09x03 - Swamp Queen

[bunniefuu]

♪♪

♪♪

*Bleep*

Stop, stop.

♪♪

♪♪

Narrator: one man...

...one woman...

Whoo!

...alone for 21 days
to face the wrath...

Woman: stop raining!

...and fury

Of the most hostile environments
on earth.

Aah!

They have no clothes,
no food, no water.

I want water.

Do they have the skill
and the will...

Fire!

...to overcome the most
brutal survival challenge

Of their lives...

Naked and afraid?

Man: I really don't want to die
in this *bleep*hole.

Captions paid for by
discovery communications

♪♪

Narrator:
the mississippi river delta

Covering over 2.7 million acres

Of coastal wetlands
and murky swamps.

This unusually
rainy season brings

Storms of biblical proportions.

They leave behind
an eerie wasteland

Swarming with blood-sucking
mosquitoes and crawling

With alligators and six
types of venomous snakes

Including the deadly
water moccasin,

Which can stalk its prey both
on land and in the water.

At night, the bayou
becomes a hunting ground

For the mountain lions whose
ability see in the dark

Makes them even
more threatening.

This is the mississippi bayou.

♪♪

Here we go again.

I'm gabrielle.

I'm from westminster, maryland.

I'm a law school graduate
and a full-time mom.

My little boy, I love him.

He's the light of my life.

I recently completed the
14 day fan challenge.

I think I'm gonna die.

Narrator: after her partner
tapped out five days

Into their 14 day challenge,
gabrielle was forced

To survive the south african
wild for nine days on her own.

Gabrielle:
I learned that I'm a lot tougher

Than I ever gave
myself credit for.

That being said, 21 days
is a lot different than 14,

And this is a much different
environment than south africa.

It's gonna present a whole
new set of challenges.

I'm just about as
nervous for this one

As I was for the last one.

Narrator:
gabrielle's proven
survival skills

And mental tenacity give
her a strong advantage

To take on the bayou.

She beings with a psr of 6.9.

♪♪

We are literally in
the middle of nowhere

But looking forward to it.

Can't wait to get this
challenge started.

I'm brian.

I'm from carpentersville,
illinois.

I'm an ex-military man.

I was in the army.

I was a 74 delta, which is a
chemical operations specialist.

I've been a survivalist
my entire life.

Since I was a boy, my dad's
always had me out there

Camping, fishing, hunting.

You know, honestly this
challenge to me is something

That I haven't felt in my
life since I left the service.

I need to get out and do
something not only to prove

To myself that I still
got it but to prove

To the rest of the world,
too, that hey, I'm a savage.

My skillset is more or less,
I'm great with a blade.

I can make fire
with fire starters.

I've been using those since
I was just a little boy.

I am a great
shelter-builder also.

Narrator:
brian takes on the bayou

As a skilled shelter-builder
and hunter,

But his lack of
experience in primitive

Situations could
prove challenging.

He begins with a psr of 6.3.

Brian: I'm extremely confident
in my abilities.

I would rather die than quit.

♪♪

I guess this is my stop.

All right.

I was obviously raised
in a traditional role

Of you're a man,
you do man things.

So having a traditional
partner who was raised

To, you know, you're a woman,

You do woman things, how to
cook and all that good stuff,

Would be extremely
valuable to me.

♪♪

Woo, that's a little cold.

♪♪

Here we go again.

♪♪

I'm gettin' a little nervous,
nervous to meet my partner.

When my last challenge,
my partner, jonathan,

Left on the fifth morning.

This time around, I'm
hoping to get a partner

That's a little stronger
in the skills department

And has the mental
tenacity to stick it out.

Hey, how are you?

I'm good.
How are you doing?

I'm good. I'm gabby.
Nice to meet you.

I'm brian.
Nice to meet you, too.

Awesome.

Where are you from?

I'm from about an
hour west of chicago.

Oh, okay.

So illinois country boy.

Awesome.

I'm a little bit north
of baltimore city.

-Oh, so maryland, right?
-Yeah, maryland.

Awesome.

Got a decent day.

Yeah, let's see what happens.

Yeah, I know, right.

Let's keep our fingers
crossed that there's no rain.

We can actually
get a fire going.

I think we have this.

Oh, yeah,
I think we do, too.

Let's see what we got.

Narrator: gabrielle and brian
have each each been

Allowed to bring
one survival item.

I brought my machete.

Perfect.

Yeah.

I brought a pot with a lid.

Hopefully, we can boil some
water out here.

That's gonna be crucial.

Yeah.
It's so crucial.

They've also been
given a fire starter.

Do you know what this is?

Yeah, of course,
fire starter.

Yeah, for sure,
this is a mag block,

A magnesium block
fire starter.

I'm really familiar
with these.

-Excellent.
-I know how to use 'em.

They work really well.

That's crucial right there.

That's so big.

And it looks like
I've got a map.

Figure out where we're going.

Oh, yeah.

And where we're
going to set up camp.

It looks like
we're right here.

Yeah.

We should probably make
our way up this way.

It looks like a lot
of good food sources

And water sources right here.

It looks like there's a lot
of poison ivy, poison oak.

I wonder if we should
walk in the water.

Find a spot that's not too
far away from the water

But high enough
that we, you know,

Don't have to worry
about flooding.

Yeah, I agree.

Okay.

Let's go.

Heading this way.

♪♪

Watch out
for the snakes, too.

Am I goin' too fast?

Gabrielle:
no, you're fine.

Oh, okay, good.

♪♪

You ever made a
prop shelter before?

Once or twice.

Yeah, I used to go in
the forest as a kid

And do it all the time.

I wouldn't say I'm an
expert at anything,

But I consider myself
a jack of all trades.

Yeah.

Gabrielle:
so far, my first impressions
of brian, he talks a lot.

I hope he's as good a
survivalist as he says he is.

I'm really good at hunting
snakes and turtles.

Are you?

Yeah, that's like my --

Oh, so you have hunted before.

Yeah, I did a 14 day

Naked and afraid fan
challenge in south africa.

So yes, I do have some
experience hunting.

Good, that's so awesome.

Brian:
my partner did two weeks in
south africa on this challenge,

And that makes me feel pretty
good that she can do this.

That's extremely valuable.

I'm so glad they didn't send
me out with a city girl.

♪♪

Brian: shh, shh.

Did you hear that?

I do hear it.

There's a lot more
*bleep* that'll k*ll us

In this water than
there is on the land.

One of them gators gets us and

We're gone.yeah.

*Bleep*.
Something just went past my leg.

Yeah, let's head
towards the shore.

Let's just know we are
definitely not alone out here.

That's for damn sure.

♪♪

We may have about
three hours of sun left

Before it dips down
past the trees.

I don't know.

What do you think about
this clearing over here

Where we can set
up a good shelter?

Sure, let's build something
from here to here.

If we put just a big log over
here and then cross slats.

Does that make sense?

Yeah, definitely.

And then, I mean,
as long as we're

Off the ground, we're
not gonna be flooded

In the event of a lot of rain.

Brian: when the sun goes down,
the predators come out.

If we don't have a fire
and a shelter by then,

We're gonna be in
a world of hurt.

So we're gonna have to get
stepping here and fast.

♪♪

This is pretty solid.

Gabrielle: yeah.

Oh, here comes the rain.
You hear it?

Brian: I think that rain is
really starting to pick up now.

The reality is mother
nature's just not cooperating.

I'm getting eaten
alive by mosquitoes.

Gabrielle: these mosquitoes are
not like anything

I've ever been around before.

It is insane.

We really need to
get a fire going.

I think the smoke would
help keep them away.

If you want to work
on the fire,

I'll work on the shelter
for awhile.

Okay, cool, I'm gonna have to
find some dry stuff to burn.

♪♪

♪♪

Oh, just fizzled out.

♪♪

♪♪

Everything here is wet.

Yeah.

I'm anticipating
that we're gonna

Be obviously eaten
alive by bugs.

I'm worried about predators
coming after us because the

Forest is going to literally
come alive at night.

Gabrielle: our shelter is
about halfway built.

I'm watching mosquitoes
land on me left and right.

It's insane.

And it's gonna suck
tonight without a fire.

♪♪

I heard something.

It came from over
there to our left.

♪♪

♪♪

Brian:
oh, last night was pretty bad.

I heard what sounded
like a gator.

These mosquitoes
are so demoralizing.

It's not even funny.

These things are
making me crazy.

I swear to god.

Gabrielle:
I'm gonna walk around,
start collecting

As much dead wood
as I can find.

Gabrielle:
so all night brian definitely
feeling a little bit down.

Getting a fire going
is my priority.

I mean, obviously, if we
don't have a fire going

In the next two days, we're
both done 'cause I don't foresee

Us drinking this water
without boiling it.

♪♪

Brian: hey, can you like
keep 'em off my back?

Yeah,
I'll be right there.

Thanks, they're all over me.

It's just like *bleep* hell.

Seriously, *bleep* you.

I'm a pretty strong
person mentally,

But this starting
to get unbearable.

♪♪

Come on.

There we go.

Oh, come on,
stay lit, stay lit.

Ah, they're on me,
all over me.

God, they're eating
the *bleep* out of me.

Gabrielle: I think we might
need a better tinder.

Brian:
I think we do, too.

It's just too wet.

Yeah.

I start searching
around for lighter pine.

It's a tree that lights even
when it's a little bit wet.

I think there's a big
pine tree over here

That I thought was lighter pine.

You can really smell it.

Narrator: lighter pine,
also known as fat wood

Is a type of pine tree that
contains a high content of

Flammable oil making it
idea for starting fires.

This might be the key to
getting our fire started.

Do you mind if I try to start
a fire really fast with this?

Brian: no, you know what?

Why don't you give it a shot?

Gabrielle: okay.

♪♪

Okay, that's lit.

I'm happy.

Brian: I'm feeling
very happy, too.

Yay, this is huge for us.

It's huge for our
survival out here.

Fire!

We're able to get pots boiling,
and try and get ourselves

Hydrated for a day
of hunting tomorrow.

♪♪

Brian: I'm pretty hungry.
I'm not gonna lie.

I usually eat a lot, I'd say at
least four or five meals a day.

But now that we've got
fire, today's the day

We gotta go out and hunt
something down and take it out.

Just keep an eye out
for gators and snakes.

I will.

Oh, that water's freezing.

It feels good on
my mosquito bites.

Let's not talk.

You know what I mean?

And let's try and keep our
foot sounds to a minimum, okay?

Okay.

♪♪

Try to do your best
not to splash anything

In the event that there
is something on the shore.

Yeah, that's what
I was thinking.

♪♪

♪♪

Gabs, can't see ya.

Where did you go, gabs?

You're too loud.

We're never
gonna see anything.

I know.

I've spent a lot
of time in swamps.

Spent a lot of time at stream.

I know how to be quiet.

Brian has not only a loud
voice, but his footsteps

Are really loud, so if
there is a snake laying

On the bank or a turtle
laying on the bank,

It's not going to be there
by the time we walk up to it.

We made it
pretty far down,

And we really
haven't found much.

Yeah, do you want to head back

And me keep walking
for a little while?

I'll probably head back
and work

On the shelter a little bit.

We know there's
nothing on this side.

Yeah, sounds good.

Divide and conquer.

He can work on the
shelter for awhile.

I can gather for awhile.

I'll see you in a little while.

Sure.

♪♪

I'm paying close attention,
especially in the trees here

'Cause I haven't
been seeing anything

In the water or on the banks.

I really want to eat.

♪♪

If I can get my hands
on 'em, I can catch them.

♪♪

♪♪

Come here.

Come here.

Come here.

Come here.

You're not gonna bite me, okay?

You're beautiful.

♪♪

*Bleep*

Stop.

Stop.

Stop.

Sorry buddy.

I'm sorry.

♪♪

♪♪

I'm sorry buddy.

Thank you.

I was a little bit of a wreck.

I could feel my legs
and my hands shaking.

Narrator:
although it isn't venomous,

A bite from the mississippi
water snake can cause

Dangerous infections because
of the bacteria in its fangs.

♪♪

Are you hungry?

Brian:
I'm *bleep* starving.

Is that a snake?

That's a snake.

Oh, god, I swear to god.

I could kiss you right now.

Please don't.

I won't. I promise.

That thing looks so tasty.

Good,
I hope it tastes good.

So tasty,
honestly I passed out.

I boiled some water, and
I passed the *bleep* out.

Yeah, we gotta work on that.

I just got back, and brian has

Literally accomplished nothing.

Honestly, I'm pretty
disappointed right now.

♪♪

I don't think he realizes
how hard that was to catch

Or how hard I worked for that.

I'm glad I brought
something back though.

Hopefully, it'll provide much
needed protein for both of us.

♪♪

Perfect mid-well.

Mm-hmm.

It's such a booster.

I kind of have mixed
emotions right now.

I want to be out there
helping her hunt.

I'm a great outdoorsman,
but you know what?

Without all my gear,
without my g*ns,

She makes me look really bad.

She's an absolute savage.

♪♪

Brian, get up.

What?

I heard a noise
straight out here.

It was loud.

There it is.

What is it?

I don't know.

I hear it.

It's walking up on us.

I'm not sure exactly
what it is.

Oh, my god.

Brian:

I don't know how much sleep
we're gonna get tonight.

♪♪

♪♪

Brian: I only got maybe three
or four hours of sleep.

There was definitely something
in the bushes around us.

I thought it was one
of those panthers

Or one of those big cats.

I got a little worried.

Being out here and being sleep
deprived, it's really hard.

Whoa, whoa,
think we got enough?

You can never have enough.

I knew you were
going to say that.

I'm gonna collect
some roofing material.

If it decides to rain and
water starts leaking through

The roof of our shelter,
we're gonna be sleeping in mud.

You go ahead.

I'm freaking
exhausted right now.

I got ya.

Gabrielle:
some people are talkers,
and some people are doers.

And I hope that he starts
doin' a little bit more,

You know, and backs up all
these things he says he can do.

♪♪

♪♪

Nothing about this challenge
has been easy for me.

Nothing.

This is very trying,
very harsh environment.

My confidence has been shaken.

This is the hardest thing
I've ever done in my life.

♪♪

♪♪

What's wrong, brian?

Talk to me.

I'm just not feeling great.

My whole body hurts.

I got like a massive
headache right now.

Every muscle in my body
is just sore as hell.

I'm just exhausted, like
physically and mentally.

We've actually been eating
pretty good out here.

Like, this is way better than
I ate for 14 days in africa.

Yeah?

I need a partner that's
able to function out here.

Otherwise, I'm
doin' all the work.

And I'm hunting,
and I'm bringing food back.

I know.

And I'm splitting
it with someone

Else who's not doing anything.

I know. I get that.

That's why I feel bad.

Sure.

Gabrielle:
I've had a partner in a very
similar position to brian

Where they feel like they
can't move another step.

They can't go on another minute
out here, and that's really

The impression that
I'm getting from brian.

I'm gonna try and be
as supportive as I can

To try and help him out.

However, it's a mental thing.

I'm gonna dig down deep and
pull out everything I've got.

♪♪

♪♪

Brian:
so, you know, me and gabby
talked about the work,

And I never want to be a burden.

I mean, I want her to feel
like she has a good partner.

I'm ready to put in some work,

And I'm ready to bust
my hump on this shelter.

I'm building up the
shelter a little more

So our roof is a
little more waterproof.

So that way, when it does
start raining, we want to make

Sure that we protect
ourselves from the elements.

♪♪

It's more water resistant,
but without any sides

On our shelter, we're gonna
be wet no matter what.

It's really coming together.

Gabby, I'm sorry.

I feel like I wasted
a lot of time bitching

About *bleep* that I shouldn't
have been in the first place.

Well, maybe it takes
a breakdown like that

To realize that you're not
approaching this the right way.

I think you're right
about that.

Yeah.

Gabrielle:
I think he's starting to get it.

He was very apologetic
for his slacking, basically.

He did a good job
building the shelter.

It's a step in the
right direction.

♪♪

*Bleep*

♪♪

This is like
torrential downpour.

Yeah.

My back is soaking wet,
and it just started.

♪♪

♪♪

Gabrielle:
all night brian was miserable.

Everything was negative.

Brian:
I don't want to quit.

That storm that came through,
that rolled through

Just knocked me flat out.

Like I feel like I can't
do anymore good here.

I'm only doing more
harm than good to us.

That's not fair to you and
your challenge, you know.

Right.

Narrator:
producers are notified

That brian wants to
quit the challenge.

Brian: this place has got
me broken down, man.

I feel like I just
can't go on anymore.

I know my limit,
and this is it.

I'm done.

Man: okay.

I'm so sorry.

Good luck
in everything you do.

Brian:
this was the hardest decision
I had ever made in my life.

Brutal environment we were in.

Mentally and physically,
it's just draining.

This place is hell.

Narrator: the bayou takes a
mental toll on brian

Causing him to tap out only

One week into his
21 day challenge.

His psr drops from 6.3 to a 5.0.

♪♪

I have 14 days to go.

This is like starting a
fan episode all by myself.

This isn't gonna be easy.

I got a flood.

I have a stream running
right through my campsite.

*Bleep* and the fire's out.

This day just went
from bad to worse.

It looks like I'm gonna
be without a fire tonight.

Welcome to the bayou.

♪♪

♪♪

Gabrielle:
I survived night seven

Without a fire
and without a partner.

It was a little cold.

First on my priority list today,

Is getting a fire started.

It is these pieces.

I'm frustrated.

I've had very little sleep.

Scratching myself raw

Because I'm being
attacked by mosquitoes.

Ugh.

The only way I've found
of keeping mosquitoes away

Is by having a fire.

Without fire, it's not worth
going on a hunting trip.

Everything's soaking wet.

I'm so worried about not
getting a fire started.

There's no sun,

Nothings gettin' dry.

Oh, come on bugs, get off me.

*Bleep*

Oh god, I'm done.

I cannot put into words

How absolutely demoralizing

And stressful it is,

To be attacked by mosquitoes
24 hours a day.

It sucks the life
out of you, literally.

I can't think, I can't
focus, I can't look around,

I can't observe properly.

I'm not sure what
to do at this point.

I'm layin' here feeling
pretty homesick.

I miss my little boy so much.

I hope someday he

Looks back and thinks,

"Wow, my mom was a tough
girl, she was a tough chick,

She can do anything."

I miss him, god I miss him.

I hate it here.

Mosquitoes are making me crazy.

I gotta do something about that.

There's a spot
on top of the hill

Where the sun actually
comes through the canopy.

Anywhere where there's sunshine
keeps the mosquitoes away.

I'm thinking about
bringing my bed up here

And making this my camp.

I'm cutting the lashes
and removing the canopy.

There's a lot of advantages
to moving my shelter

To the top of the hill.

One is the sun,
the sun hits here.

There's no musty,
stinky shelter

With the impossibility of fire.

Ahh.

Get out of here bugs.

I've definitely done
a lot of physical activity,

But haven't had any food yet.

Now that the sun's out,

I'm gonna dry my
tinder and hopefully

Get my fire started.

Come on sunshine,
help me out, buddy.

I shouldn't have had
difficulty this whole time,

But things were
just so, so damp.

Definitely nice to feel
the warmth of the fire,

And know that I can do it.

It makes me feel like I am
actually a survivalist.

That I can do this.

It sounds like
a tremendous storm,

I think I have a lot of
rain coming this way.

It feels like the bayou's
controlled by an evil witch

That just watches what I do

And mocks me
every step of the way.

There she goes.

My fire's out.

Kiss my a*s, bayou.

♪♪

It's been days since I've
had any food or fire,

And the only water I have
to drink is rain water.

I could really use
one small victory.

I'm tired of being wet.

My feet never drying out,

My hair never drying out.

I feel like the bayou
is beating me up,

Like the bayou is winning.

This place is
literally k*lling me.

Oh, my god.

I hate this place.

This is terrible.

The temperatures gonna drop

And I'm soaked.

I don't see an
end in sight here.

♪♪

Oh.

Ow, ow.

Oh god.

These mosquitoes
are so terrible.

I got a mosquito bite

Right in the crevice of my a*s
cheek where it meets my leg.

Ah.

That's very uncomfortable.

What about you,

Your sensitive areas
get any bites yet?

Not really.

Ah, he's biting my eye!

I'm just glad the only place
they haven't bitten me yet

Is my johnson.

That's good.

I know, that's reassuring.

I say yet, 'cause, still got
17 more days of this *bleep*.

We have blue skies
and a nice sunrise.

Mentally, I'm
feeling pretty good.

Just knowing that
I'll be on my way home

To see my little boy is huge.

I can't even put
into words how excited I am.

Now that the sun's out,

I need something
to carry me through

The extraction hike tomorrow.

I need it, it's been days
since I've eaten anything.

♪♪

Whoa, perfect wild grapes.

The storm probably
brought them down.

This is awesome,

Great source of sugar,

I'm gonna eat a handful today

And save the rest
for tomorrow morning

For extraction time.

These things are delicious.

♪♪

Day 21, I'm gettin' outta here.

Ohh!

I'm camping somewhere
around here,

And it looks like I
have some pretty dense forest

To track through
to get out to the river.

Narrator: gabrielle will have
to walk 2 miles

Through the snake
and gator infested bayou,

Where the recent storms

Have caused the water
levels to rise 3 feet,

And the water temperature to
drop to a mere 54 degrees.

After crossing the swamp,

She will have to make her way

To a tributary of the
mississippi river.

Gabrielle:
there's a lot of dangers
I haven't encountered,

There's a lot of areas
I haven't explored.

There's a lot of risks
involved in this.

Oh my god,

Look how deep that bayou is.

This is insane.

It's incredible how much
the bayou has come up.

I don't have a
whole lot of energy

And this is gonna be
a hell of a extraction.

♪♪

♪♪

Aw man, ooh.

♪♪

This water here
is freezing cold.

♪♪

The bottom of this is
covered in fallen trees

Cypress knees, plants,

And it just has
random drop offs.

You never know when you might
be steppin' into a ditch.

♪♪

♪♪

What the hell was that?

The big black snake.

♪♪

Oh god, help me out.

My feet are k*lling me.

I am exhausted.

♪♪

The trees are
starting to open up,

This could be it.

There it is!

♪♪

Here comes my boat!

♪♪

I'm so glad to see you.

Whoo!

I made it.

So glad to be done.

I'm definitely
feelin' that euphoria.

As soon as I got in that boat,

It made me wanna
burst into tears.

It was just that
sense of achievement.

It's amazing to complete
something like this.

I can't wait to see
my little boy tomorrow.

♪♪

I can't wait.

My little boy is gonna
be super excited.

That's the hardest part
about being out here,

Is being away
from that little guy.

Mommy's coming home, buddy.

The bayou reaffirmed
that the mental

Is more important
that the physical,

When it comes to survival.

I did survive the 21 days,

And now I feel
like I'm a badass.

I feel like I'm

A real survivalist.

I can't believe I made it.

This is awesome.

Whoo!

Screw you, bayou.

Narrator: gabrielle survived
21 grueling days

In the swampy wetlands
of the mississippi bayou.

She lost a total of 26 pounds,

And battled
torrential rain storms

And unrelenting mosquitoes.

Her mental tenacity

And perseverance
to complete the challenge,

Raises her psr from a 6.9

To an 8.3,

Proving once again,

Gabrielle has what
it takes to survive,

Naked and afraid.