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Ken Kerr: The Bering Sea Gold Titan Who Faced Death and Defeat

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Ken Kerr: The Bering Sea Gold Titan Who Faced Death and Defeat

Ken Kerr is a gold miner and TV personality who rose to fame on the Discovery Channel series Bering Sea Gold. He was the captain of the Myrtle Irene, a gigantic dredge that could mine gold from the sea floor. He was also the co-owner of Arctic Sea and Arctic Gold Mining Companies, which operated on both water and land.   

The Discovery program called Bering Sea Gold follows teams of people who spend their lives searching for gold in the ocean since 2012. One of the later additions of the show Ken Kerr has been a cast member of Bering Sea Gold since the tenth season of the show, but in 2021, viewers are left perplexed by Ken's apparent absence from the program. Additionally, it heralds the entry of fresh rivals who pose a danger to take over the industry, such as Ken Kerr and Dave Young. So what happened to the reality tv star Ken Kerr in Bering Sea Gold?Why did he leave the show?Where is he now? What is he doing? There are lots of unanswered questions which we are trying to reach out about Ken Kerr. Also discover more about the newcomer Ken Kerr's wiki-bio, wife, marriage, children and net worth in this article.  

Who is Ken Kerr?  

Ken Kerr, a native of New Mexico, joined the cast of the program in its tenth season, which debuted on March 30, 2018. Ken, the owner of the 600-ton dredging machine Myrtle Irene, came through the ranks fast and was recognized as one of the best miners form the show. Since his appearance on the show, he has established himself as a heavy miner by taking on the toughest challenges every season. Speaking to the media, Ken revealed that his father, who worked as a gold miner in New Mexico, gave him the inspiration to become a gold miner. Ken is also the co-owner of the Arctic Sea and Arctic Gold Mining Companies in addition to serving as the skipper of the enormous dredger Myrtle Irene.  

Ken Kerr from Bering Sea Gold
Ken Kerr from Bering Sea Gold

Early life of Ken Kerr  

Ken Kerr was born on July 16, 1960, as Kenneth Edward Kerr. Ken, who was born in New Mexico, has always been an avid treasure seeker. He mined the American southwest with his father before moving up to the big leagues in Nome, Alaska. In one of his interviews with an online publication, Ken confessed that he followed in his father's footsteps and began mining at the age of eight.  

He has been a formidable miner since his debut on the show, tackling the most challenging and lucrative ventures every season. He commands the colossal dredger Myrtle Irene, and co-owns Artic Sea and Arctic Gold Mining Companies, operating on both water and land. In 2016, he and his associate Dave Young acquired nearly 9,000 acres of mining leases and over 350 patented mining claims, formerly known as Nome Gold Alaska, but later renamed to Arctic Gold Mining LLC. He also featured in the 2020 show with a similar format called “Gold Rush: The Dirt”.  

Career of Ken Kerr  

Ken Kerr may have achieved success when he joined the cast of Bering Sea Gold in the tenth season's premiere on March 30, 2018, as the owner of the terrifying Myrtle Irene, a gigantic gold dredger, but that doesn't mean he didn't have a lot going for him before that.   

Reality Tv star Ken Kerr from Bering Sea Gold
Reality Tv star Ken Kerr from Bering Sea Gold 

The new TV star had a tough life ahead of him as a gold miner before he became famous. His enormous net worth has a longer history than just his TV career. While he was in Nome, days and nights were spent trying to find and extract gold. He has actually worked as a gold miner for more than eight years, just in Nome. He mostly participated in the offshore activity under the name Arctic Sea Mining. Back then, the Kerr family was likewise well-known in the gold mining industry. Kerr had always wished to contribute to the family's means of subsistence. He mainly spent time with his father, watching and picking up some skills that he later used when he was old enough to live on his own, which led to his successful career.  

  • About Bering Sea Gold  

The Discovery Channel debuted the reality television program "Bering Sea Gold" in 2012. The program focuses on the day-to-day struggles and dangers faced by gold miners working in the Bering Sea off the coast of Nome, Alaska. As they scour the ocean below for gold, these miners battle extreme weather, subzero temperatures, and technological difficulties. The gold miners featured in "Bering Sea Gold" are a diverse group, and each one has unique skills and personality traits. As of now the show is running on it's 17th season which premiered on October 06, 2023. 

The cast is made up of people and organizations that use a range of equipment, such as dredges, sluice boxes, and suction dredges, to recover gold from the ocean floor. One of the main themes of the show is the characters' strong competition. Due to the few areas that allow for mining, the high cost of operations, and the short mining season, miners frequently compete with one another and the clock to extract as much gold as they can.   

  • What Happened to Ken Kerr in the show?  

Ken Kerr, a native of New Mexico, made his television debut on "Bering Sea Gold" in the inaugural episode of the show's tenth season, "Enter a Titan." The episode introduces Myrtle Irene, a gigantic 120-foot, 600-ton dredge driven by the tenacious miner and lifetime treasure hunter. In his tireless search for gold, he makes no concessions. He opposes Shawn Pomrenke for most of his appearances on the show. Arctic Sea and Arctic Gold Mining Companies, which operate two sizable mining operations in the Bering Sea and the surrounding land, are owned in part by Kerr. In the episode, Shawn Pomrenke, a longtime rival of Kerr's, tries to take over Myrtle Irene's management.   

The fans of the show were in for a rude shock when the 13th season debuted in April 2021. Their favorite miner Ken Kerr was nowhere to be seen, but his costly mining vessel Myrtle Irene was still in action. To add insult to injury, the ship was now under the command of Ken’s arch-rival Shawn Pomrenke, another cast member. This unexpected twist sparked a frenzy on social media, where fans wondered what had transpired between the two miners. Myrtle Irene is a prized asset, valued at no less than $5 million, making it the most expensive vessel on the show. It is not something that one would easily relinquish to someone who is at odds with them. Ken had been a formidable competitor to Shawn, the only miner who could match his operations, since he joined the show. Ken’s greedy and self-centered personality may have earned him some enemies, but it also made the show more entertaining, bringing a dose of intense rivalry.  

As a result of this, fans already speculated about Kerr's status, which has obviously generated some concerns. In the following episode, "A Dredge Full of Dollars," he appeared briefly. Kerr's long-term partner, Dave Young, was convinced to work with Shawn by him. Furthermore Dave agrees, and Ken informs Dave that he will be beach mining this season. It also seems that Ken and Dave separate on good terms according to the plot shown by the reality tv program Bering Sea Gold.  

  • What is the actual cause of Ken's departure from the program?  

Many people believe Ken's lawsuitmight have played a role in his departure from the show where they have to compensate more than $100,000. After failing to post a warning sign and failing to advise them of a long cable placed in the middle of the road, Ken and his team were sued by two Nome high school students in October 2018 by Ken's company, Arctic Gold Mining. The pick-up truck the two girls were riding in with a third friend was driven into the cable, causing severe injuries to the youngsters and nearly totaling the car. The lawsuitwas initially brought by the two sisters; a third friend then joined them and asked for over $100,000 in addition to additional costs. 'One is the cost of out-of-pocket expenses that have been created by the accident, in this case it's mostly medical,' their attorney, Myron Angstman, said when describing the sum they requested. Any potential future medical or counseling costs are one of the second considerations, albeit we have not yet assessed what they would entail. However, it's thought that Kerr suffered significant financial losses as a result of this legal dispute. Given that this occurred in 2018, it's difficult to assume that he was eliminated from the program after three years of legal challenges; nonetheless, the financial difficulties might have played a role given that dredging necessitates significant expenses.  

  • Will Ken be back on the program?  

It is difficult to predict whether Ken will return to the show given how the 13th season ended. Ken only appeared on two episode of season 13 i.e. 2 and 7. His involvement is currently unknown, and neither the creators nor the producers have spoken about it. The show's 17th season, featuring cast members Shawn Pomrenke, Emily Riedel, Kris Kelly, Brad Kelly, Steve Riedel, Steve Pomrenke, Vernon Adkison, and Zeke Tenhoff, debuted in October 06, 2023.  

  • Ken Kerr's Lawsuit  

Additionally, a lawsuit brought about by an incident that happened in 2018 implicated Kerr. A collision involving the dredges of Arctic Sea Mining left two teens with severe injuries. The lawsuit cost Kerr's business $100,000. As of May 2020, the verdict in the legal proceeding was still pending, but it appears that things have turned out well for the teenagers since then. It's conceivable that Kerr's absence from season 13 was partially caused by the severe damages Myrtle Irene sustained as well as the lawsuit.  

Personal life of Ken Kerr  

Ken Kerr is a man of mystery when it comes to his personal life. He has a wife and two children, a daughter and a son, but he has not shared much about them with the media. Although Ken is secretive about his personal life we were able to gather a little information on his love life which might catch your attention.  

Ken Kerr is married to Laura Jean Kerr who is 4 years older than him. Laura J, the spouse of the Bering Sea Gold celebrity, was born on November 18, 1956. Additionally, the couple at the time owned 1,812,096 square feet of undeveloped land in Bakersfield, California. In 1987, they gave birth to a baby they named Daniel Gabriel Kerr. The couple have a daughter too but her name and birthdate are still a mystery. Unfortunately, Ken never spoke openly about his marriage. As a result, we don't know much about his marriage date or how they met? He actually despises discussing his personal life. So far the couple have been supporting each other in their highs and lows.    

Ken Kerr from Bering Sea Gold and his wife
Ken Kerr from Bering Sea Gold and his wife

However, for someone who prefers to stay out of the spotlight, it hasn't exactly been free of controversy, as evidenced by the time Bering Sea Gold season 9 occurred in the backdrop of an ongoing legal dispute against Ken's.  

  • Ken’s family  

Ken Kerr, a native of New Mexico, made his television debut on "Bering Sea Gold" in the inaugural episode of the show's tenth season, "Enter a Titan." Ken Kerr, who was born in New Mexico, now named California his home. Details of Ken's parents are still unrevealed by the reality tv star himself. The only known fact is that Ken’s father was also a miner in New Mexico with a huge name in the industry of mining.  

As an experienced gold miner in New Mexico his father inspired and taught him the tricks of trade. So when Ken was eight years old, he began mining in the same way as his father.    

Ken’s Net worth  

Ken Kerr participated in the cast from 2018 to 2021. He adhered to his own set of norms. He assisted in creating the Arctic Sea and Arctic Gold Mining Companies with his business partner Dave Young. On the program, he received between $10,000 and $25,000 per episode. Ken was raised in a mining community which obviously helped him horn his mining skills. He is the owner of several mining acres.  

Ken Kerr can be counted in the list of people who does not enjoys social media. He didn't use any social sites like Facebook, Instagram, Twitter, or others, but he did have a business account for his mining firm just in case.  

Biography  

Arctic Sea and Arctic Gold Mining are owned by Captain Ken Kerr, whose dredge mining vessel Myrtle Irene is featured on the programme. Ken celebrates his birthday on July 16 every year. Ken’s age as of the year 2023 is 63 years old.He is four years younger than Laura Jean Kerr, his spouse. Ken is a Cancer by zodiac sign and his height is more than 6 feet. He hails from New Mexico, but now resides in California.  

 Trivia  

  • Ken Kerr may have achieved success when he joined the cast of Bering Sea Gold in the tenth season's premiere on March 30, 2018.  
  • Ken was also the owner of the terrifying Myrtle Irene, a gigantic gold dredger.  
  • Ken's Last appearance on the Bering Sea Gold was in Episode 07 of Season 13.  

Star Facts of Ken Kerr  

Full Name  

Kenneth Edward Kerr   

Popular Name  

Ken Kerr   

Age  

63 years old (as of 2023)  

Date of Birth  

July 16, 1960  

Place of Birth  

United state of America  

Nationality  

American  

Ethnicity  

Mixed  

Religion  

Christianity  

Profession  

Appearance on Bering Sea Gold  

Net worth  

$2 million  

Gender  

Male  

Sexuality  

Straight  

Marital Status  

Married  

Wife name  

Laura Jean Kerr  

Children  

2 (Son: Daniel Gabriel Kerr &    
Daughter: N/A)  

Height  

Above 6 Feet  

Zodiac Sign  

Cancer  

FAQs  

Which vessel perished on Bering Sea Gold?  

Myrtle Irene is the vessel that perished on the Bering Sea Gold.  

Who was billed for the Bering Sea Gold?  

After agreeing to a plea deal in an extreme domestic assault case in Alaska, Brad Kelly, the star of Discovery Channel's "Bering Sea Gold," went to prison. 

Where can I watch Bering Sea Gold? 

Bering Sea Gold is currently available on Amazon Prime Video and Discovery+. Bering Sea Gold is available to rent or buy on Google Play, Amazon, iTunes, and Vudu.