0000 00:00:00:00 00:00:00:08

 

Sealers v. 020217

Koko Film

01:00:00-02:38:04            98'04"

Subtitles: Erik Grønvold

 

0001 10:02:04:15 10:02:11:04

 

When the season starts to draw near,

I can feel the pull in my guts.

 

0002 10:02:21:15 10:02:23:15

 

Shit.

 

0003 10:02:42:02 10:02:46:14

 

My grandfather hunted seal.

 

0004 10:02:47:21 10:02:53:03

 

According to the veterans,

he was famous for his strength.

 

0005 10:02:53:06 10:02:58:13

 

He could hurl a sealskin as easily

as you could flip a flapjack.

 

0006 10:02:58:16 10:03:02:15

 

From my great-great-grandfather

to my father.

 

0007 10:03:02:18 10:03:08:23

 

And I'm waddling in their footsteps,

trying to be just as...

 

0008 10:03:09:01 10:03:12:04

 

Just as cool as them.

 

0009 10:03:31:24 10:03:36:02

 

I'll put the wool here

so you can have a look.

 

0010 10:03:37:06 10:03:40:16

 

Is it clean?

 

0011 10:03:40:19 10:03:45:02

 

–Smells alright. I'm bringing it.

–Let me have a look.

 

0012 10:03:46:19 10:03:50:11

 

–They'll do.

–These were your great-grandpa's!

 

0013 10:03:50:14 10:03:54:07

 

Look! Well, well.

 

0014 10:03:55:03 10:04:00:09

 

They've been saying,

"This is my final season" since the 80s.

 

0015 10:04:00:24 10:04:06:02

 

But when the season starts, there's

one guy who goes one last time, -

 

0016 10:04:06:05 10:04:11:17

 

- and then another, and another,

and that's Bjørne Kvernmo.

 

0017 10:04:13:12 10:04:15:14

 

Because he's special.

 

0018 10:04:16:10 10:04:18:12

 

He's...

 

0019 10:04:18:15 10:04:21:08

 

Pretty darn special.

 

0020 10:04:31:12 10:04:33:23

 

Hello.

 

0021 10:04:36:01 10:04:37:19

 

–How are you?

–Okay.

 

0022 10:04:44:19 10:04:50:03

 

This is my third season

as first mate for Bjørne.

 

0023 10:04:50:06 10:04:54:24

 

I'll try to learn something

from him before it's too late.

 

0024 10:06:34:21 10:06:37:15

 

The Greenland Sea.

 

0025 10:06:37:18 10:06:42:00

 

The ice starts here and flows south.

 

0026 10:06:42:03 10:06:47:00

 

The low pressures, the weather systems,

are formed here -

 

0027 10:06:47:03 10:06:49:05

 

- and move north.

 

0028 10:06:50:03 10:06:53:19

 

And we're hunting seal in the middle.

 

0029 10:06:53:22 10:06:56:22

 

I'm worried there won't be any ice.

 

0030 10:06:57:00 10:07:03:10

 

When I went on my first hunt in 2007,

there was twice as much ice as today.

 

0031 10:07:12:02 10:07:15:07

 

Seal hunting is a dangerous trade.

 

0032 10:07:15:10 10:07:22:06

 

Firing dumdum bullets from a high-powered

rifle on a rolling, slick deck.

 

0033 10:07:22:09 10:07:26:06

 

You've got wires and sharp hooks.

So far -

 

0034 10:07:26:09 10:07:30:03

 

- we've avoided accidents.

 

0035 10:07:30:06 10:07:36:12

 

Going through the ice isn't an accident,

it's just a bit of salt water -

 

0036 10:07:36:15 10:07:41:11

 

- in your boots.

That never harmed anyone.

 

0037 10:07:41:14 10:07:47:10

 

I considered getting a defibrillator, but

hunters with heart problems are no use.

 

0038 10:07:47:13 10:07:50:05

 

They can stay at home.

 

0039 10:07:50:08 10:07:55:11

 

There's this area here,

outside helicopter range.

 

0040 10:07:55:14 10:08:01:00

 

Iceland, Norway, Greenland.

A huge, huge area.

 

0041 10:08:01:03 10:08:05:19

 

You have to rely on

something else than a helicopter.

 

0042 10:08:05:22 10:08:07:24

 

The Lord, you mean?

 

0043 10:08:10:15 10:08:14:21

 

–Finding the right crew is essential.

–Young folks.

 

0044 10:08:14:24 10:08:19:23

 

–People who've skied a lot.

–Who are fit. In good shape.

 

0045 10:08:20:01 10:08:25:03

 

If you drink milk, you'll have

strong bones. First question:

 

0046 10:08:25:06 10:08:31:07

 

"Do you drink milk?" If they don't answer

honestly, if their gaze gets shifty...

 

0047 10:08:31:10 10:08:34:04

 

What's question number two?

 

0048 10:08:34:19 10:08:38:16

 

–Do you drink milk?

–Yeah, I do.

 

0049 10:08:38:19 10:08:44:01

 

–Do you go skiing?

–A lot. But this season has been poor.

 

0050 10:08:44:04 10:08:48:13

 

–Obviously. Do you smoke marijuana?

–Marijuana? No.

 

0051 10:08:48:16 10:08:51:21

 

–Anything else?

–Nothing else.

 

0052 10:08:51:24 10:08:54:18

 

Occasionally some cigarettes.

 

0053 10:08:54:21 10:08:58:21

 

Cigarettes and

a bottle of good tequila.

 

0054 10:08:59:09 10:09:05:19

 

A little bird told me that you felt

the pull of the Arctic Ocean.

 

0055 10:09:07:19 10:09:09:04

 

You do, huh?

 

0056 10:11:13:05 10:11:17:23

 

–Oilskins.

–Oilskins? Never heard of it.

 

0057 10:11:18:01 10:11:22:19

 

–How do I explain it?

–Thick rainwear. Completely waterproof.

 

0058 10:11:22:22 10:11:26:06

 

Look at the orange clothes on that photo.

 

0059 10:11:26:09 10:11:31:20

 

And boots with room for plenty

of thick wool socks.

 

0060 10:11:32:09 10:11:34:24

 

Put these on.

 

0061 10:11:40:00 10:11:43:18

 

Good.

Now you're ready to go hunting.

 

0062 10:11:44:22 10:11:46:19

 

–Yeah.

–Or?

 

0063 10:11:46:22 10:11:49:12

 

–Yeah.

–Good.

 

0064 10:11:51:14 10:11:58:02

 

Could you do the safety tour with them?

I'll just sit here.

 

0065 10:11:58:05 10:12:01:16

 

–You can do it.

–You usually do it.

 

0066 10:12:01:19 10:12:06:06

 

You should practice doing it.

New brooms sweep better than old.

 

0067 10:12:07:01 10:12:10:21

 

And then you go aft to see

if there's anything there.

 

0068 10:12:11:23 10:12:16:11

 

Take a look here.

Don't go out on deck in bad weather.

 

0069 10:12:16:14 10:12:19:12

 

Not without letting us know.

 

0070 10:12:19:15 10:12:25:02

 

There's always someone on the bridge.

Tell them if you need to go out and puke.

 

0071 10:12:25:05 10:12:29:00

 

If you fall overboard,

you'll never see us again.

 

0072 10:12:31:04 10:12:35:15

 

It's time to try on the survival suits.

Håkon?

 

0073 10:12:39:00 10:12:41:23

 

It's "one size fits nobody".

 

0074 10:12:50:09 10:12:55:10

 

And like this, there. Right.

So that it's watertight.

 

0075 10:12:55:13 10:12:58:17

 

Now you have to crouch down -

 

0076 10:12:58:20 10:13:01:13

 

- and force the air out.

 

0077 10:13:03:04 10:13:05:19

 

Squeeze it like that.

 

0078 10:13:05:22 10:13:08:07

 

You look like a chicken.

 

0079 10:13:11:20 10:13:14:22

 

The crossing takes about four days.

 

0080 10:13:15:00 10:13:18:22

 

The weather forecast...

could've been better.

 

0081 10:14:20:18 10:14:24:15

 

We haven't seen enough ice

to chill a drink.

 

0082 10:14:24:18 10:14:29:24

 

We should have spotted ice long ago.

Just keep sailing further west.

 

0083 10:14:30:02 10:14:32:22

 

It's open ocean.

 

0084 10:15:03:06 10:15:06:04

 

Bjørne, have a look.

 

0085 10:15:07:04 10:15:11:24

 

–It cracked here. It's supposed to...

–Have you carved before?

 

0086 10:15:12:02 10:15:15:07

 

Sure, but...

 

0087 10:15:15:10 10:15:19:11

 

You have to carve out more

to make room for the shaft.

 

0088 10:15:19:14 10:15:25:05

 

Yeah, I know. But is it a problem

that there's a crack there?

 

0089 10:16:27:16 10:16:31:22

 

That's the edge of the ice. We think.

 

0090 10:16:43:08 10:16:46:03

 

FIRST SIGHTING OF SEA ICE

 

0091 10:17:30:06 10:17:36:13

 

We left Saturday at 9:15 p.m. Now it's

the Thursday before Easter, 9:15 a.m.

 

0092 10:17:36:16 10:17:40:07

 

4 1/2 days. We've reached the ice.

 

0093 10:17:42:04 10:17:47:21

 

–Might as well rig here, in good weather.

–I'm going to bed now.

 

0094 10:17:47:24 10:17:53:07

 

–Give me a hug before you start to stink.

–I've already stunk for days.

 

0095 10:18:17:22 10:18:23:13

 

–We woke you up a long time ago.

–Ten minutes ago, they woke me up.

 

0096 10:18:25:08 10:18:28:15

 

Move it.

We're already at work.

 

0097 10:18:33:06 10:18:36:16

 

Oh, shit!

There's snow on deck.

 

0098 10:18:36:19 10:18:42:10

 

–You have to get up a bit earlier.

–You have to wake me!

 

0099 10:18:43:01 10:18:46:03

 

Ingvald, do you mean this one?

 

0100 10:18:46:06 10:18:50:21

 

–No, no, no. It's like a huge shovel!

–A snow shovel.

 

0101 10:19:21:12 10:19:26:18

 

There's a blueback. We can't touch them.

Hooded seals are a protected species.

 

0102 10:19:31:20 10:19:36:20

 

We don't usually get to see this,

the males fighting -

 

0103 10:19:36:23 10:19:42:12

 

- over the females.

There's always some action.

 

0104 10:19:45:14 10:19:48:14

 

The female's wailing.

 

0105 10:19:50:06 10:19:54:11

 

The other one crawls up.

Ready to mate. Good-looking.

 

0106 10:19:56:09 10:20:01:16

 

It's the icy reality of nature

right under your nose.

 

0107 10:20:01:19 10:20:06:00

 

When it inflated this thing,

there was this sound.

 

0108 10:20:06:03 10:20:09:23

 

One fills with blood, the other with air.

 

0109 10:20:11:12 10:20:14:07

 

–The red one?

–Yeah.

 

0110 10:20:15:23 10:20:18:08

 

Red as blood.

 

0111 10:20:22:21 10:20:28:24

 

I mean, so far we haven't seen

any animals we can hunt.

 

0112 10:20:33:02 10:20:38:05

 

My ambition on this voyage is

not just to be an inspector.

 

0113 10:20:38:08 10:20:41:08

 

I really hope we can have a dialogue.

 

0114 10:20:43:03 10:20:47:22

 

I guess most of you have never held

a sealing club before.

 

0115 10:20:48:00 10:20:54:11

 

So we have to start somewhere. You need

to get a feel for how to hold the club.

 

0116 10:20:54:14 10:20:59:02

 

How to stand and how hard to hit.

 

0117 10:21:00:22 10:21:04:08

 

After the seal has been

shot in the head...

 

0118 10:21:05:06 10:21:09:00

 

First you hit it with the blunt end.

 

0119 10:21:11:04 10:21:13:15

 

Then with the sharp end.

 

0120 10:21:15:17 10:21:18:04

 

Before you bleed the seal.

 

0121 10:21:33:00 10:21:35:02

 

Wow, great!

 

0122 10:21:36:06 10:21:38:23

 

Blowing off some steam.

 

0123 10:22:22:20 10:22:26:16

 

You have to constantly

look for a way through.

 

0124 10:22:27:16 10:22:31:24

 

Plan where to steer the boat.

Or else you'll end up -

 

0125 10:22:32:02 10:22:34:00

 

- in deep shit.

 

0126 10:22:37:03 10:22:41:03

 

–Seal to starboard, one o'clock.

–Okay.

 

0127 10:22:44:09 10:22:46:11

 

Right.

 

0128 10:22:47:19 10:22:51:10

 

On the other side of the point.

 

0129 10:22:51:13 10:22:54:19

 

Let me know when they appear ahead.

 

0130 10:23:00:23 10:23:04:08

 

There are some over there. And there.

 

0131 10:23:04:11 10:23:09:02

 

Wow, look over there.

And there. Alright.

 

0132 10:23:10:01 10:23:13:13

 

Must be ten or fifteen of them.

 

0133 10:23:19:21 10:23:22:11

 

Hey, can you hear me?

 

0134 10:23:26:19 10:23:30:22

 

–Is there anyone on the bridge?

–Yep.

 

0135 10:23:31:00 10:23:35:20

 

There are a couple of pods ahead.

Fetch at least two rifles.

 

0136 10:23:35:23 10:23:39:05

 

I'll go out.

I'll leave Jan at the wheel.

 

0137 10:23:39:08 10:23:42:00

 

Yeah.

 

0138 10:23:42:21 10:23:47:15

 

If you go upwind of the animals,

you'll scare them off.

 

0139 10:23:47:18 10:23:53:00

 

You have to approach... The wind has to

blow from them towards us.

 

0140 10:23:53:03 10:23:57:14

 

Any sound or smell will

scare them away immediately.

 

0141 10:23:57:17 10:23:59:24

 

One man at the bow.

 

0142 10:24:05:21 10:24:10:16

 

Now it's important to get

as close as possible.

 

0143 10:24:12:07 10:24:17:03

 

Not start shooting too early.

Just take it real easy.

 

0144 10:24:18:10 10:24:23:21

 

If they shoot too early,

they'll just wound them.

 

0145 10:24:30:10 10:24:33:07

 

Uh-oh. They've spotted us.

 

0146 10:24:52:02 10:24:55:22

 

We didn't do anything wrong.

It was just...

 

0147 10:24:56:00 10:24:59:07

 

They fled before we got into firing range.

 

0148 10:24:59:10 10:25:05:03

 

So those shooters are...

That was by the book.

 

0149 10:25:05:06 10:25:08:20

 

–Too bright?

–I don't know what it is.

 

0150 10:25:08:23 10:25:15:05

 

They were out of range. You have

to wait until we get close enough.

 

0151 10:25:50:05 10:25:54:17

 

It's your first trip, right?

Your first trip.

 

0152 10:25:54:20 10:25:58:09

 

Good. So...

 

0153 10:25:58:12 10:26:02:23

 

It might be a problem

when I'm out on the ice, -

 

0154 10:26:03:01 10:26:06:02

 

- clubbing those cute little...

 

0155 10:26:06:05 10:26:11:10

 

At the course we learned how

you should smash the brain cavity.

 

0156 10:26:11:13 10:26:14:20

 

–Just use all your might.

–Yeah.

 

0157 10:26:15:10 10:26:18:12

 

Have we settled who the jumpers will be?

 

0158 10:26:18:15 10:26:21:21

 

It'll be you, me and Mats at least.

 

0159 10:26:21:24 10:26:27:13

 

Espen, didn't you say all of us...

That I'll fall into the water?

 

0160 10:26:28:21 10:26:31:09

 

–Yeah.

–You sure?

 

0161 10:26:31:12 10:26:34:07

 

Stumble while dragging a seal.

 

0162 10:26:34:10 10:26:37:10

 

End up with the seal on top.

 

0163 10:26:38:22 10:26:42:10

 

Bang your head on the club.

 

0164 10:26:42:13 10:26:45:09

 

I'm not looking forward to that.

 

0165 10:26:45:12 10:26:51:11

 

I pity Erlend and Espen. They'll have to

pull us out of the ice. Again and again.

 

0166 10:27:43:24 10:27:46:08

 

We'll jump from starboard.

 

0167 10:27:52:00 10:27:55:10

 

Number one. Throwing the club.

 

0168 10:27:58:00 10:28:00:01

 

Man on ladder!

 

0169 10:28:18:18 10:28:22:08

 

Wait. Hit it again. A bit further up.

 

0170 10:28:23:04 10:28:25:18

 

There.

 

0171 10:28:26:07 10:28:28:09

 

Shit.

 

0172 10:29:08:15 10:29:12:04

 

He's really fit. Look at that!

 

0173 10:29:15:14 10:29:18:19

 

You're asking for a dip. You know that?

 

0174 10:29:23:08 10:29:27:22

 

Yeah, that's how it's done

in the Arctic Ocean. Catch!

 

0175 10:29:28:20 10:29:31:14

 

He's a born hunter, quite simply.

 

0176 10:29:33:20 10:29:36:20

 

Life punishes the one who hesitates!

 

0177 10:29:38:23 10:29:41:17

 

You mustn't think twice.

 

0178 10:29:41:20 10:29:44:14

 

One adult harp seal, right?

 

0179 10:29:44:17 10:29:48:22

 

It's... One older harp seal

and three adult harp seals.

 

0180 10:29:54:01 10:29:57:18

 

In my experience

it's never been under 1300.

 

0181 10:29:57:21 10:30:02:07

 

–In 2008?

–1300? Wow.

 

0182 10:30:02:10 10:30:05:15

 

–Because of the weather?

–It was foggy.

 

0183 10:30:06:05 10:30:11:04

 

Thick as soup.

We had 100 animals when the fog rolled in.

 

0184 10:30:11:07 10:30:16:12

 

That was it. There was so much ice,

it was unrecognisable.

 

0185 10:30:16:15 10:30:22:16

 

And we saw nothing in the fog.

The Met Office issued a hurricane warning.

 

0186 10:30:22:19 10:30:26:17

 

The Coast Guard called,

asked where we were.

 

0187 10:30:26:20 10:30:32:17

 

They were concerned about us. We stowed

away the skins and headed for Ísafjörður.

 

0188 10:30:45:23 10:30:50:13

 

In terms of hunting? Lousy.

 

0189 10:30:50:16 10:30:53:01

 

But...

 

0190 10:30:53:04 10:30:56:23

 

The upside is that -

 

0191 10:30:57:01 10:31:01:08

 

- we get time to break in the rookies.

 

0192 10:31:01:11 10:31:05:22

 

I think all three of them

are very promising.

 

0193 10:31:06:09 10:31:11:09

 

Mats gets it right from

the start every single time.

 

0194 10:31:11:12 10:31:15:24

 

And you'd think Morten has been

in the Arctic Ocean before.

 

0195 10:31:16:02 10:31:19:13

 

And Håkon.

The unstoppable Håkon.

 

0196 10:31:21:12 10:31:24:07

 

So this'll be excellent.

 

0197 10:31:58:15 10:32:00:17

 

Jump over.

 

0198 10:32:04:10 10:32:06:12

 

Jump!

 

0199 10:32:11:18 10:32:13:20

 

Hit it. Hit it!

 

0200 10:32:21:19 10:32:24:06

 

Grab the ladder.

 

0201 10:32:37:24 10:32:40:19

 

I can't hear what Bjørne's saying.

 

0202 10:32:40:22 10:32:45:06

 

When it's lying on the edge,

it can slip into the water.

 

0203 10:32:45:09 10:32:49:04

 

You grab it and pull it away

from the edge.

 

0204 10:32:49:07 10:32:55:02

 

–But is that before I club it?

–No, club it first, then pull it away.

 

0205 10:32:56:01 10:32:59:12

 

–Pull it with the club.

–Huh?

 

0206 10:32:59:15 10:33:04:12

 

–Pull it with the club!

–Move back!

 

0207 10:33:16:06 10:33:18:10

 

Hope they stay this keen.

 

0208 10:33:24:09 10:33:27:00

 

–Wait, wait, wait!

–Shit.

 

0209 10:33:28:13 10:33:31:09

 

You did okay.

 

0210 10:33:32:10 10:33:34:12

 

Oh my God.

 

0211 10:33:38:07 10:33:40:22

 

You didn't fumble that much now.

 

0212 10:33:41:00 10:33:43:11

 

No. Thanks.

 

0213 10:33:44:17 10:33:48:21

 

Imagine sitting in an office right now.

 

0214 10:33:48:24 10:33:54:14

 

–I'd probably just be sitting at home.

–Moaning about your headache.

 

0215 10:33:54:17 10:33:58:15

 

–Jeez.

–Browsing on Facebook.

 

0216 10:34:00:06 10:34:02:22

 

So I just go on cutting?

 

0217 10:34:03:10 10:34:06:01

 

Keep the knife a bit flatter.

 

0218 10:34:06:04 10:34:11:02

 

Keep it flat. Go on.

 

0219 10:34:13:00 10:34:17:23

 

Just let him flay.

Stop picking at everything he does.

 

0220 10:34:19:02 10:34:21:21

 

You can't expect it to be perfect.

 

0221 10:34:24:05 10:34:30:06

 

It's easy when you put your fist

against it and just cut.

 

0222 10:34:32:05 10:34:34:12

 

You follow the body.

 

0223 10:34:34:15 10:34:39:24

 

–You hold the knife like it's your wiener.

–I was told to.

 

0224 10:34:45:22 10:34:49:13

 

He told me to hold it like that.

Ingvald.

 

0225 10:34:51:16 10:34:53:17

 

He's too old.

 

0226 10:34:53:20 10:34:58:03

 

–Thumb on top.

–No, that's not how to hold it.

 

0227 10:34:58:06 10:35:02:08

 

We're taking thousands of animals.

You can't fiddle.

 

0228 10:35:02:11 10:35:07:00

 

–You have to go like, "Chop, chop."

–"Chop, chop."

 

0229 10:35:16:16 10:35:18:12

 

We're on a roll!

 

0230 10:38:19:05 10:38:21:17

 

No, they're all good boys.

 

0231 10:38:23:16 10:38:29:00

 

Two of the three rookies have

been around the block before.

 

0232 10:38:33:11 10:38:36:03

 

Just stay on the big floe.

 

0233 10:38:42:23 10:38:44:24

 

Okay.

 

0234 10:38:45:02 10:38:49:04

 

I remember how it was

when I first went to sea.

 

0235 10:38:49:07 10:38:53:21

 

If you thought you knew everything,

had a big mouth, -

 

0236 10:38:53:24 10:38:57:16

 

- you got beaten up immediately.

 

0237 10:38:57:19 10:39:03:09

 

Like, in the category mommy's pet.

 

0238 10:39:03:12 10:39:06:11

 

Qualified to get punched in the face.

 

0239 10:39:18:00 10:39:21:20

 

We're undermanned in terms of skinning.

 

0240 10:39:21:23 10:39:26:06

 

A rookie and a veteran.

Only two.

 

0241 10:39:26:09 10:39:30:22

 

We'll need more skinners for the hunt.

We're short-staffed.

 

0242 10:39:35:15 10:39:40:07

 

This is the ocean forecast from

the Meteorological Institute.

 

0243 10:39:40:10 10:39:44:13

 

Low pressure 975 hPa,

72 degrees north, 12 west.

 

0244 10:39:44:16 10:39:47:22

 

Moving slowly westwards and increasing.

 

0245 10:39:48:00 10:39:51:20

 

Low pressure 977 hPa,

61 north, 1 west.

 

0246 10:39:51:23 10:39:55:20

 

Heading northeast,

25-30 knots and increasing.

 

0247 10:39:56:08 10:40:00:24

 

Here we go. Wow. Ouch.

 

0248 10:40:01:02 10:40:06:09

 

Low pressure zone over Iceland.

This'll mess up your hair.

 

0249 10:40:08:11 10:40:11:13

 

Wind: 40 knots.

 

0250 10:40:11:16 10:40:14:08

 

Storm is 23, right?

 

0251 10:40:14:11 10:40:20:01

 

Violent storm times two.

Straight at us. Right up our ass.

 

0252 10:40:20:04 10:40:25:05

 

–How far is it to Ísafjörður?

–It'll take 24 hours.

 

0253 10:40:25:08 10:40:29:14

 

Then we'd better start tonight.

 

0254 10:40:32:19 10:40:38:03

 

"Saturday 06:00."

We can't take any chances with this.

 

0255 10:40:40:14 10:40:46:07

 

–Bergtor? We have to head for Ísafjörður.

–Just row back to Iceland.

 

0256 10:41:08:08 10:41:10:18

 

Oh my God.

 

0257 10:41:17:00 10:41:21:03

 

We'll have to head for the closest port

and anchor up.

 

0258 10:41:21:06 10:41:24:10

 

We'll resume hunting when it clears.

 

0259 10:41:42:10 10:41:44:03

 

Darn it!

 

0260 10:41:47:05 10:41:50:00

 

Fasten the ropes!

 

0261 10:43:15:05 10:43:17:23

 

Q-tips all over the place!

 

0262 10:44:06:06 10:44:08:08

 

Looks bad.

 

0263 10:44:11:20 10:44:16:20

 

It's 40 to 50 knots from here and out.

 

0264 10:44:16:23 10:44:21:18

 

The worst storm is in Shetland.

Shetland is getting the worst of it.

 

0265 10:44:47:13 10:44:52:16

 

God damn it!

I give up. This is hopeless.

 

0266 10:47:11:01 10:47:15:12

 

We're two men short.

Two from last year's crew are available.

 

0267 10:47:15:15 10:47:20:18

 

If they can join us,

we should pick them up.

 

0268 10:47:22:10 10:47:24:08

 

I think so.

 

0269 10:47:50:12 10:47:53:10

 

It's my first time in Iceland.

 

0270 10:47:58:10 10:48:03:00

 

–Maria? Wanna go swimming?

–Hold on.

 

0271 10:48:03:03 10:48:06:23

 

Swimming? When?

Can you wait just a moment?

 

0272 10:48:07:01 10:48:09:14

 

The others have already left.

 

0273 10:48:12:21 10:48:17:16

 

–You're not going swimming, Ingvald?

–Not yet, anyway.

 

0274 10:48:19:16 10:48:23:03

 

Have to make a couple of

phone calls first.

 

0275 10:48:23:06 10:48:26:23

 

–There's a replacement arriving tomorrow.

–And?

 

0276 10:48:27:01 10:48:31:04

 

–You should order tickets to get home.

–Tickets?

 

0277 10:48:31:07 10:48:35:01

 

Yes, airline tickets to Tromsø.

 

0278 10:48:35:04 10:48:41:02

 

We're taking on two experienced sealers,

so we have to let you go.

 

0279 10:48:42:00 10:48:45:04

 

–Didn't you know?

–No.

 

0280 10:48:47:11 10:48:50:24

 

Everyone knows except you?

Right.

 

0281 10:48:55:18 10:49:01:02

 

All you can do is pack your bags

and head home.

 

0282 10:49:06:03 10:49:09:24

 

Fix the tickets yourself.

There's Internet here.

 

0283 10:49:11:01 10:49:15:21

 

Ísafjörður, Reykjavík,

Gardermoen, Tromsø.

 

0284 10:49:17:12 10:49:23:03

 

–Why didn't you tell me earlier?

–We let you try as a rookie.

 

0285 10:49:23:06 10:49:25:07

 

Now it's over.

 

0286 10:49:25:24 10:49:32:23

 

You don't have the necessary experience.

Now we have seasoned hands. So forget it.

 

0287 10:49:33:01 10:49:38:06

 

But isn't that part of the sealing

tradition? To have rookies?

 

0288 10:49:38:09 10:49:41:19

 

Sure, if they pull their weight.

 

0289 10:49:44:01 10:49:47:21

 

Being on a vessel is about many things.

 

0290 10:49:49:01 10:49:54:04

 

People who bicker drift ashore

no matter what ship they're on.

 

0291 10:49:54:07 10:50:00:08

 

Have I been bickering before?

Before this very moment?

 

0292 10:50:00:11 10:50:05:11

 

This is not a discussion.

Get tickets. We're leaving you behind.

 

0293 10:50:07:15 10:50:11:00

 

The thing is,

when we get back to Tromsø, -

 

0294 10:50:11:03 10:50:16:06

 

- you can have a tub or two of meat

as payment if we catch enough.

 

0295 10:50:16:09 10:50:20:08

 

A little something for your effort.

You can sell it.

 

0296 10:50:20:11 10:50:23:05

 

I didn't come along for the money.

 

0297 10:50:28:14 10:50:30:16

 

Hello?

 

0298 10:50:32:24 10:50:35:01

 

Yeah, yeah.

 

0299 10:51:14:24 10:51:17:19

 

–Gonna buy it?

–I might.

 

0300 10:51:21:00 10:51:23:12

 

Should we bring her along?

 

0301 10:51:39:07 10:51:44:09

 

–Have a nice swim? Was it nice?

–I can't hear squat with this on.

 

0302 10:51:44:12 10:51:48:22

 

That was hours ago.

You never turned up.

 

0303 10:51:49:00 10:51:52:07

 

No. Seems I'm unemployed.

 

0304 10:51:53:19 10:51:56:24

 

Right, you've had a talk with Bjørne.

 

0305 10:52:02:22 10:52:07:21

 

But I don't really feel like heading home.

 

0306 10:52:07:24 10:52:10:11

 

So I thought I'd...

 

0307 10:52:11:14 10:52:14:06

 

...see if I could stay here.

 

0308 10:52:15:08 10:52:19:22

 

Nobody expects me home

until the middle of May.

 

0309 10:52:20:00 10:52:22:10

 

Can you tame horses?

 

0310 10:52:22:13 10:52:25:18

 

If I can tame horses? Not...

 

0311 10:52:25:21 10:52:30:00

 

I know some farmers who

could use a hand with that.

 

0312 10:52:30:03 10:52:34:00

 

–Taming horses? No.

–Never tamed an animal?

 

0313 10:52:34:03 10:52:36:22

 

I've never tamed a horse. A cat.

 

0314 10:52:37:00 10:52:40:04

 

That's the closest I've got.

 

0315 10:52:40:21 10:52:45:09

 

He's twenty years old.

 

0316 10:52:46:05 10:52:48:22

 

He's used to doing nothing.

 

0317 10:52:49:00 10:52:52:21

 

But he has a good... Yeah.

 

0318 10:52:52:24 10:52:57:04

 

He's a good worker. He's... Okay, okay.

 

0319 10:52:57:07 10:53:02:00

 

Like, he's used shovels and stuff.

 

0320 10:53:02:03 10:53:08:01

 

Payment? He needs food, shelter

and a ticket back to Norway.

 

0321 10:53:08:04 10:53:12:06

 

Or else it's for free.

He can work for one month.

 

0322 10:53:13:02 10:53:14:22

 

Okay, see you.

 

0323 10:53:15:00 10:53:17:18

 

Bye. Bye-bye. Yeah.

 

0324 10:53:19:05 10:53:21:15

 

Shit. Thanks, man.

 

0325 10:53:28:00 10:53:30:11

 

See you.

 

0326 10:53:34:01 10:53:37:05

 

At least something good came out of it.

 

0327 10:53:37:08 10:53:39:08

 

Dad.

 

0328 10:53:39:11 10:53:41:16

 

–Good luck.

–Thanks.

 

0329 10:53:41:19 10:53:44:04

 

–Bye.

–Goodbye.

 

0330 10:53:44:07 10:53:46:09

 

Thanks!

 

0331 10:54:16:15 10:54:21:13

 

Someone has to have the final say when

you're at sea, or else you get chaos.

 

0332 10:54:21:16 10:54:23:18

 

That's what I think.

 

0333 10:54:26:02 10:54:32:00

 

Sometimes it's better to make a decision,

though it's wrong, than not to make one.

 

0334 10:54:32:03 10:54:34:14

 

That's just how it is.

 

0335 10:54:40:16 10:54:45:07

 

–A great big handshake coming through.

–Hi, Helgi.

 

0336 10:54:45:10 10:54:47:07

 

Hi, Bjørne!

 

0337 10:54:47:10 10:54:51:22

 

–Hi! Nice to see you!

–You too.

 

0338 10:54:52:00 10:54:55:16

 

–Are you okay?

–Yes, I'm okay.

 

0339 10:54:55:19 10:54:57:19

 

Is Espen sleeping?

 

0340 10:54:58:10 10:55:01:10

 

–Hi!

–Helga?

 

0341 10:55:03:00 10:55:04:19

 

Nice to see you.

 

0342 10:55:07:05 10:55:11:05

 

I think I'm supposed to be here.

Okay with you?

 

0343 10:55:11:08 10:55:14:02

 

I snore crazy maximum.

 

0344 10:55:14:05 10:55:16:06

 

Yeah, just prepare.

 

0345 10:55:16:19 10:55:21:04

 

Okay. I'll just put a towel in your mouth

or something.

 

0346 10:57:27:14 10:57:31:03

 

Bjørne has taught me everything.

 

0347 10:57:40:11 10:57:45:06

 

The thing is, he puts you up

in the crow's nest and sails off.

 

0348 10:57:45:09 10:57:48:20

 

You learn by trial and error.

 

0349 10:57:48:23 10:57:53:15

 

He lets you learn by doing.

It's the only way to learn it.

 

0350 10:58:20:10 10:58:23:09

 

One, two, three, four, five, six.

 

0351 10:58:23:12 10:58:26:07

 

Bjørne?

You see where I'm pointing?

 

0352 10:58:31:16 10:58:35:08

 

There are six or seven animals over there.

 

0353 10:58:36:22 10:58:39:17

 

Yeah, okay. I see them.

 

0354 10:59:55:22 11:00:00:09

 

Morten, use the port-side winch.

The port-side winch!

 

0355 11:00:11:07 11:00:13:17

 

Man on ladder!

 

0356 11:02:49:10 11:02:52:07

 

225 plus 95...

 

0357 11:02:52:10 11:02:57:00

 

–Wow, 320!

–Nice!

 

0358 11:02:57:03 11:03:02:12

 

In half a day. 320. After lunch.

 

0359 11:03:02:15 11:03:06:04

 

–Was that yesterday or today?

–Yesterday.

 

0360 11:03:06:15 11:03:11:00

 

21 days. 350.

How much is that?

 

0361 11:03:11:13 11:03:15:00

 

That's very optimistic, but...

 

0362 11:03:16:24 11:03:19:07

 

Times 21. Yahoo!

 

0363 11:03:19:10 11:03:21:10

 

7300!

 

0364 11:03:21:13 11:03:27:10

 

There's no chance whatsoever we'll exceed

the maximum quota for the season.

 

0365 11:03:27:13 11:03:30:24

 

–So that's not why we're counting.

–20,000?

 

0366 11:03:34:12 11:03:38:01

 

So I cover it with cream

and put marzipan on top?

 

0367 11:03:38:04 11:03:41:04

 

I think it looks like a weird tower.

 

0368 11:03:42:00 11:03:44:10

 

What the heck is that?

 

0369 11:03:46:10 11:03:50:19

 

Here we have the thousand seal cake.

 

0370 11:03:58:23 11:04:05:01

 

If we don't cut it, the inspector will

report us for breaching the regulations.

 

0371 11:04:05:04 11:04:07:05

 

You can tell it's a seal.

 

0372 11:04:39:16 11:04:42:13

 

–Dammit. It's too heavy!

–Watch out!

 

0373 11:04:44:10 11:04:46:05

 

Watch out yourself.

 

0374 11:05:29:23 11:05:33:04

 

Too little salt. You need more.

 

0375 11:06:38:21 11:06:40:18

 

Polar bear tracks.

 

0376 11:06:49:15 11:06:52:00

 

Jumping, starboard.

 

0377 11:07:00:19 11:07:03:09

 

Bjørne?

 

0378 11:07:03:12 11:07:07:01

 

What do you think about

the polar bear tracks?

 

0379 11:07:19:21 11:07:23:19

 

It might still be in the area.

 

0380 11:07:24:18 11:07:29:21

 

Get down on the ice and kill the seals

the bear has mutilated.

 

0381 11:07:31:12 11:07:34:18

 

I'll locate them.

 

0382 11:07:40:13 11:07:43:18

 

This is pretty dramatic, huh?

 

0383 11:07:43:21 11:07:48:18

 

We rarely see bears behave

like this out here.

 

0384 11:07:48:21 11:07:51:24

 

Ruining the seals like that.

 

0385 11:07:52:02 11:07:56:05

 

Tearing them apart without eating them.

 

0386 11:08:04:15 11:08:07:23

 

The bear just attacked two seals.

 

0387 11:08:08:24 11:08:12:20

 

Biting them.

They're probably half dead by now.

 

0388 11:08:15:06 11:08:20:13

 

I have to say I was convinced

there would be bears in this fog.

 

0389 11:08:23:14 11:08:26:13

 

It's injured. Go and fetch it.

 

0390 11:08:33:22 11:08:37:02

 

I don't like seeing injured animals.

 

0391 11:08:40:13 11:08:46:24

 

Can you manage to grab it by the flippers?

Otherwise it's too much trouble.

 

0392 11:08:47:02 11:08:49:24

 

Use your hands, not the spike.

 

0393 11:08:51:10 11:08:56:01

 

It's acting strange.

It shouldn't just lie there. Kill it.

 

0394 11:09:00:20 11:09:02:19

 

Look.

 

0395 11:09:02:22 11:09:05:03

 

There's our teddy bear.

 

0396 11:09:07:24 11:09:12:24

 

Could be the seals he mauled

weren't so badly hurt -

 

0397 11:09:13:02 11:09:19:12

 

- they couldn't make it into the water,

like seals do when they're injured.

 

0398 11:09:19:15 11:09:24:20

 

Especially if they're bleeding.

They try to stop the bleeding.

 

0399 11:09:24:23 11:09:30:03

 

They dive so deep that the water pressure

equalises the blood pressure.

 

0400 11:09:30:06 11:09:32:18

 

It's true.

 

0401 11:09:39:15 11:09:42:17

 

Oh! It's looking at us.

 

0402 11:09:52:05 11:09:57:15

 

He's just walking right past it.

He can't be that hungry.

 

0403 11:10:32:08 11:10:35:07

 

It's not too bad yet.

 

0404 11:10:35:10 11:10:40:14

 

But it's getting tighter.

More compact.

 

0405 11:10:40:17 11:10:45:21

 

We just have to move slowly to open water.

But we should have left earlier.

 

0406 11:10:45:24 11:10:52:13

 

What happens is that more ice keeps

drifting into the pack, making it rotate.

 

0407 11:10:52:16 11:10:57:15

 

It becomes more and more compact.

Then you're stuck.

 

0408 11:10:57:18 11:11:02:22

 

The last time we got stuck, we were

three miles from open water.

 

0409 11:11:03:00 11:11:08:10

 

After two weeks, it was twenty miles,

forty kilometres to open water.

 

0410 11:11:08:13 11:11:10:16

 

Packed together.

 

0411 11:11:14:05 11:11:18:24

 

Messing about in the ocean between

Iceland and Greenland...

 

0412 11:11:22:05 11:11:27:00

 

It's probably on the fringe

of what's advisable.

 

0413 11:11:34:00 11:11:38:14

 

Should we go there or there?

It's not easy to tell.

 

0414 11:11:49:22 11:11:53:05

 

ENGINE ROOM

HEARING PROTECTION REQUIRED

 

0415 11:12:07:02 11:12:09:07

 

It stopped.

 

0416 11:12:16:14 11:12:18:00

 

Right.

 

0417 11:12:27:06 11:12:29:17

 

–No.

–Not good.

 

0418 11:12:38:22 11:12:40:24

 

Dead man alarm.

 

0419 11:12:44:01 11:12:48:09

 

Nobody's pressed these damn stop buttons?

 

0420 11:12:48:12 11:12:52:14

 

That one, or the one down there.

 

0421 11:12:52:17 11:12:57:05

 

The lights on the panel don't make sense.

 

0422 11:13:59:11 11:14:01:12

 

What is it now?

 

0423 11:14:05:16 11:14:10:24

 

What the hell happened now?

There's not even lighting here.

 

0424 11:14:12:01 11:14:14:21

 

This is very odd.

 

0425 11:14:18:06 11:14:22:00

 

Right, that valve there.

 

0426 11:14:22:03 11:14:28:02

 

If we can close it,

we can replace the flange.

 

0427 11:14:30:04 11:14:33:11

 

What now?

Air it out and start guessing?

 

0428 11:14:33:14 11:14:35:20

 

What the hell?

 

0429 11:15:53:18 11:15:56:03

 

This patch is easier.

 

0430 11:16:00:07 11:16:02:13

 

Thank goodness.

 

0431 11:16:09:00 11:16:11:00

 

Open water.

 

0432 11:16:12:00 11:16:17:17

 

We made it this time.

Got out this time as well.

 

0433 11:16:17:20 11:16:22:07

 

The fear of getting stuck

is starting to let go.

 

0434 11:16:22:10 11:16:25:15

 

It's like a claw grabbing your heart.

 

0435 11:16:29:04 11:16:31:15

 

I don't really let it show.

 

0436 11:16:33:12 11:16:36:14

 

If I'm worried, they're terrified.

 

0437 11:17:00:00 11:17:03:06

 

There are some there. And there. Okay.

 

0438 11:18:38:09 11:18:41:03

 

We deserve a whiskey today.

 

0439 11:19:15:08 11:19:18:12

 

Dammit, we forgot to get ice.

 

0440 11:19:21:14 11:19:24:18

 

Get black ice.

There's no salt in it.

 

0441 11:19:33:08 11:19:37:05

 

Anything for a good whiskey. Come on!

 

0442 11:19:41:09 11:19:44:24

 

No ice for our whiskey? Or yes?

 

0443 11:19:49:05 11:19:51:14

 

Nice work.

 

0444 11:20:00:10 11:20:04:14

 

–Is it Greenland ice?

–That's right. Here you go.

 

0445 11:20:24:23 11:20:27:13

 

Taste it, Maria. Do you want ice?

 

0446 11:20:29:06 11:20:32:05

 

I think you'll survive. Probably.

 

0447 11:20:32:08 11:20:34:20

 

Maybe it's better with ice?

 

0448 11:20:43:21 11:20:47:15

 

It tastes like the skin of an old seal.

 

0449 11:21:36:03 11:21:38:05

 

Got a direction?

 

0450 11:21:56:00 11:22:00:05

 

The engine's purring like a tomcat today.

 

0451 11:22:00:08 11:22:04:08

 

It's always nice to hear a cat purr.

 

0452 11:22:36:21 11:22:40:04

 

What do you think about this life?

Crazy?

 

0453 11:23:19:03 11:23:25:17

 

But... Will it take long? Should we

start eating or wait until you return?

 

0454 11:23:25:20 11:23:29:04

 

Start eating. We'll be there later.

 

0455 11:23:29:07 11:23:31:17

 

Okay. Roger that.

 

0456 11:23:48:22 11:23:52:09

 

Killing seals isn't easy.

It's brutal.

 

0457 11:23:52:12 11:23:56:05

 

Killing is brutal.

We kill magnificent animals.

 

0458 11:23:56:08 11:24:00:03

 

And you might reach a point

where you stop hunting, -

 

0459 11:24:00:06 11:24:03:19

 

- because you no longer want to kill.

 

0460 11:24:03:22 11:24:08:13

 

I'm not ashamed to admit it.

That's how we are.

 

0461 11:24:08:16 11:24:12:09

 

In the beginning

you're eager to go hunting.

 

0462 11:24:12:12 11:24:16:12

 

But as the years pass by, it fades.

 

0463 11:25:29:13 11:25:31:15

 

Well, there they go.

 

0464 11:25:37:19 11:25:42:15

 

–Will they return to the ice tomorrow?

–No, they're in the water.

 

0465 11:25:42:18 11:25:48:10

 

Once they get into the water, they stay

in the water for three or four days.

 

0466 11:25:48:13 11:25:53:01

 

At least.

Even longer if the weather's bad.

 

0467 11:25:53:04 11:25:57:08

 

Spend their time feeding.

Some pods have left already.

 

0468 11:25:57:11 11:26:01:08

 

It's a typical sign that all of them...

 

0469 11:26:01:11 11:26:06:15

 

If some of them leave, the others

become agitated and follow them.

 

0470 11:26:06:18 11:26:12:19

 

It typically happens early in the morning,

between three and five o'clock.

 

0471 11:26:12:22 11:26:18:19

 

They suddenly become agitated

and hurry into the water.

 

0472 11:26:18:22 11:26:24:03

 

Northeast. That's where they went. Upwind.

 

0473 11:26:24:06 11:26:29:05

 

Should we get back to the Havsel?

Okay, let's go.

 

0474 11:27:12:11 11:27:15:22

 

Right, let's line up for the crew photo.

 

0475 11:27:29:20 11:27:33:14

 

It's a bit sad when we finally head home.

 

0476 11:27:34:14 11:27:39:09

 

No advance notice.

Suddenly Bjørne says we're leaving.

 

0477 11:27:39:12 11:27:44:09

 

Just when you're thinking

we probably have many days left.

 

0478 11:27:53:16 11:27:57:07

 

–Come here!

–Hug!

 

0479 11:27:57:10 11:28:00:18

 

That's it. Game over.

 

0480 11:28:40:20 11:28:45:04

 

I've still got a huge amount

to learn in this trade.

 

0481 11:28:45:07 11:28:49:03

 

I don't think anyone

can master it completely.

 

0482 11:28:54:04 11:28:59:09

 

I remember how I longed for home

on my first trip. I was so homesick.

 

0483 11:28:59:12 11:29:05:18

 

But now I could've stayed

twice as long without blinking.

 

0484 11:29:06:18 11:29:09:00

 

It's great.

 

0485 11:29:09:03 11:29:14:05

 

The combination of physical work

and the friends you make.

 

0486 11:29:14:08 11:29:17:05

 

The adrenaline, the action.

 

0487 11:29:28:03 11:29:30:10

 

As for the future...

 

0488 11:29:30:13 11:29:32:19

 

It's over.

 

0489 11:29:35:08 11:29:41:04

 

Only Bjørne and a handful of others

have the vessels -

 

0490 11:29:41:07 11:29:45:21

 

- and the knowhow needed

to navigate the West Ice.

 

0491 11:29:45:24 11:29:51:13

 

And they're growing old.

People ask me if I want to take over.

 

0492 11:29:51:16 11:29:58:03

 

I've been trained by these veterans.

 

0493 11:29:58:06 11:30:03:01

 

I'm a trained mate as well,

but I don't know.

 

0494 11:30:05:05 11:30:09:06

 

You don't feel you can

just let it die out either.

 

0495 11:30:10:22 11:30:16:01

 

In other words:

If I don't do it, who will?

 

0496 11:33:47:20 11:33:51:11

 

SEAL MEAT