Preview of Episode 5 "The Little Blind Tugboat That Could"

The seven remaining teams travel back home to Canada, flying into Vancouver, then on to Haida Gwaii.
Thar be spoilers here...


There is a Roadblock at the Haida Heritage Centre. One person from each team must listen to an Haida story, then match it to a totem (perhaps reciting the story back). Julie, Amy, Ashley, Kate, Kristen and Rita (in no particular order) do this. I don't know if Jillian or Emmett decide to take this one, although I can see Jillian stepping up for it.

Teams must then head to the harbour, and sign up for seaplanes to take them to Prince Rupert. CTV's sneak peek for this episode shows Jillian and Emmett dropping their clue package along the path. Joel and Ashley see the clue on the ground, but leave it there.  Emmett stops Joel and Ashley before they leave, hoping to delay them by asking about the clue details. Of course, it is imperative they must retrace their steps to find it, as they cannot check into the Pitstop without it. If they were leading the pack at that point, the delay pushed them back no more than one or two placements. This flight will be an equalizer - somewhat, for the teams, as the seaplanes arrived in Prince Rupert one right after the other. There is a webcam at the docks in Prince Rupert which I watched that day, and I really must say I marveled at the efficiency of the production team. True story: several producers, including Mike Bickerton walked right up to the webcam, smiled and waved, teasing us - he knew we would be watching. Anyway, Steph and Kristen will be the first team to arrive in Prince Rupert, Kelly and Kate will be the last.

Teams jump into Camaros lined up at the docks, and head to Prince Rupert City Hall. Here, they must read an historical plaque in front of a statue of the town's founder - Charles Melville Hays. If that name is familiar, it should be. A wealthy American industrialist and President of the Grand Trunk Railway, he helped to finance the Trans-Continental Railroad, making Prince Rupert its terminus. I am sure there is more to this task, but what the teams must do with this information, I have no idea. Hays was also a casualty of the Titanic disaster and is buried in Montreal.... at Mont Royal Cemetery. But, is this just a coincidence that Mont Royal is the finish line? Hmmn.

It appears this leg has another double Roadblock, which probably means there is no Detour. The second RB is at North Pacific Cannery and involves log sorting. Whichever team member that did not do the Haida story Roadblock must do this one... steering a boat to sort logs. Steph, Frankie, Joel, Kelly, Yvette, my guess Emmett, and Lowell will have to do this very difficult and very frustrating task. Yes...Lowell. Although it will be challenging for him, it's not impossible and the episode's title - "The Little Blind Tugboat That Could" is a bit of a spoiler in itself. Prepare to cheer him on, right there alongside Julie.

The winner of this leg? Unknown. But I would put my money on Steph and Kristen.
I think the log sorting would be the only task difficult enough to force either Steph & Kristen or Frankie & Amy to use their Express Passes, but I don't see it. Especially Steph and Kristen who stuck it out through 25 attempts of the flair bartending task in the last leg. I get the feeling they will save it until absolutely necessary.

The eliminated team this week is Kelly and Kate. They are the last to fly into Prince Rupert, suggesting Kate does not do well with the Haida story Roadblock. They get lost and can not catch up.  I suspect their weakness is self-driving and navigating, and we also know they prefer big cities, which this leg is most definitely NOT. They had to stop and ask directions a couple of times. Lost in downtown Prince Rupert...go figure. A shame really, I was just starting to like them. At least they'll get to go shopping in Los Angeles.

And speaking of Kelly and Kate, did you notice their confessional after winning Leg 4? I don't think that was Ho Chi Minh City. Nor do I think that was Prince Rupert. They definitely would not be that perky after losing the leg and it was not warm enough to wear tank tops. I think that's a shot from the finish line. As in finale finish line. The same place as the shot of the line up of Chevrolet cars in the grand prize package. And if you don't already know, or if you haven't read my leg-by-leg spoilers, that place is Mont Royal in Montreal.

Next week, the six remaining teams will make the long, long journey from Prince Rupert, B.C. to Hamilton, Ontario...the first part of a KOR (keep-on-racing) which will bring them to Kingston the leg after that.