Deadliest Catch follows crab fishermen working in some of the most hellish conditions on Earth.
They push themselves to the brink to make their quota.
And a Deadliest Catch star revealed this scary situation that keeps him up at night.
Captain Sig Hansen talks about the dangers of the job
The Discovery Channel reality show the Deadliest Catch is back for its 20th season chronicling the lives of Alaskan crab fishermen working on the Bering Sea.
Captain Sig Hansen said that one hardship has been a constant during his time on the show.
He told Fox News Digital that the weather is the biggest challenge for his crew.
“I mean, there’s always a challenge. The challenge is to succeed, right?” Hansen said. “There are life-threatening situations – been in a few of those. I think the biggest challenge is always the weather. That’s always a big one and keeping your guys motivated, that’s always a big challenge.”
Finding the crab is a challenge that can be overcome with time and skill.
“You know, and finding crab,” Hansen continued. “It’ll happen, it just takes time, but it’ll happen. Especially if you’re good and you know what you’re doing.”
Alaskan king crab fishing is one of the most dangerous jobs on the planet.
Hansen has had some hairy moments working in the harsh conditions of the Bering Sea.
“We’ve had events where the boat was icing down to the point where I thought there was no return,” Hansen explained. “We’ve had struggles with mechanical issues where, you know, we’ve had, like, tanks where our crab tanks either fill with water when they’re not supposed to, and that creates instability on the boat. Things of that nature.”
The worst can happen to crab fishermen
Hansen has seen it all during his decades of experience fishing in Alaska including the worst.
“There’s been many challenges and there were challenges where I’ve seen boats literally go down. You know, eight miles away from me, and there’s nothing I can do about it,” Hansen explained. “You watch people and friends that you know, and you’re literally in the fog. They’re right over there and there’s nothing I can do about it, and they’re gone.”
“I think that’s a god**n challenge,” Hansen exclaimed.
He credited the show’s camera crews for its enduring popularity.
“Number one, It’s blue collar and there’s a work ethic and I think people respect that. I think the show’s successful because, through time, the photography’s better, the cameras are better, the people that record what we do are better, and I think that it shows,” Hansen said. “My wife and I watch what they film, and she just can’t believe it. She’s like, ‘Oh my God, I feel like I’m in it.'”
Hansen said he was surprised that the show attracted fans from all generations.
“So, I think it brings you closer; it brings you into our living room, and I think it’s successful because it’s multi-generational,” Hansen stated. “Grandma, grandpa watches, grandson, granddaughter. It’s just multi-generational, and I’ve said it before: This was not meant to be a family program. We do have foul language. We do horrible things that should not be done, and families watch it together. It ain’t a family program, but that’s what it turned out to be.”
The fishermen navigating the demanding challenges of the Bering Sea turned Deadliest Catch into one of the most popular and longest-running reality shows.
