Wizard Crew Fights Off Illegal Poaching Vessel During Deadliest Catch

Here’s how the most die-hard of all crabbers battle massive waves and incoming disaster in pursuit of some profit. We’re talking about the mighty Wizard crew. During one expedition, the crew encounters a suspicious vessel suspected to be an illegal poacher. Despite their best attempts to shake off the intruders, the vessel continues to follow them, forcing the crews to take drastic measures to protect their valuable catch. How did they confront this challenge?

Captain Keith felt the cold wind whipping across his face as his boat, the Wizard, swayed through the choppy waters of Alaska. Standing next to him was Rick, a newly hired deckhand with a strong will. Their mission was to search the remote upper reaches for the ideal location to set up a big 250-pot crab fishing operation. Keith picked up another boat on the radar and pointed a toughened hand towards the horizon, but the Automatic Identification System showed nothing. However, soon Rick confirmed that he had also seen it.

They strained to make out what appeared to be a vessel about six miles in the distance. As they examined the unidentified ship, Keith noticed its AIS transponder was off. Keith was certain that this vessel was observing them and was either fishing lawfully or up to no good. It took quick thinking to avoid this potential danger. Keith decided that to confuse the suspicious vessel, they should both travel directly west at a speed of roughly seven knots while turning on their AIS transponders.

In response, Rick turned the wheel and steered them onto a new 270° course. Then he told Keith that the other boat was no longer showing up on his radar. Keith gave a contented nod; it was time to move as the suspected illegal ship gradually faded from their scopes. He then gave Rick the order to switch off his AIS on his mark, which Rick promptly did. The Wizard was now unseen by other vessels as the two men turned off their automated identification systems, hoping to put some distance between them and the potential threat.

Keith’s eyes narrowed as he scanned the sea and said he wasn’t seeing anything suspicious. With a renewed sense of purpose, he turned to face his crew and told them to prepare to drop some pots. The deckhands sprang into action as Keith yelled over the commotion, declaring that these were their grounds and The Wizard ran from nobody. His voice carried the distinct tone of a man ready for battle. Rick and the crew threw the large traps overboard one by one, sending them splashing into the freezing depths.

As he saw the numbers on the display climb quickly, Keith was confident they had hit a good spot. When they reached 190 pots, a booming laugh escaped his lips at the bountiful harvest. However, their celebration was short-lived. Keith realized something was amiss and told them to hold up, noting that they were missing a pot and to keep eyes on the bow. Rick surveyed the scene with a concerned look, noting that the situation looked bad—big enough to take the whole boat out of commission if they didn’t address it quickly.

A tense silence descended across the deck as the crew of the Wizard worked quickly to sort out the chaotic mess of lines and crab pots. Keith paced back and forth, his forehead creased with concern. He suddenly stopped and turned to face Rick, convinced that this was no accident. He firmly stated that they were being targeted by illegal boats attempting to claim their fishing territory through sabotage. Rick nodded grimly, understanding the seriousness of the situation.

Keith observed the confusion among the crew as they struggled to loosen the tangled fishing lines. He felt that something was off. He believed that more than just their equipment had been lost; he suspected that an unauthorized vessel had dumped its rubbish in the middle of their setup. “We’ve never dealt with illegal fishing boats this deep into American waters before,” Keith said. In all his years piloting the Wizard, he had never encountered illegal fishing operations this far into American territory. This was their turf, their livelihood, and he wasn’t about to back down.

Instructing Rick to patrol the area and keep any illegal boats out of their gear, Keith declared that he wasn’t running away. The two captains were fully aware of the risks involved. Their way of life was in jeopardy due to careless and illegal overfishing. It was a time for desperate measures.

Some miles away, on the Eastern Bering Sea grounds, a similar issue was being handled by another seasoned captain. With a thoughtful gaze, Captain Rick asked his counterpart Keith, via intermittent crackling radio transmissions, whether he had spotted anything unusual out there. Keith answered that he had seen nothing but a clear view, yet the unease in his voice was palpable. As the two crews continued their vigilant watch, Keith’s mind raced with strategies to protect their territory.

He then inquired from Rick how long he had been running these waters. Rick replied that he had been in these waters for 21 years. He started as a deckhand right after high school and worked his way up to become the deck boss and chief. Rick mentioned that Keith’s grandfather, possibly a third or even fourth-generation crabber, might have loved how Keith carried on the family’s legacy. With a wistful smile, he looked out across the vast expanse of the ocean, reminiscing about working with his elderly father every day when he was young. This brutal, unforgiving job had a special kind of terror, especially when you had family working beside you on those slippery decks.

Their nostalgic moment was shattered as Rick’s voice crackled over the radio, saying he had spotted something. It looked like a boat was headed straight for them, about six miles out. The two captains instantly snapped into high alert mode. Keith briefly responded that he could see it too but was only scanning a short range, so he didn’t have it dialed in yet. He instructed Rick to turn off the lights, stop the engines, and wait for him. The crew of the Wizard swiftly moved to follow Keith’s orders. The lights went out, and the engines fell silent, leaving the boat drifting in the dark, cold waters. Keith’s mind raced with thoughts of what could happen next. The suspected poacher was getting closer, and they had to be ready for anything.

The silence on the deck was now filled with tension and anticipation as they waited to see if the approaching vessel would reveal itself as friend or foe. Keith knew that defending their territory and catch was paramount, and he was prepared to take whatever measures necessary to protect his crew and their livelihood. Without the extra crew, the Wizard went dark and silent, drifting in the cold waters. Rick and Keith stood quietly in the dark, watching the approaching boat. Rick flipped a switch as Keith began to count down from three. The light came on, shining brightly on the trespassing vessel. The crew aboard the Wizard let out a cry of excitement as the fishing boat, caught red-handed, turned and ran. Still laughing, Rick exclaimed that nothing had ever scared this behemoth away before. Keith clapped his partner on the shoulder with a satisfied grunt, saying, “Another shift in the books, another set of trespassers sent packing from our grounds.”

This was not the first time the Wizard crew had dealt with something like this. They had faced worse moments before. The crew had experienced some serious challenges on the water, including a sudden fire outbreak on the Wizard. During one episode of “Deadliest Catch,” the already difficult situation aboard the ship took a dangerous turn when a fire suddenly broke out in the cooking area, adding another layer of challenges to their struggles in the Bering Sea. The crew had to act quickly to contain the fire and ensure the safety of everyone on board while continuing their mission to catch crab in one of the most dangerous environments on Earth.

The scene begins with the crew members noticing that something is wrong when they see smoke coming from the kitchen. Concerned by the strong smell of something burning, they quickly investigate the source of the smoke. Tensions rise as they try to figure out what’s happening. A crew member, Roger, takes charge of the situation. He grabs a fire extinguisher and rushes to put out the fire. The crew’s quick thinking and immediate response help prevent the fire from escalating. They manage to control the flames and appear to have the situation under control. However, their relief is mixed with the realization that this incident could have been much worse. They understand the potential dangers of fires on a fishing boat, especially in a confined space like the kitchen. Upon investigation, they identify an electrical problem with the 30-year-old heater as the cause of the fire. The crew is well aware of the risks associated with using old equipment, such as the cadet heater, knowing that these heaters have caused fires on ships before.

Despite the scare and disruption, the resilience of the crew is evident. They quickly put out the fire, evaluated the situation, and decided that they needed to inspect the wiring to ensure there wouldn’t be another fire. This incident, while a close call, highlighted the importance of vigilance and readiness in the dangerous environment of crab fishing. The crew’s ability to handle such crises underscores their determination and preparedness to face whatever challenges come their way.

As the threat of fire subsides, the crew begins discussing their fishing plans, considering the possibility of working near Balaria, Russia, a region they had hoped to avoid. However, their successful fishing experience there the previous year greatly influences their decision-making process. But just when they think they’re out of danger, another disaster strikes, nearly sinking their boat.

The Wizard finds itself weighed down by massive ice as Captain Keith guides them through risky waters dangerously close to the Russian border. Covered in ice, the ship faces a race against time to avoid disaster. This scene unfolds about 560 miles northwest of Dutch Harbor, where isolation reigns supreme, with only distant Russian chatter on the radio. Despite the risks, Keith decides to venture into these icy, dangerous waters in search of more crabs. But this decision brings them dangerously close to hostile territory. Simply having a U.S. fishing boat on Russian radar during crab season could spark a full-blown international incident.

As they navigate through freezing conditions, Keith makes the bold decision to drop their pots despite warnings from Rick, who insists it’s too risky and not worth the potential disaster. Keith remains resolute, convinced that they’re safe. But within moments, things take a turn for the worse, putting the crew in a perilous situation as their boat quickly becomes coated in thick, heavy ice, threatening to sink the vessel.

Keith knows he has to act quickly and skillfully to prevent disaster. With freezing winds gusting at 40 mph, he orders the crew to chip off the ice to lighten the ship’s weight. It’s a challenging task, as every man on deck must hammer away the ice to keep the boat from capsizing. Amid the chaos, one crew member, Roger, takes a hard fall but quickly gets back on his feet. As the men fight to break free from the ice, the future of their vessel and their lives hangs in the balance. If the deckhands can’t remove enough ice, the Wizard is in grave danger.

Keith fully understands the situation as the ship loses stability, with water levels rapidly rising and the boat at risk of capsizing. The weight of the ice is pushing the Wizard deeper into the freezing water. Despite their best efforts, the men are on the verge of losing the battle against the ice, as their hammering appears insufficient to save the boat.

The ice continues to accumulate, and it becomes clear that drastic measures are necessary. The Wizard’s bow plunges deeper into the icy sea, reaching a dangerous angle. Keith makes a snap decision to risk everything by initiating an aggressive maneuver to avoid capsizing. He orders the crew to hang on tight as he shifts the boat’s course in a daring attempt to break free from the ice’s grip. The crew braces themselves for the impact as the Wizard veers sharply.

After a tense struggle, the Wizard begins to level out, and the ice starts to break free from the ship’s deck. The deckhands intensify their efforts, hacking away at the remaining ice until they finally succeed in lightening the load enough to keep the boat afloat. The relief is palpable as the crew realizes they’ve narrowly averted disaster.

As they make their way to safer waters, Keith commends his crew for their perseverance and teamwork in the face of immense danger. The near-capsizing serves as a stark reminder of the treacherous conditions they must endure in their quest for the elusive catch.