Summary
After years of unwarranted negativity thrownCaptain Sandy Yawn’s way, she became a franchise favorite captain onBelow Deck Mediterraneanseason 9. She joined the spin-off in its second season to replace thenow-late Captain Mark Howard. Sandy’s legacy in the franchise is rich, asshe became the first (and only) woman to lead the show as captain. SinceBelow Deck Medseason 2, Captain Sandy has cemented her place on the reality yachting series despite some backlash from viewers over the years. She’s become a reliable leader thatBelow Deckproduction has turned to in times of need.
Captain Sandy stepped up in the tenth season ofBelow Deckwhen Captain Lee Rosbach left the charter season early for medical reasons. She took over as captain and immediately had to navigate standing conflict within the crew. After Captain Lee Rosbach’s permanent departure from the show, it was rumored she could take his full-time spot on the mainstay series. However, Captain Kerry Titheradge fromBelow Deck Adventurejoined the show in Captain Lee’s place, andSandy remained on the Mediterranean-based spin-off.Below Deck Medseason 9has been well-received, and that’s partly because of the captain’s newfound hero status.
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Captain Sandy Was The Least Favorite Captain In The Franchise
The Below Deck Audience Preferred Captain Lee Over Captain Sandy
While Captain Sandy has been in command of eight seasons ofBelow Deck Med, she hasn’t always been a beloved franchise captain.Viewers have critiqued the captain’s leadership tacticsand compared her toBelow Deck’s Captain Lee throughout the years. While the Mediterranean-based series is incredibly popular, the mainstay put the show on the map, and the audience fell in love with Captain Lee. Since Captain Sandy joinedBelow Deck Med, she’s faced criticism for being too harsh on her crew and stern in her methodologies. Her status with fans arguably faltered becauseshe feuded with Captain Lee.
When Captain Sandy filled in for him onBelow Deckseason 10, he was admittedly discontent with how she ran the superyacht in his absence.
Captain Lee understood they had different working styles but still made sure everyone knew he wasn’t impressed with her management. He was frustrated she didn’t let him know she fired Camille Lamb, a controversial crew member, from the cast when he returned to the superyacht.Captain Lee agreed she should have been firedbutwasn’t happy with the way Sandy handled the situation.
Since Captain Sandy filled in for him duringBelow Deckseason 10, they haven’t been close. She’s admitted, in interviews, that she’s used to navigating misogyny in the yachting world but wasn’t happy with Captain Lee’s behavior.They’re vocal in their mutual dislike of each other,which has tainted some viewer’s perception of Captain Sandy. Their feud, combined with the audience’s not agreeing with her working style, has led to her overall negative perception.
Captain Sandy Got A Lot Of Negative Backlash From Viewers After Firing Hannah
Below Deck Viewers Took Hannah’s Side In Their Feud
Captain Sandy’s most scathing moment with fans on the show came whenshe fired Hannah Ferrier in season 5. Their relationship as captain and Chief Stew went through many ups and downs during their mutual time on the show. However, things came to a head when Hannah was fired for having a vape pen and an unprescribed Vallium onboard. It was quite a hectic moment, andviewers were upset that Captain Sandy fired the fan-favorite crew member. After her dismissal, they went back and forth in the press, and Hannah claimed the captain had planned to fire her.
On theSide Piece with Melissa Pfeisterpodcast, Hannah admitted she felt Captain Sandy was “competitive with [her] on the TV side of things.” TheBelow Deck Medcaptain refuted her claims in an interview withShowbiz Cheat Sheet,where she said there was “no competition” between herself and the former Chief Stew. After working alongside each other for four seasons,their public feud was unfortunate for Captain Sandy’s imagewhen the audience rallied behind Hannah. However, she’s sincemade amends with Hannah,which may also boost her status in the eyes of the fans.
“Hannah was there for the camera. I was there as a captain. Two different things. I actually care about yachting. And I care about my job.”
Falling In Love Changed Captain Sandy
It’s Great To See Captain Sandy Incredibly Happy With Leah
Captain Sandy transformed into a true leader onBelow Deck Medseason 9. The series was revived by Aesha Scott, who returned to the series to lead the charter season as Chief Stew. Before the season, they had a strong relationship. Captain Sandy’s withstanding trust in Aesha likely helped her feel more at ease. She knew the interior team would be in good hands with Aesha, who has proven to be one of thebest Chief Stews in theBelow Deckfranchise. However,Captain Sandy has truly been changed by the loveshe shares with her now-wife, Leah Shafer.
At the beginning of the season, she told Aesha she was planning on proposing when Leah visited later in the charter season.Captain Sandy raved about her partner in confessional interviewsand was shown speaking with her on the phone at any given chance. It’s refreshing to Sandy so happy and at ease when speaking about Leah. Their proposal was filmed forBelow Deck Medseason 9, and there are rumors their 2024 wedding also had cameras capturing the special day, which would be heart-warming to see on the show.
Captain Sandy Is More Empathetic Now
Captain Sandy Showed Compassion Toward The Season 9 Crew
Captain Sandy has a newfound sense of understanding towards her crew. AfterBelow Deck Medseason 8 was a letdown, production brought in a brand-new cast. Luckily, their strategy worked, boosted by Sandy’s senior status and Aesha’s shocking return. The captain and Chief Stew have an amazingpersonal and professional relationship that has steered the charter season to success. They’ve come across bumps in the road, though Captain Sandy hasn’t been quick to fire anyone so far. She’s been incredibly patient with Chef Johnathan “Jono” Shillingford, Bosun Iain Maclean, and Stew Bri Muller, who have struggled the most.
Captain Sandy took the third stew, Bri, under her wing on multiple occasions. When she came across her crying in the galley, the captain had a one-on-one conversation and listened to her feelings and frustrations. Instead of getting angry with Bri and firing her for not being able to manage her emotions,Captain Sandy gave the stew advice and encouraged her to keep her head upamid stress. It was one of the best moments of the season and showcased Sandy’s growth as a person and captain.
Captain Sandy has finally turned around her villain status in theBelow Deckfranchise. After years of being looked down upon by fans, theBelow Deck Mediterraneancaptain has become more empathetic and understanding towards her season 9 crew. Captain Sandy will always be an iconicBelow Deckpersonality, though she can now add the title of a fan-favorite captain to her resume.
Below Deck Mediterraneanairs Mondays at 9 p.m. EDT on Bravo, then streams the following day on Peacock.
Below Deck Mediterranean
Cast
Below Deck Mediterranean is a Bravo reality television series that follows a crew that works aboard a gigantic superyacht during the busy season. The show highlights the challenges of the crew as they serve their high-end clientele. Each season tackles new locations, such as Greece, Croatia, Italy, and France, with some repeating.
