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Credit: Charles Sykes/Bravo
Below Deck Mediterranean’s Captain Sandy Yawn says she was just as surprised as fans to hear about her colleague Captain Lee Rosbach’s firing from Below Deck.
The long-time maritime veteran says Captain Lee hasn’t been on her radar for some time following their he said/she said feud over how she handled his crew while subbing in for him during season 10 of Below Deck.
“I had no idea [he was let go]. But he’s not well. So, I think if I was in my 70s and I struggled physically, I’m gonna be laying on a beach enjoying [myself]. I’m not gonna be worried about doing a TV show,” Captain Sandy, 55, told Us Weekly on Monday, June 26. “I don’t know how it happened because I haven’t spoken to him.”
As previously reported, Bravo made the decision to replace Captain Lee with Below Deck Adventure’s Captain Kerry Titheradge after 10 consecutive seasons of appearing on the flagship show. This was a move that Captain Lee said “came out of left field,” but he divulged that he has other projects in the works with the network.
The professional relationship between Captain Sandy and Captain Lee hit a low point last year. Below Deck fans will recall that Captain Lee took issue with the alleged lack of “protocol” Captain Sandy displayed in his absence. Sandy famously fired Camille Lamb and Alissa Humber for lack of work ethic and disrespectful behavior, respectively.
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“So, I found out after the fact that she fired one of my crew, not before. Ok?” Captain Lee tweeted at the time, questioning Captain Sandy’s leadership. “Then why contact me after and tell me at all? Plenty of time to call me after, but not before. She made the right call. But lacked in procedure and respect. Just the way I roll.”
For her part, Captain Sandy said the whole situation was blown out of proportion. But she added that she had every right to govern the boat in any way she sees fit, noting that after hearing of Captain Lee’s misgivings, she tried to contact him.
“I just can’t believe there was a thing about it. The reality is when you’re on a boat and someone’s sick in the hospital, as a captain you’re not gonna call them up and say, ‘Can I fire someone?’ You don’t need permission. You’re actually in command,” she told the outlet. “So, I did call after and said, ‘Here’s what’s happened.’ You always wanna have that respect.”
Though Captain Lee has yet to return Captain Sandy’s attempts at reconciliation, she says she holds no ill will for the “Stud of the Sea.”
“I did reach out to him a few times. He just had to call me back,” she said. “If I see him, it wouldn’t be a conversation because he understands. If he was in my shoes, he would’ve done the same thing.”
Bravo’s Below Deck and Below Deck Mediterranean are currently on hiatus.
