
Season 7 of Deadliest Catch premiered last night on the Discovery Channel and the beloved Captain Phil Harris started off the season with the opening narration.
The skipper’s voice, who’s death was chronicled on the show last season, was heard telling the viewers that even through the bad times, fishing was good to him. The seas were the one place he’d always wanted to be.
With that, all seven of this year’s boats (including the two new vessels) gathered on the water to bury Phil’s ashes at sea. Fireworks, pistols firing and a few words sent Harris on his spiritual way, but he was never far from many of the Captains and crew members’ thoughts.
The new Captains Elliot Reese on the Ramblin’ Rose and Scott “Junior” Campbell of the Seabrook were this year’s Young Guns, brought on it seems to showcase the changing attitudes of the younger fishermen rising to helm boats as the seasoned vets appeared more haggard and worse for the wear than in previous seasons.
Captains Johnathan Hillstrand and Keith Colburn struck out at least initially, with the first set of gear in the Bering Sea. Both skippers came up empty, in particular Hillstrand who had fished the same scallop beds for 3 seasons with incredible success, pulled blanks as they brought up empty pot after pot.
Captian Sig Hansen did only a little better with the Northwestern showing some crab and Captain Bill Wichrowski of the Kodiak not getting much either.
With six of the boats on the water, the one still missing, Captain Phil’s Cornelia Marie hadn’t left the docks. Phil’s sons, Jake and Josh Harris brought back Captain Derrick Ray (who took on the boat last season when the Captain was rushed to the hospital.) They spent time getting the gear and boat ready (it had been dormant through the summer after the Opilio crab season finished.)
The boys decided, with Captain Ray to head out to the far north of the fleet and attempt to fish the possibly very lucrative Blue crab. The fishery had been closed for over 10 years because of the dwindling number of the species and the three decided to try their luck and skill on the waters. The show closed out with boat finally getting to the grounds and the first pot being pulled.
The season started on a relatively conflict free note with the exception of Captain Ray and Cornelia engineer Steve Ward butting heads initially, but it seemed to blow over fairly quick.
Jake Anderson, Edgar Hansen, Freddie Maugatai, Scott Hillstrand, Monty Colburn and Mike Fortner were among the returning crew members for the 2010 Red King crab season, but this year seems to be about transition. An aging fleet that needs an injection of youth to keep it alive and flourishing.
What did you think of the opening show?
[image: Discovery]