Throng

The documentary series examining the lucrative but highly dangerous job of driving trucks on Canada’s ice highways continues. In this episode, Alex must overcome poor health to haul the biggest load of his career. The rig move reaches a crucial stage. Rick decides to confront his boss and Hugh is stuck with a less than glamorous job.

Another Arctic day dawns to temperatures of –40 degrees Fahrenheit. Alex Deborgorski arrives at Aput to assist in moving the drilling station to its new site at Langley. The 26-year ice-road veteran is not in the best shape. After getting lost on the ice, Alex has arrived over six hours late – and he is not feeling well. “I got a lot of problems. I’m falling apart,” he says. “I really should go and see the doctor because I’ve been having trouble with shortage of breath.”

Alex needs to put his health concerns to one side as he has been tasked with the biggest job of his career. The massive substructure of the drilling station has been split into two parts and must be transported to Langley. Each half of the substructure weighs 40 tons and stands 40ft high. Along with the 135ft-high derrick, they are the most important parts of the drilling station.

Supervisor Jerry Dusdal likens the job of dismantling and reassembling a rig to completing a jigsaw puzzle. “Sometimes it works great and you’re a hero,” he reflects. “And sometimes you’ll miss a piece and you’re a dickhead!” It falls to seasoned Arctic trucker Bear Swensen to haul the first sub half to Langley. Three trucks are needed to gently hoist the massive structure onto Bear’s flatbed trailer. Then Bear sets off at crawl of just 15mph. “It’s grossly overweight,” he says of the load. “This is one of the ones that could do you some harm.” Indeed, the slightest jolt or breath of wind could tip the top-heavy structure on its side and send it crashing through the ice.

Next it is Alex’s turn to load up the second half of the substructure. Then the two trucks travel the 50-mile road to Langley, where Jerry’s counterpart, Marcel Bisson, is overseeing the construction of the new rig. Marcel knows he has a huge job on his hands. “It could be a fine art or it could be a disaster,” he says. Bear arrives with his load and carefully manoeuvres it into the correct spot over the drill hole, before the structure is lowered onto the ice. A short time later, Alex successfully makes his delivery – but not without a few moments of drama. The big man from Yellowknife has passed a massive test – but can he cope with another load that day?

While Alex is entrusted with jobs usually reserved for experienced Arctic hands, his fellow Yellowknife drivers are less lucky. Rick Yemm cannot stop moaning about the condition of his truck – even though it is identical to the one driven by Alex. Rick is even less happy about the fact he has been assigned the garbage run. Fed up with what he feels is a lack of respect, Rick resolves to confront his employer. “I don’t live my life doing things that I don’t enjoy doing,” he says. “The days of slavery went out a long time ago.” But will Rick find any sympathy from his boss?

Hugh Rowland, meanwhile, has perhaps even more reason to complain, having been handed the job of transporting sewage up and down the highway. With no sewers at these remote outposts, all human waste is stored in vacuum tanks – which then have to be driven away and emptied. But Hugh only has complaints about the weather, which in some places has reached a staggering –52°F.

Back at Langley, the drilling station moves a step closer to completion when the derrick is raised into position. Jerry can take some satisfaction from a job well done. “So far, so good – but we’re not finished,” he says. However, the genial supervisor takes pity on an exhausted Alex, and packs him off for a night’s rest before he embarks on his next mission.