Rick faces mutiny from his crew of greenhorns. Parker visits his parents for advice and makes a decision that affects the rest of his season. Tony's barge hits trouble on its way back to Dawson to finally begin the rebuild of his second monster dredge.

Disaster strikes when Rick fires up his washplant for the first time. Parker tries a risky plan to keep the gold coming in and must decide on a new foreman to replace Rick. Tony must transport his tug Kid Commando to the dock for a crucial stability test.