Cold Water Cowboys on Discovery Canada follows a group of spirited Newfoundland captains and their crews as they venture hundreds of kilometres offshore in the North Atlantic in search of the ultimate catch. With stretches of ice that run 280 miles long, the crews will once again be pitted against the unpredictable forces of Mother Nature as they head out in search of the ultimate catch. And this season, the show is returning for a third season with the show’s newest and youngest captain, Rick Crane – it premieres tonight at 8pm on Discovery. Find out how Crane handled his first season as a skipper as well as Newfoundland’s latest reality show star.
CraveOnline: How has the experience so far been?
Rick Crane: It’s been great – it’s an honour to represent Newfoundland fisherman on a global stage and show the world what we do for a living, and what we have to do to get that food from the water to your plate.
Because it only airs tonight, have you had a chance to see yourself on television?
I’ve been seeing myself on YouTube clips – it’s all a bit nerve-wracking. This is all new to me. I’m a fisherman and not an actor, and this is a rough time.
How come?
It’s a completely new experience and definitely a big adjustment. This year I’m the skipper and everything is on my shoulders. We’ll see how it all goes.
You’ve seen past seasons of the show – how do you feel about the way in which your industry is portrayed on television?
It’s portrayed well. It’s real life, and Season 3 there is more about our families too. We’re more than fishermen – the show looks at how it affects family and what we do to make sure we make the money and provide for our families. It’s as real as you can get on television, and really shows you all the ins and outs and trials and tribulations of our industry. It’s not always smooth days – we deal with Mother Nature and manmade boats, and I always say, anything that can go wrong will go wrong.
Is fishing something you were destined to do?
I was raised in a fishing family that has been fishing for 100 years. My grandfather, who raised me, was a fisherman, and I think that he’s the coolest man in the world and next to god. I wanted to be just like him, and he tried to deter me because he figured there’s new things to do and easier ways to make a living. He told me not to do it and I did it. I took the family licenses in 2006 with a 16-foot dory, and 10 years later I’m the skipper of my new vessel. I just want to show my family that I appreciate everything they’ve done for me.
