, no sense in coming in and taking off all your clothes when you gotta take a leak. Mahlon has gotta go, and he's standing next to some kind of tank with water running out of it. Then they show what looks like Mac standing in the corner going. That's just sad. Someone could freeze something important off going outside in that kind of weather.

Captain Scott has a deadline date. He needs a 400 average. They pull a pot with 180 in it. Dewey Warren says they probably got 15 hours sleep in the last week. Mac is tired, cold, and hungry. Mahlon's nose is bleeding. He said it's because he is so full of ibuprofen, he has enough ibuprofen in him to dull a football team. All of a sudden, they are hit with a massive wave. It actually looked like two waves at the same time it was so big.

Mac says, thank you, may I have another. Captain Scott says, that was a doozy. Mac says, that's the wave you don't want to let your mom know hit you. Someone else said, I felt the whole boat shudder. Mac, a lot came down and then a shitload came down right after it. Boom! Boom! Captain Scott, it's just tide, just a little tide. The guys are just going to have to suck it up.

On the Northwestern. Captain Sig is returning to the same place he has already fished twice. Jake Harris is sleeping in the forepeak. Matt Bradley is laying down with his head in the doorway as a pillow. It looks very uncomfortable. I can't believe the guys are letting Jake Harris sleep, and they aren't pranking him while he's sleeping. I mean, what a perfect target.

They pull up a pot about half full of crab. Jake sleeps through the first three pots then gets up and goes to the wheelhouse. He asks Captain Sig if he thinks, since it's nice out, he could haul some pots. Captain Sig tells him to go ask Edgar, he doesn't want Edgar getting mad because he isn't on deck.

Jake goes and asks Edgar. Edgar says, no, if you need something to do, I can steer you in the right direction. Edgar tells Jake Anderson he'd better go have a talk with his boy. Jake Anderson says he pushed him to show initiative, but he wanted him to earn his way. Jake Anderson says he is kind of offended that he would think he could just skip over so many things.

At the end of the string, Jake Anderson tells Jake Harris, Sig is not going to just let anyone run the boat. Jake Harris walks away. Jake Anderson, I don't think it's hit him he doesn't have a boat. He's here because he doesn't have a boat. Not because he's gonna have a boat, because right now, in this moment, where he doesn't live in, is total chaos. He's my family, I love him but, at this point, he is going to have to grow up and figure out where you are, who you are, and what you gotta do to get what you need.

In the wheelhouse, Captain Sig listens to a Coast Guard call for the Alaska Juris, a trawler. The Alaska Juris is asking that they bring a back board with Velcro straps to get him up to the bow.

They cut to Captain Scott who says it sounds like a cable came loose and hit him in the head. Hopefully, they can get him off and get him the attention he needs.

The Alaska Juris tells the USCG his blood pressure is dropping, and his breathing is shallow, they aren't sure if he is breathing. His condition is worsening. One of the Coast Guard crew says, if he isn't breathing, he doesn't have much time left.

The Coast Guard asks permission to come aboard. The swimmer goes down. They show shots of the different captains listening to the call. After 12 minutes, the swimmer calls up to the helicopter and says, the man is deceased. The Coast Guard calls down and tells the captain of the Alaska Juris that the Coast Guard policy, in these kinds of situations, is a tough one for them and the crew. Unfortunately, they cannot take the risk to take the man off the boat. One of the Coast Guard guys says, there is chaos on board, he (Andrew Fotu, 25) had 2 brothers on board that are with him. The captain was crying.

On the Kodiak, Nick Marrow is running and learning the hydros, and the weather stinks. The crew is trying to deal with being short-handed, the weather, and keeping an eye on the green horn. Someone tells Warren Hicks spatial awareness.

Warren is throwing the buoys over the side, and Nick is bringing another pot onto the launcher with the crane when it comes flying around and smacks Warren Hicks. Crosby Leveen tried to pull him out of the way, but he was knocked down by the pot as well. Warren is on the ground rolling around in pain, and it sounds like he tells Crosby to secure the pot.

Captain Bill tells them to tend to Warren. The guys carry him inside. I hear him say, he's fine it just hurts like hell. He goes back out on deck and Captain Bill asks him if he is alive and can he keep rolling on this string. Captain Bill informs Nick when he is running the controls, it is his job to safely control the pots. Nick says, this is crabbing, sh*t happens.

On the Ramblin' Rose, Elliott is returning to the spot he was previously at. He gets there and the spot is frozen over. He decides to fish in the ice. They are going to drop 75 pots. Tim Lovins says, if they lose the pots, they pay for it, so they are counting on Elliott to make the right choice. Elliott is counting on the wind blowing the ice to the east. It's very strange as they dump the pots over the side, they just kind of sit there on the ice. The crew, of course, thinks he's nuts.

On the Wizard, Keith has called Monte to inform him he is agitated that he is not even calling the owner of the boat. He doesn't need to hear stuff from someone else in the fleet. Monte tells him, I just told you what was going on. Keith says, 24-48 hours after the event. Monte tells him he tried to call him, he guesses he should have kept calling him again and again.

Captain Keith, still angry, says he is 30 seconds away from pointing that boat towards Dutch Harbor and seeing me on the dock. Monte, in spite of the fact that it's your birthday today, I was kinda hoping "beep." Captain Keith, a whole bunch of beeps with a couple of birthdays mixed in. You've gotta tell me what's going on with my boat. Monte, In the future, I will keep you abreast of potential tragedies on the boat. Captain Keith tells him he's glad him, the boat, and guys are okay. Monte hangs up and says, I knew that wasn't going to be pleasant. He starts setting pots in the ice also.

Back on the Northwestern, they are pulling pots hoping to finish up their season. They are pulling full pots. They have the boat almost full. The guys start screaming they did it. They hauled 1.7 million pounds for the season worth 3.145 million dollars. The crew will walk away with an $80,000 dollar paycheck. Captain Sig calls Edgar to the wheelhouse to pull the last pot.

Jake Anderson says his life for the last two years has been like this season. You can't depend on anything. He's in charge of the deck, he never thought he would see that happen. Edgar is in the wheelhouse, he never thought Sig would let him.

Edgar tells Sig he is one of the best captains he has ever seen. Sig tells him the value he brought on deck was almost like a prison sentence to him, but it's time, so take it away.

Time for the flaming hook. Edgar calls down and asks the guys if they want Captain Sig to throw the hook. They say, let's do it. Edgar, Roger, your ex-captain is on the way out the door right now. Sig, ex-captain, I'll show you ex-captain. Edgar, and don't miss! Sig, I'm not going to miss. Sig throws the hook. It looked like he got it, but he didn't. The guys are screaming you did not! Jake Anderson, you are the worst! Sig, I didn't miss.

Jake Anderson, that's what we say every day, now you know how we feel. Everyone's laughing. Sig throws again and gets it. Edgar should have sped up like Sig does to the guys, then see if he gets the pot, instead of sitting still in the water.

On the Wizard, Monte is ready to pull pots. The first two pots comes up empty. Monte says it's a learning experience. Character building. The only way to go is up. They see a sea lion. The third pot comes up full. The full pots keep coming. This season the Wizard hauled 2.9 million pounds of crab worth 5.4 million dollars. Each deckhand will pocket $151,000 bucks. Wow, I think that's the biggest number I've heard.

On the Time Bandit, they are pulling pots in the ice right next to the ice flow. Captain Johnathan says, this season separates the men from the boys. People will talk about this season for years. Captain Andy says, the ice wins the war this year. One more pot to go and Eddie retires.

Captain Jonathan says, he thinks about Eddie and when they were 18 years old, seems like yesterday, then they are in their 40s. That's not right. Eddie said he was going to put it off for a couple more years, but this season has taken a beating on him. Eddie Jr. says he got to work with his dad and see what he was doing all these years, they aren't very close off the boat, but it's kind of sad to see him go.

The tanks are full. They call Eddie upstairs. They tell him to have a seat. He wants to know what the guys on deck are doing. Captain Andy says, I think they are just chipping ice. Really, they are setting up a firework display for Eddie. The Time Bandit hauled in 878,000 pounds worth 1.6 million. $74,000 for each deckhand.

The Kodiak hauled in 1.5 million pounds worth 2.8 million. Each deckhand gets $75,000.

On the Ramblin' Rose, the crew is still upset and voicing their opinions. Elliott's excited about full pots. The guys say, too little too late. It doesn't make up for the last six months. They end their season hauling 628,000 pounds worth 1.25 million dollars, the deckhands, $49,000.

And on the Seabrooke, Captain Scott is fried and looking a little hillbilly like. I don't think he shaved all season. 1.9 million pounds worth 3.5 million dollars. The deckhands get $81,000. Mac waves goodbye to the ice as they head home.

The Crab Count

Wizard           2,918,184
Seabrooke      1,872,600
Northwestern 1,700,000
Kodiak           1,550,000
Time Bandit      878,000
Ramblin' Rose   628,000

In Anchorage, Mike is getting his finger fixed. The doctor explains they will grind the finger bone back and wrap the skin over the end. He says, it's actually not too bad. It's not his finger. Mike was hoping to go back to the boat, but he is going home.

Back in Dutch, the Seabrooke unloads.

On the Ramblin' Rose, Elliott says he has 10 days off, then he is going long-lining. The he starts talking about his crew and how they didn't complain and didn't whine. I know he was listening to them. How can he say that? The crew walks away from the boat saying things like they are never stepping on that bad boy again, and may she rest in peace.

Captain Sig marries Jake and Jenna after fixing his tie and fixing him up. At the reception, Captain Johnathan and Captain Sig have a discussion about how Jake Anderson didn't have one drop of liquor at his bachelor party.

Captain Sig says, Jake Harris hasn't done that, and he needs to. It's pretty obvious. Captain Johnathan, right now, so many people want to do stuff for him, but he doesn't care. Sig, we can't do it for him, he has to do it himself. John, I love Jake, but he has a long way to go. Sig, a long way.

I am not a doctor, but Jake Harris appears to have meth face, and I can tell from the searches I am not the only one to think this. I noticed it last week, and it is worse on this week's show. I know this is not the path Phil envisioned for Jake. I hope someone can talk to Jake and get him headed down the right track. I know most of the people around him have tried. I don't want to see you on the dead celebrity list, Jake, please, get some help. 

Captain Keith says, there are a lot of guys that want to be the captain, they are guys that think they should be captain, there are guys with the attitude of the captain, but they aren't the captain for a reason. They don't have what it takes. He says he's glad to see there are some young guys coming up that push themselves hard enough. They show pictures of Josh and Scotty. He laughs at Junior being a legend and says, only in his own mind. He says, Jake Anderson is going places.

They switch to Captain Johnathan who is talking about Jake Anderson about how well he is doing. He said, yesterday was one of the best days. They show shots from the wedding. But he is worried about Jake Harris. He thought he was doing well and he's not. Edgar says, we tried to show him the opportunity that he has, we just gave up. Captain John says, they just went through the worst evil season in his 32 years at sea and whatever he is doing is worse on his body than that was.

They show a picture of the Cornelia Marie, all pretty, in the yards. Captain John is just happy to feel the sun hit his skin.

They show everyone arriving home getting hugs and kisses.
 

In Memory of Andrew Fotu

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