It’s the third day of the 2005 Opilio crab season on the Bering Sea. Unseasonably warm weather and calm seas have contributed to record catches for the fleet.
Captain Sig Hansen and the crew of the Northwestern landed on the crab early and cranked through their gear at a feverish pace, filling two of the boats three holds. The 92-foot Maverick also hit pay dirt right from the start. Skipper Rick Quashnick’s decision to fish Southern waters paid off big and he filled his boat early enough to off load his tanks and go out for more.
On the Retriever, it’s not all smooth sailing. An electrical fire breaks out in the engine room and everyone’s safety is jeopardised. They shut down work and scramble to fix the problem so they can safely get back to fishing.
As the fourth day of fishing gets under way, high numbers of crab throughout the fleet spur rumours of an early closure and every captain speculates on when the quota will be met.
6.30PM SATURDAY NOVEMBER 17 ON TEN
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