14x10 - Legend vs. Underdog

[bunniefuu]

[narrator] as winter mining
races to a finish...

Left drive.

[narrator] ...Who will take
home the ice crown?

[shawn speaking]

[narrator] a titan
fighting to retain his title.

We're off to the races, baby.

[narrator] or an unlikely
underdog, risking it all
to unseat a legend.

[vernon speaking]

[narrator] while
the battle rages...

[man speaking]

we can push it one more day.

[narrator] a new father
hopes to water seeds
for a future empire.

He better put
as much gold in there,

because it's going
to blow the ice away.

[narrator] and a trailblazing
innovator,

just tries to keep
his operation alive.

[zeke] if I can't make
ends meet,

I'm going to have
a serious doubt about
my future as a gold hunter.

[narrator] where will
the chips fall

on the season finale
of bering sea gold?

-[man speaking]
-this is it.

Look at that nugget.

[narrator] it's been
the worst winter in 100 years.

A relentless barrage of storms
has assaulted nome.

Now, in less than 24 hours,
the brutal season...

Will be history.

A blizzard looms
less than 100 miles away.

With winds and downfalls
so severe,

there is no chance
the rapidly deteriorating ice
will survive.

As most miners flee
for the safety of shore...

A brave few head out
for one last chance

to make their golden dreams
come true.

[vernon] so the weather report
has changed.

Now, it looks like the wind
picked up some,

it's going to be a toss-up,
whether or not it's workable,

I'm thinking it's probably
still going to be workable.

[narrator] vernon adkison,
currently the miner with
the most gold in the fleet,

readies to push his luck
one last time.

We got an open water
lead out there that's struck
down here by the nome river,

and then it goes on out there.

And then all the way
to the west,
as far as I can see.

The ice has broken off
and drifted out to sea,
so it's encroaching on us.

I knew
this was too good to last.

Best season of my life,
but now this storm is going
to put the kibosh on it.

And that lead
has been exploding
in the last day or two.

More ice is breaking off
every hour.

With this wind bearing
down on us, we're playing
russian roulette for sure.

[speaking]

[vernon] you never
can tell what the damn ice
will do.

I'm thinking,
I'm always knocking on wood.

Most people would
run for cover
under these circumstances,

but I'm on
the best gold of my life.

I'm going for 200 ounces
this season.

Let's dive.

Yeah. Let's dive.

This is our last
chance to grab the good stuff.

There's no way
we're sitting it out.

You're ready to go get it?

Going to get it. Yeah.

All right.
That's your last chance.

Yeah.

[narrator] 12 miles west...

[shawn] heading out
to the tomcod,

got a storm brewing,

that's coming,

but we still want
to keep going.

[narrator] in the final hours
of the season,

mr. Gold's
trying to tap into a jackpot

and retake his place
atop the gold count.

Hey joe!

[joe speaking]

but we're going
to get that gold, hey?

[shawn] hmmm-hmm.

Last chance at greatness.

We've been searching for this
jackpot all winter long.

Last time out, we were on
the hottest gold thus far.

We're definitely at the cusp,

but we're not
at the epicenter yet.

Today, we should be able
to find the last three ounces

I need to make up my payments.

But that's not all I'm after,
I want the motherlode.

I want the stuff of legend.

We're going to hop
in this hole
and see what's here?

Might be a pile of gold
down there.

[shawn] gold's going
to go down first

and then I'll go down
and finish this hole off.

Storm's going to bear down
on us fast,
so I got to be tight.

I want to get off the flicks
and get into the nuggets.

[shawn speaking]

[gary speaking]

okay, gary,

why don't you try to give me
an assessment

on how much ground you think
we've got to work?

[gary speaking]

I don't know. You tell me.

[gary speaking]

it's, I mean,
pitch blackness down there.

[gary speaking]

so he's trying
to figure out...

What's been cleaned out
and what hasn't.

He's working
in pitch blackness own there,

except for what he sees
with his light
right in front of him.

It's like
looking through a tunnel.

[gary speaking]

[man speaking]

oh *bleep* come on *bleep*
break it down.

[gary speaking]

all right.

We're starting
to waste time here.

[gary speaking]

[vernon speaking]

[gary speaking]

[vernon speaking]

[gary speaking]

[gary] I see gold
all through this.

It's coming down on this rock.
Quite a bit.

See the gold all over it.

[vernon] all right, gary.

[gary speaking]

[vernon speaking]

[gary speaking]

we're off to the races baby.

[narrator] while the salty
veteran rakes it in,
back on tomcod...

How's that gold looking
down there?

[joe speaking]

[narrator] shawn and joe
are still on the hunt
for the jackpot.

[joe speaking]

[shawn speaking]

tap the floor.

This is not it.

Last day, last chance.

This ain't it.

Look, we'll have a good day.

Bills will get paid.

But looking for that jackpot,
all winter long
and just missing it,

it's not easy one to swallow.

[joe speaking]

yeah, this really sucks.

But we're going to keep diving
and keep making gold.

[narrator] in the end
of season battle,

between the two captains,
vernon,

at least for now,
has the upper hand
in the gold count.

Nothing would
please me more
than to stick it to mr. Gold.

[narrator] as the storm
that'll shut down

winter mining grows
ever closer,
nine miles west of town...

[zeke] I was seeing gold,
right over in there,

and then I was
within the call,

edge of the call field
went over there

and I think
that's my best bet.

So we're going to go,
just kind of like


And I think that's
where the gold's going.

[narrator] zeke tenhoff's
looking for one last dive
to save his season.

[gabe] we got one more hole
and we get to get this,

put this b*stard
of an ice season
in the rearview mirror.

So it's all come down to this,

with all the bad weather
and the crappy ground,

this season has been
really rough.

We're finally on to something
good at tomcod.

If I can stay ahead
of the storm and have
a good day today,

I'll be able to get
the eight ounces that I need
to get through till summer.

If not, then I don't know
what I'm going to do.

I mean, am I going
to hang up my wetsuit?

This could be it.

This might be a really
productive hole,
might be a really good one.

It's been a nightmare,
an absolute slog,

but she finally warmed up
at the top
of the mountain here.

One more dive and we're done.

Very excited.

[zeke] okay.

All right,
I'm going to go kinda
to the southwest of the hole.

Let me go investigate.

[gabe speaking]

[zeke speaking]

gotcha.

[zeke speaking]

[gabe speaking]

[zeke speaking]

seems like, from
everything that he's said that
it's been kind of patchy,

so that can go
a lot of different ways.

[zeke speaking]

[zeke] what the *bleep*.

There's some gold here.

[gabe laughs]

[zeke speaking]

tell me about it.

[zeke speaking]

it's a lot of coarse?

[zeke speaking]

[zeke] dude, look at this.

[zeke speaking]

-[phone rings]
-[gabe] uh-oh.

Weather advisory
just popped up.

-Hey, zeke.
-Yeah.

Hey,
we got a weather advisory.

So, in an hour,
the wind is going to pick
up to 35 miles an hour.

[zeke speaking]

what do you want to do?

[zeke speaking]

all right.
It sounds like a great plan.
Perfect.

[zeke speaking]

[gabe] last hole.

Whoa!
Let's make some money.

[narrator] while zeke
gets on the gold, one
mile east...

[kris speaking]

my *bleep* baby's
k*lling me all night long,

waking up 10 times
a night screaming.

[man speaking]

you are so lucky.

Perks of being on the other
side of the house.

Anyway, but it's not going
to be like this for long.

I hope a couple of weeks
of hell

and then the baby gets on
a sleep schedule and...

-[man speaking]
-[kris] yeah, couple of weeks.

By the time,
the baby's a month old,

everything should be
better in my life.

[laughing]

that's the strategy, okay.

Don't *bleep* with me.

The best strategy
is throw the *bleep* out
the door right now, buddy.

[laughing]

[narrator] as the kelly's head
out for the last time,

they're hoping the ground
they're on is so rich,

it'll be like
taking candy from a baby.

You know, we didn't do great.

No, there's too many excuses.

Got that right.

Too many things to dial in.

Throw a baby on top of that,

you know, throw a crazy winter
on top of that,

but nothing lit on fire yet.

[man] get away.

[man] *bleep*.

Yet.
Please don't light on fire.

Look,
most of the seasons sucked,

but you never remembered
for how you start,
only how you finish.

And right now,
we're out of debt,

making money on the best gold
we've seen this season.

That's where you want to be.

We should be
pulling out right now.

Yeah, we shouldn't be,
we can push it one more day
and dive one more day.

Almost every miner's
off the ice,

but we're the desperate guys
still out here.

Desperate equals crazy.

Desperate equals desperate.

Desperate is dangerous.

But I have a family
to take care of now,

and I have huge plans
for this summer.

I need a w*r chest,

so screw this storm coming,
we're going for it.

[andy] you better do something
down there and put
as much gold in there,

because wind is going to blow
the *bleep* ice away

and we're going to lose
all of our stuff,

so we should be actually
packing up right now
and leaving too.

[breathing heavily]

[kris] hey, hot water
works great, the air is good.

I'm seeing
some great material.

Everything's going great
down here.

[andy] everything's
going great up here.

Fine. Finally,
everything's going great.

[kris speaking]

hell, now we're kind of
like the last man out here.

[kris speaking]

or it means we're
making the wrong decision.
Could work 50-50.

[kris speaking]

I'm on the gold.

Uh, well,
get as much as you can.

The wind's picking up.

We got to make this dive
count man and get the *bleep*
out of here.

[kris] I told you
we're going to do really good.

It will be set up
for the summer.

[narrator] by nightfall,
winter mining will be over,

as the last storm
of the season

is about to terrorize nome
and out on the ice...

[kris speaking]

[narrator] after four hours of
trying to outrace the storm,
one kelly down...

[kris speaking]

[narrator] and one left to go.

Well, you can man up
and take it yourself
if you want.

[kris speaking]

right now,
I'm going to get andy
underneath the water

and I'm going to figure out
how to get this operation
wrapped up.

Andy, last dive.

Get in the water.

The gold looks great,
I couldn't ask for more
from that last dive.

Now, we just have
to get andy in there
before the fat lady sings.

Do what you do best right now,
get down there
and just clean this up.

We're almost at the end.

I need andy to come through.

The more he gets,
the better chance we can start
the kelly empire this summer.

-Hey, are you ready?
-I'm ready.

Hey, your light's good, go.

[kris] okay. This is
the end, are you ready
to rock and roll?

[andy] I'm ready.

I'm seeing some good material.

I'm on the gold.

Oh, yeah.

[kris speaking]

[andy speaking]

[kris]
okay. Well, that's great.

Just you and I now,
finishing strong.

[narrator] as the kellys
press on, 11 miles east...

[gary speaking]

[vernon speaking]

[narrator] fighting to keep
his lead over shawn,

vernon's playing chicken
with a different kind of lead.

We've got some dangerous
open leads out there,

but the wind seems
to be picking up.

[speaking]

[gary speaking]

[vernon] gary.

[vernon speaking]

[gary speaking]

[wind whooshing]

the wind has picked up
quite a bit.

[vernon speaking]

[gary speaking]

yeah, yeah, I got you.

I mean, we got to...

[vernon speaking]

[vernon speaking]

[gary speaking]

[vernon speaking]

[gary speaking]

so, yeah, you know,
when you're sitting there
in your rocking chair,

you know,


you just tell your grandkids,

yeah, I used to dive
with vernon on 56.

[gary speaking]

I had to drag gary
off that primo gold.

It's hard to leave
gold behind,

but I don't want to leave
any dead bodies down here.

Yeah.

We might end up dead ducks

and I'm not
in the dead duck business.

You know, it's over.

The ice is bad.

We've got to move
like right now,

but we had
one hell of a season

and I'm hoping
this last clean out
will tie everything up

in a pretty little bow.

That maybe, just maybe,

we got more gold than
anybody else in the fleet.

All right, well,
let's get out of here, guys.

[man] yeah.

Going to gear up
and get the hell out of here.

[narrator] vernon ends
his season as the current
gold count leader...

But 12 miles west...

[shawn] how's it going
down there, joe?

[joe speaking]

[narrator] as the storm
grows closer...

Shawn's not going down
without a fight.

[joe speaking]

smooth!

[joe speaking]

[shawn] I'm going
to have to accept it.

No jackpot this winter.

It's fine.

We'll stay profitable.

Keep moving ahead.

I'll get over.

[joe speaking]

on top of black sand?

[joe speaking]

that's what we need.

Come on up.
I'm going to get suited up.

We'll do a hot swap.

Well, I got the nozzle
sitting right here.

I'll head on up to switch out.

I can't wait
to get down there.

[joe] I'm heading up.

We may have
one last ray of hope.

Seems to be getting coarser
as we're coming up
to that rock pile.

Coarse gold, black sand,
for a miner,

this is the stuff
dreams are made of.

Outlook pretty good.

Yeah, looks pretty good.

Yeah, got nice big cuts.

Look,
it hasn't happened all winter,

but this, this could be it,
this could be the jackpot.

Sounds like joe's got it
right where we want it.

[intense music]

yeah, there was a nice
soft sand patch, right where
the nozzle dropped,

and I worked, I worked
that coming up
to a big pile of rock.

And it was getting pretty rich
coming up to it right before
shawn got in the water...

So curious to see
what he's going to find
down there.

[shawn speaking]

come on. [groans]

yeah, I wasn't seeing nuggets,
where I was diving.

I was just south in the...

[shawn speaking]

what's that?

[shawn] look at that nugget,
oh, that's a beauty.

That one's going in the glove.

Woo-hoo.

[shawn] ah,
here's another one.

Ah, oh, oh!

Finding nuggets
coming in behind
this big rock, you know.

Holy *bleep*.

There's like $5,000
right there.

Yeah.

Woo-hoo.

[joe speaking]

he might have a whole glove
full of gold.

[shawn] I'm pulling
it outta here.

[shawn speaking]

this is it.

This is why we get here...

[shawn speaking]

ka-ching, ka-ching,
ka-ching.

Whoa!

[shawn]
oh, we're kicking a*s
now, boy.

[narrator] suddenly,
in the gold count battle,

it's anybody's game.

Hey, how are you doing
down there bud,
you're still seeing color?

[zeke speaking]

[gabe] okay.

[narrator] determined
to keep his operation afloat,

zeke tenhoff is pushing
into the face of a storm.

Well, it looks like
we're in a really consistent
pay layer.

It's amazing.

And so, we're just
kind of at that grind stage.

[zeke] I don't really have
any way to accurately assess

what I think the cleanup
is going to be.

[gabe] all right.

Just some stripper money,
you know,

it's all I'm asking for,
I'm a simple man.

All right.

That northwest wind just hit,
and it's starting to get
real bitchy out here.

How are you feeling
down there?

[zeke speaking]

[gabe] all right.
Yeah, the weather's
really starting to pick up.

[zeke speaking]

yo.

-It's a wrap?
-It's a wrap.

I'm not going to lie,
this is not an easy season.

I was really worried
for a minute there

that the whole thing
was going to be
a huge bust for me.

-Looks good to me.
-[gabe] hell, yeah.

[zeke] but once
we moved to tomcod,
the fortunes turned around.

I'm really happy
that we found it in ourselves

to keep our heads down
and keep going.

I'm psyched to see
what we got today.

Fingers crossed
is what we need.

[engine revving]

[narrator] as the winds reach
30 knots, one mile east...

How's it going down there?

[andy] it's going good.
Everything's good.

[andy speaking]

[narrator] the brothers
kelly may have taken it
as far as they can.

Andy's probably getting
as much gold as we can

before it's the end,
it's the end.

So we got to get out of here.

Look, we pushed it like
basically to the point
of insanity,

but the fat lady
is losing her voice right now.

She's singing so loud.

[kris speaking]

[andy] this hole's
basically finished.

[kris] okay.
Come on, let's get
the hell out of here.

You did a great job.
I'm proud of you.
We count this out together.

Okay, I see you.
Let's rock and roll.

For where we came this season,
disaster halfway

through the season
with no gold
to where we ended up

out of debt, making money,
ready to k*ll this summer.

I'm really proud
of how we stuck it out

and we came out on top
at the end.

The nozzle's at the bottom
of the hole, hooked.

[kris] okay. Good. Change.
I'm going to start taking
everything apart.

Now we're done. Pack it up.
Let's go.

Time to get the hell
out of here.

[narrator]
while the kellys head
for the safety of shore,

one mile west...

[shawn speaking]

woo-ee.

[narrator] there's still
one last miner under the ice.

Woo-ee!

[laughing]

[shawn speaking]

yeah. She's pretty brisk.

[shawn speaking]

[laughing]

[shawn speaking]

[wind whooshing]

she's pretty brisk.

[shawn speaking]

it sounds like we've got
a good end to a long winter.

[shawn speaking]

[laughing]

look at this, joe.

[joe] what we got?
What we got?

-[shawn] there you go.
-[joe] oh, man.

Thicker rocks *bleep*,
man, dude.

[laughing]

woo-ee!

I'm a big believer
in perseverance pays off.
And today it did.

Nugget.

Oh, that's a dime.

Wish we could
have found it
earlier in the season.

But bottom line,
it's one hell of a way
to end the winter.

It'll be a great way
to start summer.

The box is loaded.

Man, look at that.

[narrator] and now
social hour with vernon.

Ah, let's see.

Somebody named billy's
mullet.

[reading]

more than
they're in the sluice box?

[laughing]

well, I've been known to eat
a cookie or two.

Okay. One more and I'm done.

Have I been vaccinated?

I was circumcised
against my will,

I might add, I mean,
when you're making your way
through this world,

well, you need every edge
you can get.

[man] I didn't expect that.

[laughing]

[narrator] this has been
another episode
of social hour with vernon.

Things are going down
the tube real fast.

I got to get out of here
before I get canceled.

I'd be canceled already,
but you know what?

[narrator]
off the coast of nome,

the spring breakup
is officially underway.

And in town...

[zeke] this will be our last
clean-up.

I hope we're breaking
even to be honest.

Yeah, worst
season I've ever seen.

It was well thought.

[narrator] zeke tenhoff's
hoping to spoils of w*r

will be enough to keep he
and his crew

on the b*ttlefield
this summer.

That doesn't look too shabby.
I like it.

I mean, I was seeing
some good gold.

So I'm super stoked

to have color
in this coming up
after what we've been through,

I mean, it's just amazing
to see.

I love it.
I'm a happy, happy man.

[zeke] I'm totally exhausted,
but I'm feeling optimistic.

We only need about two ounces
to keep going,

and I know we've given it
everything that we've got.

I think the gold gods
will smiled down upon us
on this day.

Now, we got half an ounce.

There's one,

one-and-half,

and we're coming right by 2,

and 2.5, I think
we're going to hit three.

Come on. All right.



[narrator] 3.63 ounces
give zeke 8.67 ounces
for the season.

That's over $16,000,
enough to carry the boys
from winter...

That's going to be enough
of a payday to roll me
over into the next season.

[narrator] into summer.

Yeah, I mean,
the ocean's melting,
as we speak.

I mean, I only got a few weeks
to get my boat ready
for the summertime.

I know that ice mining
is hard,

but this was way harder
than I anticipated
and it definitely tested me.

I mean, how much
can get thrown in our faces

and we can still keep going
and survive?

That affirmation
is very rewarding.

And now, I'm super stoked
about this summer.
Let's do it.

To one more ice season.

Don't spend it
all in one place.

Daddy and a caddy.

We'll get there.

[narrator] down the road...

[kris] yeah.
The material is looking good
right now.

Oh, gold in here
is starting to stack up.

We did better
than I thought we did.

[narrator]
despite starting the season
deep in debt,

the kellys crawl back

and they're ready to see
how high of a note
they've finished on.

[kris] we did great.
We k*lled it.

We're in the black now.
Everything's going good.

I'm glad
we're done with the season.
My body is done.

I'm done too.

You need to heal
your *bleep* arm.

We need to start going
to the gym more or something,

just because
we need more stamina.

You know, in the past,
I'd be really pissed off

when we had an
unsuccessful season,

but I would have
just accepted it and move on.

Not now, not with the baby.
We had to succeed.

And you know what? We did,
now we're just counting
how big our profits are.

What a great feeling that is.

Hey, let's see what we got.

Come on.

Three ounces, lots of chunky.

That place has got
everything chunky, fine.

Oh, I love that gold.



[narrator] 6.84 ounces
brings the kelly total
to 45 ounces,

worth over 85 grand,

giving them a hearty w*r chest
for summer.

But now we're back on,
not on top,

but at least
we're at one, two.

We're at two,
so we're slowly
crawling back up there.

This is the dawning
of a new day for the kellys,

money in our pockets
to start with.

Are you kidding me?

This summer
is going to be great.

We're going to take this money
and make this operation grow
a lot.

We're aiming for an empire.
Mark my words.

This summer,
if everything works out,

we'll have a brand new
eight-inch boat.

You know, we'll get out there
and we'll just k*ll it.

This is probably going to be
a 200-ounce summer for us.

[andy]
I'm just looking forward
to no snow.

[kris] I am so looking forward
to no snow.

[narrator]
on the outskirts of nome...

The nuggets are just
pouring out of the gravel,

just kept pouring
and it was like,
tink, tink, tink.

Did you hear them
hitting the nozzle?

[narrator]
mr. Gold is about to find out

just how big of a jackpot
was at the end of his rainbow.

[shawn]
one of the hardest winters
we've ever had.

It's definitely worth
pushing through,

because that last hole
was a hot one.

[narrator] and across town...

-Final weigh up right here.
-Yeah.
It's been a hell of a run.

[narrator]
shawn's unlikely competition
for the gold crown

is making his final weigh out.

We've dug down
right on top of it,

I'm telling you buying 56
was the best move
I've ever made in my life.

That's quite a haul.

For a little pan...

Look at all those nuggets.

You got to weigh it up, gary,
let's see what we got there.

[narrator] with 125 ounces
to shawn's 117,

vernon is clutching
a slim 8-ounce lead.

Lots of nuggets.

[vernon] pour it up.
Let's find out.

One, two.

[shawn] oh, nuggets.

Seven, eight.

That's a heavy pan, joe,
it's a heavy pan.

[joe] and we're in it.

[vernon] nine,



[shawn] 53.

-h*, yeah.
-Look at this.

[narrator] 53.1 ounces
give shawn 170 ounces
for the season,

worth a whopping $323,000.

We're in it now.

[narrator]
while vernon's 10.4 ounces

brings his final haul
to 135.5 ounces,
not enough to steal the crown,

but enough to ring in at over
a quarter million dollars.

That's a nice little top up
for the end of the season.

[laughing]

-yeah.
-[vernon] I needed that.

[gary] yeah.

I may not have hit
my 200-ounce gold,
but 135 ounces,

that's a real banger
under any circumstances,
I'll take it.

-Yeah, 56 has got it.
-56.

And come the summer,
when I've got months

instead of a few weeks
to mine this stuff,
the sky's the limit.

It is going to pile up
this summer,
we're going to k*ll it.

Mining's not just about
grinding it out,

paying the bills,
staying in the black.

To me,
it's something way bigger.
That's following my dream.

It's the hunt.

It's finding something
that nobody else can find.

It's times like these,
that rekindle my passion
for mining.

Reminds me
of why I got into it
in the first place.

And let me tell you,
it doesn't hurt
when it's a boatload of money.

Unstoppable.

Yeah. This is going
to fill up some buckets.

[shawn] I can't wait
to get back out there
this summer.

Days like that
is what keeps you mining.

[narrator]
in the final moments
of winter,

shawn vaults to the top
while vernon stand strong
as a titan.

Next summer
on bering sea gold...

Battle stations!

It's a clash of empires.

You're going to go down.

Hey, you want to fight
*bleep*.

This is all very crazy,
been using that word a lot,
because that is what it is.

You got jane kilcher here.

It's like the wild wild west
out here.

-*bleep* you.
-*bleep*

yeah, baby, it's gold time.

[kris] come on, andy,
get in there. Yeah.

I can see the hospital
right there. That's good news.

[kris] we took a big wave.
He flipped over.

It's not looking good.

Now, they do call me
the naked sponge diver.

Biggest nugget
I've ever found.

That's huge!

There's going to be more gold.

We're making money, baby.

We gave it our all.

[narrator] so man,
your battle stations.

Not going to *bleep* quit
and I'm not backing down.

[narrator] because the fight--

I'm going to get
your permit pulled.

[narrator] is on.

Not until I get
my *bleep* damn money.

[laughing]

[911 operator] 911,
what is your emergency?