Bering Sea Gold (also known as Gold Divers in the UK) is an American reality television series, set in Nome, Alaska, on Norton Sound, that airs on Discovery Channel. It is from the creators of the Deadliest Catch reality TV show.
The show is divided into the summer dredging season (aired in the spring), under the title Bering Sea Gold, and the spring dredging season (aired in the fall), under the title Bering Sea Gold: Under The Ice. For the first three seasons, this distinction held; in the 2015 4th season of the spring ice dredging season, the title card changed to "Bering Sea Gold", making the title identical to the original summer dredging season show. This continued with the 2016 5th seasons.
The show follows boats equipped with various setups to achieve gold mining in a summertime, cold northern latitude, shallow water, ocean environment. The fleet each typically consists of a sluicing apparatus, a means of paydirt collection (dredge), and a cold-water-diving life support system. Conflict issues include choppy seas, poor underwater visibility, inconsistent fuel delivery, personnel issues, mining location rights, sufficient paydirt discovery, diver safety, and ocean-damaged equipment failures. Each season of episodes follow the current fleet of dredges.
The "ice" series follows dredges housed in temporary shelters set up over ice holes. Several crew members have appeared in both the summer dredging and spring ice dredging seasons.
History
In 2012, one of the featured divers on the show, John Bunce, committed suicide during the course of filming the season. The incident aired in 2013.
On March 11, 2020, it was announced that the fourteenth season will premiere on April 1, 2020.
The Martinson mining family, shown as background characters on Bering Sea Gold, was featured in Gold Rush: Freddy Dodge's Mine Rescue.
Cast Season 1 Name Dredge Details Co-Owner of the Christine Rose and father of Shawn Pomrenke. Co-Owner and Captain of the Christine Rose, son of Steve Pomrenke. Deckhand on the Christine Rose. Deckhand on the Christine Rose. Owner and Captain of the Sluicey. Diver on the Sluicey. Owner and Captain of The Clark, who built the dredge from scratch in 2008. Deckhand on The Clark. Daughter of Steve Riedel and childhood friend of Zeke Tenhoff. Owner of the Wild Ranger. Captain of the Wild Ranger. Diver on the Wild Ranger. Diver on the Wild Ranger. Father of Emily Riedel.
Season 1 ICE Dredge Name Details Lazy Gator Owner / Captain. Diver. Diver. Diver. Diver / Mechanic. Shamrock Co-Owner / Shawn Pomrenke's father. Co-Owner / Captain / Steve Pomrenke's son. Diver. Diver. Diver. Diver. The Clark Owner / Captain / Best friend of John Bunce. Deckhand / Steve Riedel's daughter / Zeke Tenhoff's childhood friend. Diver / Emily Riedel's father. Diver / Best friend of Zeke Tenhoff. Diver / Mechanic.
Season 2 Name Dredge Details Co-Owner of the Christine Rose and father of Shawn Pomrenke. Co-Owner and Captain of the Christine Rose, son of Steve Pomrenke. Deckhand on the Christine Rose. Deckhand on the Christine Rose. Captain of the Wild Ranger, Owner of the Wild Ranger, the Bering Booty and four other, unnamed dredges. Diver on the Wild Ranger. Diver on the Wild Ranger and The Clark; fired from the Wild Ranger, moved to The Clark. Diver on the Wild Ranger, an experienced oil diver and only lasted just one day on the Wild Ranger, (when he was called-in after Steve Riedel failed to turn-up for work one day), because he couldn't work in the sea, as he didn't feel safe with all the technical problems on board the dredge. Captain of the Bering Booty and Deckhand on the Wild Ranger. Daughter of Vernon Adkison. Girlfriend of Flint Collins. Brought over to her father's dredge with her boyfriend after Steve Riedel was sacked. Diver on the Bering Booty and Wild Ranger. Boyfriend of Elaine Adkison. Brought over to Elaine's father's dredge with her after Steve Riedel was sacked. Owner of The Clark, Captain of The Edge, Older brother of Gabe Tenhoff and Best friend of John Bunce. Deckhand on The Edge. Diver on The Edge, Best friend of Zeke Tenhoff, 2012 Gold Panning Champion of Nome and committed suicide during the TV season, by gunshot to the head from a .44 Magnum via two-pulls of Russian Roulette (1985–2012, age 27).Bering Sea Gold; season 2 episode 11 Diver on The Edge, Younger brother of Zeke Tenhoff, Brought on to the dredge as a diver, after John Bunce's sudden death by suicide. Captain of Anchor Management, Best friend of Todd Allen. Diver on Anchor Management, Best friend of Scott Meisterheim. Left midway through the season after Scott Meisterheim's drinking binge, forced the captain to check himself into rehab. Diver on Anchor Management. Left midway through the season after Scott Meisterheim's drinking binge, forced the captain to check himself into rehab. Diver on Anchor Management. Left midway through the season after Scott Meisterheim's drinking binge, forced the captain to check himself into rehab. Diver on Anchor Management. Brought on before the end of the season after Scott Meisterheim's drinking binge, made his old crew abandon the dredge, so consequently he had to find a new diver. Captain of The Clark.
Season 2 ICE Dredge Name Details The Clark Owner / Captain. Diver / The Dragon inventor. Diver. Co-Owner of The Edge / Diver / Engineer. Diver. Shamrock Co-Owner / Shawn Pomrenke's father. Co-Owner / Captain / Steve Pomrenke's son. Diver. Diver. Diver. Diver. Wild Ranger Owner / Captain. Diver. Diver. Deckhand / Engineer. Anchor Management Captain. Diver. Diver. Diver. Steve's World on Ice Captain. Deckhand / Steve Riedel's daughter / Zeke Tenhoff's childhood friend. Diver. Diver. Diver / Mechanic.
Season 3 Name Dredge Details Co-Owner of the Christine Rose and father of Shawn Pomrenke. Co-Owner and Captain of the Christine Rose, son of Steve Pomrenke. Deckhand on the Christine Rose. Deckhand on the Christine Rose. Owner and Captain of the AU Grabber. Deckhand on the AU Grabber, fired midway through the season after repeated failure to turn-up for work and not following the captain's orders. Deckhand on the AU Grabber. Deckhand on the AU Grabber. Deckhand on the AU Grabber, the other excavator operative on the dredge and a very experienced one at that, taking over shifts from Hank Schimschat when he's not working. Deckhand on the AU Grabber, brought on midway through the season after Scott Meisterheim's sacking. Captain of The Eroica (formerly The Edge) and daughter of Steve Riedel. Diver on The Eroica and left midway through the season after the captain failed to turn-up for work over two consecutive weeks. Diver on The Eroica and left midway through the season after the captain failed to turn-up for work over two consecutive weeks. Diver on The Eroica and left midway through the season after the captain failed to turn-up for work over two consecutive weeks. Captain of the Wild Ranger, owner of six dredges. Diver on the Wild Ranger and The Eroica. Left the Wild Ranger midway through the season, then moved to The Eroica. Diver on the Wild Ranger and The Eroica. Left the Wild Ranger midway through the season, then moved to The Eroica. Diver on the Wild Ranger and The Eroica. Left the Wild Ranger midway through the season, then moved to The Eroica. Inventor of the sub-surface dredge the Dragon, Owner and Captain of the Miss Nomer. Diver on the Minnow. Boyfriend of Jasmin George. Deckhand on the Miss Nomer and Minnow. Girlfriend of Glen LeBaron. Owner and Captain of The Clark, Diver on the Miss Nomer. Captain of the Minnow and father of Emily Riedel. Diver on the Minnow, Captain of the Reaper (formerly the Minnow). Father to Kris and Andy Kelly. Diver on the Minnow and the Reaper, Oldest son of Brad Kelly and brother to Andy Kelly. Diver on the Minnow and the Reaper, Youngest son of Brad Kelly and brother to Kris Kelly.
Season 3 ICE Dredge Name Details Wild Ranger Owner. Captain / Fired by Vernon Adkison after falling out with the whole crew, due to his anger management issues and not following the owner's orders. Captain / Hired by Vernon Adkison after Jason Walker's sacking and due to his previous experience as an oil diver. Diver. Diver. Diver / Elaine Adkison's boyfriend. Deckhand / Flint Collins' girlfriend. Shamrock Co-Owner / Shawn Pomrenke's father. Co-Owner / Captain / Steve Pomrenke's son. Diver. Diver. Diver. Diver. Miss Nomer Owner / Captain / Jasmin George's boyfriend. Diver / Sarah Dunn's boyfriend / After Zeke and Glen mutually agree to end their partnership, Zeke sets up his own operation with Sarah in the form of his old dredge The Clark again, after being paid-off his earnings in gold, for his diving time, with Glen. Deckhand / Glen LeBaron's girlfriend. Deckhand / Zeke Tenhoff's girlfriend / After Zeke and Glen mutually agree to end their partnership, Zeke sets up his own operation with Sarah in the form of his old dredge The Clark again, after being paid-off her earnings in gold, for her time as a deckhand for Zeke, with Glen. The Reaper Captain / Mechanic / Kris and Andy Kelly's father. Diver / Brad Kelly's son / Andy Kelly's older brother. Diver / Brad Kelly's son / Kris Kelly's younger brother. Diver / Dived once and after a bad experience, never did so again. The Clark Owner / Captain / Sarah Dunn's boyfriend / After Zeke and Glen mutually agree to end their partnership, Zeke sets up his own operation with Sarah in the form of his old dredge The Clark again, after being paid-off his earnings in gold, for his diving time, with Glen. Deckhand / Zeke Tenhoff's girlfriend / After Zeke and Glen mutually agree to end their partnership, Zeke sets up his own operation with Sarah in the form of his old dredge The Clark again, after being paid-off her earnings in gold, for her time as a deckhand for Zeke, with Glen. The Eroica Owner / Captain / The Dragon Slayer inventor. Diver. Diver.
Season 4 Name Dredge Details Co-Owner and Captain of the Christine Rose. Deckhand on the Christine Rose. Deckhand on the Christine Rose. Deckhand on the Christine Rose. Owner and Captain of the AU Grabber. Deckhand on the AU Grabber. Deckhand on the AU Grabber, the other excavator operative on the dredge and a very experienced one at that, taking over shifts from Hank Schimschat when he's not working. Deckhand on the AU Grabber. Owner of the Wild Ranger. Captain of the Wild Ranger. Diver on the Wild Ranger. Left the dredge midway through the season to honour his close friendship with Shem and Elaine. Diver on the Wild Ranger. Elaine Adkison's boyfriend. Left the dredge midway through the season with Elaine after she had an argument with her father over her role on the dredge. Diver on the Wild Ranger, Left the dredge at the start of the season after splitting up with his now ex-girlfriend Elaine Adkison.
| Diver on the '''Wild Ranger, Brought on to the dredge at the start of the season to replace one of Vernon's divers who had left.
| Diver on the Wild Ranger, Brought on to the dredge at midway through the season to replace one of Vernon's divers who had left.