Deadliest Catch Season 4, Episode 16 : Alaska Ranger Sank

As the season comes to an end the crew of the Cornelia Marie is scrambling to fish the last of their quota and get back to port to offload. Continuing to battle the freezing spray and personal injuries such as a sprained back, frostbite, and even complications from a surgically repaired pelvis the weary crew continues the gut wrenching work, while at the same time having the health of their Captain weighing heavy on their minds. Despite it all they are able to get the remainder of their quota on board in time to meet their deadline and return home where the Harris brothers learn the truth about their father. Not wanting them to loose their concentration on the job at hand, Captain Phil Harris has never told his sons of just how serious his medical problems are. Having had a blood clot pass directly through his heart and end up in his lung, he is lucky to even be alive. However, there is little chance he would have the same fate if another clot appeared, and is forced to give himself injection as well as make daily trips to the local hospital. With his health in such jeopardy, there is much doubt as to whether he will ever return to the Bering Sea. But he is at peace in knowing his boys have a strong foundation to carry on even without their lifelong mentor and father on board.

On board the Wizard the mystery of the bottomless holding tank is finally revealed during the offload when a hole the size of a watermelon is discovered in the wall of the tank. The hole had allowed the crab at that level to be dumped back into the open sea without the knowledge of the Captain and crew. Each time the tank appeared close to full, the crab at that level would be released back into the Bering Sea causing the crew to wonder if their trip would ever be completed. All in all with a catch of 2.5 million dollars and a payout of 68 thousand dollars per deckhand no one can really complain.Sadly we learn about the fate of another fishing boat, the Alaska Ranger that sank just two weeks after the end of the crabbing season sending all 47 crewmen on board into the freezing sea where only 42 would be able to be rescued in time.