Far north in the icy Bering Sea, just 60 miles from the Russian border, the crew aboard the 155-foot fishing vessel Wizard faced one of the harshest stretches of the crab season yet. Led by veteran captain Keith Colburn, the exhausted crew battled brutal weather, crushing fatigue, and multiple serious injuries while racing against time to fill the boat before their scheduled offload.
After a punishing 12-day journey north, including nearly a week spent grinding through ice and dangerous seas, the Wizard finally struck productive crab grounds. According to Captain Colburn, the payoff was substantial, with some pots yielding close to 400 crab counts — among the strongest numbers the fleet had seen.
“We’re the only show in town right now,” Colburn said as the crew hauled pot after pot in freezing conditions.
But the demanding pace quickly took its toll.
With only 48 hours left before the boat had to return to port, the crew pushed into what Colburn called “crab mode” — a relentless state where exhaustion, pain, and freezing conditions are ignored in order to keep the operation moving.
That determination nearly turned tragic.
Deckhand Roger suffered a terrifying accident when the vessel’s hydraulic sorting table suddenly pinned and crushed him during gear operations. Crew members rushed to his side as he complained of dizziness and a heavy sensation in his arm. Fearing a possible spinal injury, Colburn ordered the crew not to move him abruptly while they carefully assisted him inside the wheelhouse for evaluation.
The accident reportedly occurred in a blind spot near the launcher, where another crew member’s position prevented the equipment operator from seeing Roger step into danger.
“That could easily have crushed him and broke his back in ten spots,” Colburn admitted afterward.
With Roger sidelined and the crew already stretched thin, conditions deteriorated further when veteran deckhand Lenny suffered another painful injury while working gear on deck. Despite what Colburn believed could be broken ribs, the longtime fisherman refused to stop working.
“He’s a tough old crusty bastard,” Colburn said. “Old-school guys are built for the long run.”
Even while visibly struggling through pain, Lenny continued hauling pots alongside the reduced crew as the Wizard fought to salvage the remainder of the trip.
“We don’t have the luxury of going short-handed,” Colburn explained.
As freezing spray, exhaustion, and mounting injuries battered the vessel, the captain acknowledged the true severity of the crew’s condition may not be fully known until they finally return to shore.
For now, the Wizard continues its dangerous push through the northern crab grounds — proving once again why life aboard the Bering Sea fleet remains among the toughest jobs in the world.
