Captain Harley Davidson of the Southern Wind is an optimistic guy based on our exclusive clip from the upcoming episode of Deadliest Catch. But further into the snippet of what’s to come, his crewman appears to be less than sure that the strategy to fish among mini icebergs and an ice floe is the smart play. He doesn’t say as much, but you can see the level of skepticism all over his face.
As Harley mans the captain’s cabin and the wheel, we can see that the men on deck are getting the crab pots out into the fishing field, only to hit the ice and stand on end for a bit until the water seeps into the pot and swamps it to sink to the bottom of the Bering sea. It’s a sight we rarely see on Deadliest Catch.
Speaking to the camera, Davidson says: “Seems like we might be in a good spot to set a string. See if I can sort out if there’s any life right here.”
However, his deckhand says that there is a reason no one is fishing up there, yet he will do as told. He says: “Typically when there is no one up here, they aren’t up here for a reason…He’s got high hopes. Roll the dice on the ice.”
Harley thinks there is crab for sure in the ice-filled swath of sea.
Narrator Mike Rowe adds his patented wry humor into the mix and says of the crab pot sitting on ice: “Um. Is that supposed to do that? Ah, there she goes.”
Captain Steve “Harley” Davidson helms the 148-foot-long Southern Wind. The boat is the second-largest in the fleet, behind Captain Keith Colburn’s boat The Wizard.
Fans have come to know Captain Davidson of the Southern Wind this season, and as we discovered talking to his arch-nemesis Captain Keith Colburn of the Wizard F/V, the two have some history and are wary of each other.
Colburn and Harley’s past history aside, the Southern Wind is in it to win it this season.
Harley has captained the Southern Wind for 15 plus years as a career fisherman. He has many a crab season and more under his belt. He makes a real entrance wherever he goes and his vessel is known for its efficient fishing methods.
He was born in Los Angeles and is the oldest of five kids, with three sisters and a brother. He moved to Washington state when he was 10 years old. His family ran a billiards parlor where Steve talked about “hanging out” when he was growing up in Kent.
On the Galley Stories with Mark Caylor podcast, Harley gave his background in full.
In 2000, he worked with Pat Dwyer, who put him in charge of some boats. This was his first crab boat captain gig and he was finally in the crab big leagues.
He also mentioned how he “stuck with the Norwegians” in the business — always getting fair deals and good business opportunities.
“They’ve [Norwegians] always treated me right,” Harley told Mark in his podcast interview.
He has also never had a death on board any of his ships and operates a tight ship.
His advice to new guys: “You guys gotta watch out…” and added there will be I.R.S., relationship, and possibly addiction issues if they pursue a career in fishing.
“I’m really proud of the guys on my boat right now,” Harley told Mark in his podcast.
Make sure to tune in to see if his intuition about crab under all that ice is correct!
Deadliest Catch airs on Tuesday at 9/8c on Discovery.