Captain Sandy Yawn was not pleased with the Below Deck Mediterranean crew when a guest was left stranded away from the boat for 45 minutes during a water activity.
During the Monday, June 17, episode of the Bravo series, bosun Iain Maclean was optimistic about the crew’s progress. “The season is still early but I have a really good team,” he said in a confessional. “Everyone is improving and things are going smoothly. No one is an idiot.”
Incident Overview
An issue arose when the guests expressed their desire to engage in water activities. The exterior team prepared various water sports options, including a slide, multiple WaveRunners, and paddle boards. Deckhand Nathan Gallager was asked by a guest to join him on a separate paddle board while others remained closer to the boat.
Initially, both Joe Bradley and Gael Cameron monitored the guests. However, Iain sent Gael for a three-hour break and inadvertently lost track of Nathan and the guest. The two were soon seen struggling as they floated far from the Mustique, with Nathan noting the difficulty in returning due to the strong current.
Joe eventually noticed the absence of Nathan and the guest, exclaiming, “Where the hell are these two? This is really embarrassing.” By the time Iain was made aware of the issue, Nathan and the guest had managed to secure a ride back on a catamaran.
Captain Sandy’s Response
Upon learning that a guest had been stranded for 45 minutes, Captain Sandy expressed her dissatisfaction. “This doesn’t make me happy. This is embarrassing,” she told Iain. “No one really was watching them. Lesson learned.”
Subsequently, Joe took responsibility for not noticing Nathan’s whereabouts. However, Sandy emphasized that the ultimate responsibility lay with Iain, stating, “I appreciate that Joe was accountable, but that goes back to Iain. You need two people watching the guests at all times. It is Iain’s job to delegate a watch person.”
Sandy further instructed, “Always have your eyes on the guests if they are on any toys. The person in a tender follows them, make it a priority.”
Challenges in Season 9
Season 9 of Below Deck Mediterranean has experienced various difficulties across departments. Initially, the interior team faced challenges due to a provisioning company’s failure to deliver necessary items for the first charter. “I understand that sometimes you can’t get everything that the client requests. You are in different parts of the world with different stuff stocked. It is abnormal to not receive a shipment of wine and rosé,” Sandy noted earlier. “Considering how badly this provision company messed up, we are going to need some changes after this charter.”
Additionally, Sandy found herself mediating a conflict between Chef Johnathan Shillingford and second stew Elena Dubaich. The tension arose when Johnathan refused to wake up to prepare food for guests late at night. While Sandy defended Johnathan, Elena was visibly upset. “I bust my ass and it all became about waking up the chef,” Elena said through tears. Johnathan responded to the conflict by saying, “This bitch is going to drive me crazy,” during a phone call.
Below Deck Mediterranean season 9 airs on Bravo Mondays at 9 p.m. ET. New episodes are available for streaming the next day on Peacock.
Wrapping Up
The incidents and challenges faced by the Below Deck Mediterranean crew highlight the complexities and pressures of working on luxury charter yachts. Viewers can follow the unfolding drama and crew dynamics as the season progresses. For more updates and streaming options, visit HitPlay.