This Is the Most Treacherous ‘Deadliest Catch’ Episode of the Series
With a title like Deadliest Catch, viewers certainly expect to view something that is destined to get their adrenaline rushing. With twenty seasons under its belt, Deadliest Catch has taken fans on voyage after voyage. Not all of them have been tranquil and peaceful. Sometimes, the elements can be the most difficult aspect to overcome. Such is the case for a certain Season 14 episode.
Since 2005, Deadliest Catch has kept viewers captivated as fishing vessels take on the rough waters of the Bering Sea. With hopes of netting their crabbing quota, each vessel has to battle the elements on board and off. Whether it’s the dangers of heavy machinery swinging as the ships crash through the waves or the personal battles within the human body, Deadliest Catch has allowed fans to witness the high-risk life of the high-stakes industry. In 2018, one episode in particular had fans on the edge of their seats, all thanks to the titular “Supermoon Storm.”
What Is a Supermoon?
As the logline of the Season 14 episode reads, “A 150-year supermoon storm wreaks havoc on tides, churning undersea currents that rip pots right off their lines.” And that’s just the start of the heart-racing action. The fourteenth episode of the season showcased just how dangerous things can get out there when nature has other plans. If an emergency arises on a fishing vessel, it can end up putting more lives in danger just to go on a rescue mission. Fans learned that the hard way through this episode.
To start, it’s important to learn what a supermoon is. According to Nasa, “a supermoon occurs when a full moon coincides with the Moon’s closest approach to Earth in its elliptical orbit, a point known as perigee.” A supermoon is said to occur only three or four times a year. Despite not being an official astrological term, it’s “typically it’s used to describe a full Moon that comes within at least 90 percent of perigee.” It just so happened on the night of the supermoon, a storm was brewing in Alaska.
The Supermoon Wrecked Havoc
Proven often on Deadliest Catch, the Bering Sea can be treacherous even on its best days. Add in a celestial occurrence, and suddenly, the waters can be nothing short of a death trap. The supermoon may look beautiful to the average eye, but the effects can be deadly. In the episode, Captain Josh Harris noted, “Big seas, big tides. Everything’s been out of whack.” High and low tides can be severely affected by the phases of the moon. The tide is at its monstrous as the moon aligns with this seldom occurrence. As Captain “Wild” Bill Wichrowski exclaimed, “I’m —ing scared —less.”
With all the captains fully aware that the conditions are about to affect their quota, it’s a battle about whether to wage a war against the waves. No captain knows how an unprecedented natural event can affect fishing, but these individuals on Deadliest Catch are committed to their profession. The crabs are not coming, but with the vessels already in action, there’s nothing else to do but continue on. Aboard the Saga, Captain Jake Anderson endured a rogue wave that not only knocked his crew off their feet, it toppled heavy equipment. He made the decision to cut loose and head back to shore. Meanwhile, on F/V Summer Bay, Captain “Wild” Bill Wichrowski may be fairing better in monetary catches, but his crew suffers the fate of nature. His crew is forced to rush to aid as one crew member, Spencer Moore, falls overboard. Due to the inclement weather, the Coast Guard has already abandoned missions, but Wichrowski needed aid. Could his crew handle it?
It wouldn’t be until the following episode that the result of the panicked moment would be resolved. Captain “Wild” Bill Wichrowski’s crew raced into action, getting the crane to pull Moore back onboard. Wichrowski was as calm as he could be at the helm of Summer Bay as the team sprung into action. It was a showcase of how quickly the tides can turn—literally. Deadliest Catch is available to stream on Max.
