Ben Randall: There will come a time when you might have to decide who lives and dies out there. It's a terrible responsibility but it's one you will have to make as a rescue swimmer. The bigger reality is, its also something you are going to have to live with as a human being. There will come a time when you will have to say no. The most important person to keep alive is yourself. You'll be facing crews from 5 to 20 all saying 'save me, save me.' They're looking for a miracle. How old are you Hodge?
Billy Hodge: 24.
Ben Randall: At 24 years old you have to become that miracle. You have to find a way to be that miracle.

Ben Randall: I've been trying to peel the layers back for a while now and I, I just don't get it. I mean this kind of work seems a little remedial for someone like yourself. A big swim champ offered to every Ivy League, you give it up to be here with us. Why?
Jake Fischer: I'm here to save lives Senior Chief.
Ben Randall: I spoke to your coach Jake.
Jake Fischer: You spoke to my coach?
Ben Randall: Yeah I spoke with your coach. Something in your file just kept hanging me up. You will the state championship your freshman and sophomore years then you don't swim the next two. I'm just a public school guy, so uh pardon me, but it didn't add up until now.
[shows a newspaper with a headline of "swim team killed in fiery crash - one survivor"]
Ben Randall: Kick Holloway, 100 medley winner, thrown through the passenger window. Abe Ikeman, first team All-American, lungs crushed. Carl Sandables, 50 meter freestyle champ, made it all the way to the hospital, died of internal bleeding.
Jake Fischer: I guess you just know everything then.
Ben Randall: I know what it's like to lose a team.
Jake Fischer: Yeah, what about living in a small town where everyone thinks you killed their brother, or their son, or their best friend? You know about that?
Ben Randall: The kind of small town where everyone waves at each other, just not to you.

Jake Fischer: Hey, there was a question I wanted to ask you back as school, but I didn't. When you can't save 'em all, how do you choose who lives?
Ben Randall: It's probably different for everybody Jake. Its kind of simple for me though. I just, I take the first one I come to or the weakest one in the group and then I swim as fast and as hard as I can for as long as I can. And the sea takes the rest.
Jake Fischer: Do you think I'm ready?
Ben Randall: I'm not your teacher anymore Jake. I'm just your fellow swimmer.
Jake Fischer: That's not exactly the answer I was looking for there.
Ben Randall: If I did not think you were ready, I would not put you in the Bering Sea

Ben Randall: I can't sleep.
Maggie McGlone: Of course you can't. Your wife left you, your best friend died; you sound like a damn country song. If you had a dog, he'd be run over by now.

Ben Randall: Ya know, there never was anyone else Mag's.
Maggie McGlone: Like hell, Ben, you're a bigamist. You've been married to the coast guard all along. Now gimme that shoulder. Prolly swum it out of socket tryin to prove you was still nineteen.
Ben Randall: When the heck did we get old?
Maggie McGlone: Hell, I've always been old Ben. Ya' know what though, I don't mind. I mean if my muscles ache, it's because I've used 'em. It's hard for me to walk up them steps now, its 'cuz I walked up 'em every night to lay next to a man who loved me. I got a few wrinkles here and there, but I've layed under thousands of skies with sunny days. I look and feel this way, well cuz I drank and I smoked. I lived and I loved, danced, sang, sweat and screwed my way thorough a pretty damn good life if you ask me. Getting old ain't bad Ben. Getting old, that's earned.

Jake Fischer: So do you have a name?
Emily Thomas: Yes, "Don't forget my money"...
Jake Fischer: OK... Do you have middle name?

Ben Randall: [as Jake is supposed to be performing CPR on a dummy] Why aren't you breathing, Fischer?
Jake Fischer: I wasn't aware it was possible for someone to still be alive and hold their breath for fifteen minutes, Senior Chief.
Ben Randall: Are you a coroner? I didn't think so. It isn't our job to decide if they're dead. Keep breathing.

Jake Fischer: What's your real number?
Ben Randall: 22.
Jake Fischer: 22? That's not bad. It's not 200 but...
Ben Randall: 22 is the number of people I lost, Jake. The only number I kept track of.

Jake Fischer: You gotta make a move!
Billy Hodge: I can't. I get nervous.
Jake Fischer: You're tellin' me you can jump outta helicopters but you're afraid to go talk to a girl?
Billy Hodge: Uh... pretty much, yea.

Jake Fischer: Hey, I wanted to apologize for what I said earlier about you being old and washed up.
[Ben nods]
Jake Fischer: ...Is there anything you'd like to say to me?
Ben Randall: Like what?
Jake Fischer: I don't know, I apologized to you, I just thought that, you know, there might be something you've said or done that you'd like to apologize to me for...
Ben Randall: Why?
Jake Fischer: Cause...that's how's it's done, I...you suck at apologizes.

Ben Randall: [reading off his class roster] Fischer. Why are you here, Fischer?
Jake Fischer: I'm here to exceed your expectations, Senior Chief. I'm a rescue swimmer at heart, born, bred, and water-fed. Hoorah!
Ben Randall: [dryly] Wow. I bet you practiced that all morning.

Ben Randall: [to his class] Can someone tell me what's the Coast Guard's motto?
Jake Fischer: So others may live, Senior Chief!
Ben Randall: Ooohhh, I feel safer already.