5. A rogue wave hits the Aleutian Ballad

One of the lesser-talked-about vessels featured on “Deadliest Catch” is the F/V Aleutian Ballad, captained by Jerry “Corky” Tilley during Seasons 2 and 3. Though not as popular as the likes of the F/V Northwestern and Summer Bay, the Aleutian Ballad made its time on screen count thanks to an extremely violent storm. With the weather so bad that fishing became impossible, the crew took shelter in the comfort of the mess deck. Meanwhile, Tilley was left to do the best he could with the vessel, despite being unable to see out of the windows thanks to heavy rainfall. Out of nowhere, the Aleutian Ballad was blindsided by a rogue wave, leaving them potentially about to capsize.

It’s a moment that viewers remember well, with certain fans naming it as one of the scariest things to ever happen during an episode of “Deadliest Catch.” Reddit user socialfishman remarked, “The wave was at a 90-degree angle to all the other waves and hit the boat completely broadside. You see it for a split second then everything is black…. I think the boat actually rolled and righted itself by some miracle. I experienced one in my life and it nearly got us but it was NOTHING like that one. The direction and size were mind-blowing.”

4. A Time Bandit crew member blows up his hand

The fishermen behind “Deadliest Catch” aren’t strangers to lawsuits, but one of the scariest grounds for financial compensation came from something that actually happened on the show. Back in 2013, David “Beaver” Zielinski was a crew member aboard the F/V Time Bandit and eventually had the bones in his right hand shattered due to a freak accident. According to Zielinski, a mortar-style firework blew up in his hand, leaving him with permanent damage for the next few years.

This led to Zielinski suing his former bosses in 2015 on the ground that the firework itself was considered to be a Time Bandit device. Though the injuries weren’t as gnarly as losing his hand completely, he suffered enough for fans to consider it one of the craziest moments that has ever been aired on the show. A year after the accident, Zielinski was reportedly expected to make a total recovery. Nothing so volatile has happened on “Deadliest Catch” since.

3. Wild Bill loses a deckhand

Deckhands are the bread and butter of a vessel, but they get a particularly hard time if they ever appear on “Deadliest Catch.” As far as captains go, Wild Bill isn’t exactly meek and mild, and is often noted for his creative use of swearing and fiery temper. During a nighttime fishing expedition aboard the F/V Summer Bay, Bill had his eyes set on the prize of beating the other boats to find the crab. On the way, deckhand Spencer Moore was suddenly thrown overboard by a rogue wave, while the rest of the crew jumped into panicked action.

There’s not much scarier than the thought of being thrown into the cold sea in the middle of the night with little means of rescue — yet it became poor Moore’s reality. As the Summer Bay crew struggled to get him back to safety, Bill remained assertive yet calm, even though he might have been part of the problem. Looking to turn the vessel in order to get a better angle on the crab, Moore’s sudden loss of stability couldn’t have been helped by the change in direction. With a supermoon hanging over them in the sky, was the Summer Bay always destined to host one of the scariest moments in the show’s history?

2. Hillstrand saves an overboard deckhand

Sadly, Moore wasn’t the only deckhand to feel the refreshing waves of the Bering Sea firsthand. Captain Johnathan Hillstrand of the F/V Time Bandit has a fairly good reputation among fans and crew members; he’s known for his exceptional craft and fatherly attitude. These traits were put to the ultimate test during Season 3, when his vessel passed another in distress, and Hillstrand quickly learned that one of their crew members had gone overboard. Without thinking, Hillstrand began working towards getting the guy back to safety with the rest of the crew members all pitching in to help.

Time stood still while viewers waited to find out if the unknown deckhand made it out alive, with Reddit user imnotclevrenuff4this commenting, “My adrenaline was pumping so much during that scene.” Not only was Hillstrand putting his life on the line for a total stranger, but the prospect of seeing a potential fatality on camera was beyond uncomfortable to watch.

1. The Northwestern hits a nighttime storm

Storms are aplenty on “Deadliest Catch,” but the F/V Northwestern ran into one that looked like it was straight out of a horror movie. Sig Hansen was in the captain’s chair as the vessel headed out on an evening fishing expedition, with the boat gradually losing light as more time went on. As the sky turned pitch black, the boat’s power completely cut out, leaving Hansen and the rest of its crew rummaging around in the dark. The generator alarm sounded while the waves picked up more speed, throwing Hansen out of his chair and across the captain’s quarters. Cue frenzied shouting and cries for power, with the Northwestern unable to be seen from the outside.

Simply put, this scene is the stuff of nightmares. Even for an experienced captain such as Hansen, his fear and tension were palpable. At the last minute, someone founds a switch on the generator that seemed to start up an emergency supply, bringing Hansen back to a state of calm. Being stranded in a volatile sea with no light, no power, and no means of escape is certainly a slasher movie opening that writes itself.