The History Channel’s Alone season nine episode two concentrates on the four survivalists who weren’t featured in the season premiere. The first episode showed events from days one through four, while “Consequences” lengthens the timeline through day 15.
Airing on June 2, 2022, episode two includes the first tap out of the season.
Tidbits tossed out over the course of the second episode include that an average of 30 inches of rain hits the eastern coast of Labrador each year and it rains an average of 108 days. Participants will have to be wary of giardia (a parasite) in the water and a lack of hydration can cause lightheadedness. And, each participant’s allowed up to nine arrows and regulations allow fishing to be done only with a fly rod or dip net.
On day 1, 31-year-old Teimojin Tan from Quebec City, CAN explains he’s committed to doing less work while still accomplishing his goal of finding a good place to shelter. He’s got experience in primitive survival techniques and served six years in the Canadian Armed Forces. Teimojin believes his medical training gives him an advantage over his competition.
As a doctor, he needs to make well-thought-out decisions. That should help him survive in these inhospitable conditions.
Day 7: Teimojin is continuing to work on his shelter. His task for the day is to dig a fire pit at least a foot deep. He explains that sleeping high with a low fire pit keeps a shelter warmer, and with the temperature dropping it’s critical he gets this project done. He’s designed the pit so there’s a ground chimney and he’ll use river clay to fortify it.
If he wins, he’ll use the $500,000 to pay off his student loans and renovate his mom’s home. Teimojin doesn’t have a target in mind of how many days he can last in the wilderness.
Homer, AK resident Terry Burns (age 30) describes the Alone experience as “living life amplified.” On day 2, Terry spots a harbor seal. He’s happy to see it but surprised it made it all the way to Labrador.
His experience as a commercial fisherman in Alaska has made him strong. Terry loves to go on backpacking adventures on his own but has never gone past the 30-day mark by himself.
He’s set up a simple shelter using his tarp as a temporary cover. Terry’s gathered tinder for a fire but, unfortunately, he left it out in the weather so it’s all wet. He heads off to look for dry wood but isn’t successful in finding any before the rain hits. The few he finds aren’t enough to keep a flame burning and he’s forced to go the night without a fire.
Day 6: Terry’s in much better shape than on day two and his fire is roaring as he drinks freshly boiled water. He still hasn’t built a permanent shelter and sets to work building a simple A-frame lodge. He admits he’s not a shelter-builder, but he’ll enjoy working with his hands out in the middle of nowhere.
He used to work an exhausting schedule and existed on little to no sleep until he was involved in a 17-vehicle pileup in September 2011. Terry was hit head-on and yet escaped unscathed. That changed his approach to life.
Terry’s vast experience fishing gives him the confidence he can reel in some from the nearby river. He hooks a strong fish and it puts up quite a fight before he’s finally able to pull it in. It’s a beautiful brook trout that he plans to eat for dinner.
Our first look at Tom Garstang, a 35-year-old from Earlysville, VA, is on day 3. He’s already tired of bunchberries and sets out to locate game. Tom lives on a 325-acre farm and runs a prescribed fire program. He calls himself a “creative” person and was born in South Africa. He spent his summers in the bush with his father (a conservationist) and has learned to be a patient/observant hunter from watching animals.
He’s proficient at hunting and has a girlfriend back home he’ll really miss.
Tom’s first attempt at killing a squirrel with a bow and arrow is a success. He apologizes to the squirrel and takes it back to make squirrel stew. Tom keeps an eye out for predators while eating because of the shift in wind.
We circle back to Tom on day 8 and he’s busy making flies. He cuts off some of his green hair that he specifically dyed before Alone so he would have bright colors to attract the fish to his flies. (I think he’s the first contestant who’s done this in Alone history.) He’s also dyed part of his hair pink, but that part’s faded to nearly his regular light brown hair color.
Tom’s collection of items to use to catch fish includes paracord sheaving, the squirrel tail, his own hair, and hooks. He didn’t grow up with much money and is used to improvising.
Tom heads to the river and reels in some trout. “So far, I am crushing it,” says Tom, proudly displaying his fish.
All 10 competitors still remain in the wild when we catch up with 36-year-old Adam Riley from Fayetteville, AR on day 5. He’s not into taking selfies and admits he can’t believe he’s got to film himself while on Alone.
Adam has an unusual job; he’s one of 100 or so in the U.S. who works as a full-time alpaca shearer. Plus, he’s a treehouse carpenter.
Adam’s skilled at hunting and fishing, and spent 90 days alone crossing the ocean in his sailboat. That helped prepare him for spending time by himself on Alone.
He wants to use the $500,000 prize money to help his family. He left his girlfriend, dog, and family behind to participate because he believes he can win. “It’s going to be hard on my body but if I can do 10 years financially worth of work in 90 days, I’m willing to push my body to its absolute limits to make that happen for me,” explains Adam.
His shelter is a modified lean-to with a window, and spruce tree branches on the roof will keep the rain out. The shelter’s side walls are made of moss which provides excellent insulation. After finishing the construction, he places a photo of his dog and girlfriend above his bed.
Day 11: Adam’s house looks great and he’s ready to check out the surrounding area for food. He stumbles upon some bear dung and confesses a dream of his is to kill a black bear. However, the black bears in Labrador are quite aggressive and are busy stocking up for the winter. Going after one isn’t for the faint of heart.
He spots a grouse and takes a shot but misses. He’s disappointed and debates whether to take another shot at the risk of losing an arrow. Adam’s second shot also misses, and he sets off to find his arrows. He’s unsuccessful and now he’s lost two of his nine arrows.
Day 12: He’s determined to make a decent fishing pole, hopefully about 7 feet long. As he works on the pole, he explains he was bullied as a child and found solace in the woods. He’s kept that love of the wilderness while growing up.
Adam laughs while reeling in fish, happy about his success with his new pole. He reels in 10 little fish and one big one.
Although he misses his family, the goal of winning the $500,000 and helping out his family keeps him going. His elderly parents don’t have any retirement income and he’d use the money to help them out.
On day 10, Jacques keeps busy fishing, proudly holding up his brook trout and calling it “incredible” before giving his future meal a kiss. He kills and cleans his fish right away so that it doesn’t linger in pain.
Jacques didn’t have a great childhood and he threw himself into outdoor life as an escape. His shelter includes a rock fire pit and he cooks his trout while suggesting everyone chase their passions. He loves being a part of Alone but doesn’t have a clue how long he’ll last.
The trout is absolutely yummy and he feels like he’s killing it at surviving on his own. However, he admits he has a strong desire to be with his farting girlfriend and biting puppy. (I’m sure his girlfriend’s not going to love that description!)
Day 12: Jacques is shocked at how quickly he’s losing weight. He thought he’d fattened up for the challenge but is down quite a bit. (He’s lost 10% of his weight.) Jacques chops more firewood and explains that no matter what, anyone who participates in Alone comes out a different person.
He spots a squirrel, takes a shot, and just misses him. He shoots again and this time it’s a kill. Jacques apologizes and thanks the dead squirrel for providing him with a meal. He hates killing squirrels and feels sad about its death.
“I generally don’t have a problem with killing things as long as it’s done respectfully. But right now, it’s really bothering me,” admits Jacques. Maybe if he wasn’t alone, it wouldn’t hit him so hard.
Day 14: Jacques sits up at night and is still thinking about the squirrel he killed. It feels wrong, and he believes right now the only relationship he has with living things around him is hurting them. He’s realized his best moments are when he’s with his girlfriend and dog. “I don’t know what I’m chasing out here,” says Jacques before turning off the camera for the night.
Day 15: Not surprisingly, Jacques becomes the first Alone season nine contestant to tap out.
- Alone Season 9 Episode 1 “Drop Shock” Recap
- Alone Season 9 Episode 3 “Law of the Land” Recap
- Alone Season 9 Episode 4 “The Beaver” Recap
- Alone Season 9 Episode 5 “The Land Giveth” Recap
- Alone Season 9 Episode 6 “The Weasel” Recap
- Alone Season 9 Episode 7 “The Birds” Recap
- Alone Season 9 Episode 8 “Gut Feeling” Recap
- Alone Season 9 Episode 9 “The Ice Up” Recap
- Alone Season 9 Episode 10 “Winter’s Grasp” Recap
- Alone Season 9 Episode 11 “Fight, Flight or Freeze” Recap
