Summary
- Below Deck Med captain Sandy has improved his image this season, but his positivity may not last long.
- A native of Fort Lauderdale, Florida, he has over 30 years of sailing experience.
- While he’s shown a more patient side in Season 9, the history of his favorite game and short fuse may resurface.
Below deck, the Mediterranean Sea character, Capain Sandy Yawn, has projected a more positive image in season 9 than historically, but I’m afraid the improved good reputation won’t last long. I have been a Below decks fan of the franchise for many years and have watched every season under every series Below decks umbrella and I am well versed in everything to do with Captain Sandy on and off screen. Captain Sandy has been the leader Deck Med after the season 2 premiere in 2017. He took over from Captain Mark Howard, who was the perfect captain.
Captain Sandy, 59, is a native of Fort Lauderdale, Florida, and now has over 30 years of experience in the sailing industry. Captain Sandy was a wild child in his youth and got into drugs and alcohol. However, he got clean and sober in 1989 and has completely turned his life around. Below decks fans have seen a lot of Captain Sandy in 2024, as Season 8 ended in January and Season 9 began in May. And in season 9, it looks like Captain Sandy has turned over a new leaf – but it might not last.
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Captain Sandy has historically been obnoxious
He plays favorites and has been a hypocrite
Deck Med fans have become very familiar with Captain Sandy over the years. Each captain has his own leadership style and Captain Sandy is known to be a hands-on captain who wants to know everything that happens on board. I think that has caused a lot of people to dislike him Below decks fans because he puts himself in situations that cause more problems.
Captain Sandy’s argument with Captain Lee off-camera also made him more unlikeable. He passed to Captain Lee Below decks season 10, when he had to leave midway through the season due to health reasons. In her absence, Captain Sandy fired both Alissa Humber and Camille Lamb. Captain Lee said online that he would have liked Captain Sandy to check in with him before shooting people. Captain Lee’s displeasure prompted Captain Sandy’s current fiance Leah Shaffer to write him a nasty reply.
In addition, Captain Lee criticizes Captain Sandy’s hypocritical attitude about waking up the cook to requests from late-night guests. When Tom Checketts was the cook, Captain Sandy would wake him up to cook after he had gone to bed, but Deck Med in season 9, he scolded Second Stew Ellie Dubaich for waking up the chef.
Captain Sandy has also had a habit of playing favorites with his crew, such as how he mentors Malia White and not the rest of the deck team.
Captain Sandy has a short fuse
He has a low tolerance
Some of the loved ones Below decks captains like Captain Lee and Captain Glenn Shephard have a lot of patience and understanding with the crew which is very admirable. However, Captain Sandy has historically had a short fuse. in Deck Med season 9, Captain Sandy has shown her patience with Bosu’s Iain Mclean. He’s made numerous mistakes that have made Captain Sandy unhappy and annoyed, but he’s given him room to try to fix himself, which I think is more than Captain Sandy has given others in the past.
Captain Sandy seems a lot more likeable in this current season, which has been out of character for him in the past. I don’t think Captain Sandy can maintain his patience like he did this season. I worry that he will revert to his old ways of quickly berating the crew and contributing when the situation doesn’t call for it.
Captain Sandy says hurtful things
He can be cruel
Bravolebrity Captain Sandy has also been known to say some overly harsh things. When he commanded Captain Lee’s boat, it was Fraser Olender’s first time as head stew, and he was quick to judge him, berate him, and make him feel inadequate. Instead of building Fraser up and mentoring him, he tore him down and made him feel bad about himself and his job when Fraser took his job very seriously.
“The fish rots from the head down.”
In Season 9, Captain Sandy has been fair with all of his crew and has not mined his words towards any of the crew members. But I think so Captain Sandy can’t keep the softer side at bay. I think his low tolerance for setbacks will make a comeback in the coming seasons.
Captain Sandy had a positive image in Below Deck Med Season 9
He has been more relatable
in Deck Med season 9, I think Captain Sandy has improved his image he has become closer. He lets viewers in on his battle with kidney cancer and how it affects him and the empathy he feels for others as a result. Captain Sandy has been more of a friendly captain and stood up for Third Stew Bri Muller when she got into an argument over Ellie and the laundry.
This season, viewers also get to see a different side of Captain Sandy as he proposes to his girlfriend Leah, which I think only helps him maintain a more positive image.
Captain Sandy cannot maintain his positive image
He changes back
Given Captain Sandy’s history of being arrogant, too hard on his team, and causing more trouble by placing himself in when he should have stayed out of the drama, I don’t think his new positive image will last long. It’s nice to see him in a different light this season, but Captain Sandy has triggers that are sure to be pushed in the seasons to come. Captain Sandy might win points Deck Med fans this season, but it’s not sustainable. I think Captain Sandy means well this season and it shows positively with the fans, but the qualities that viewers don’t like about him will definitely come back.
Below deck, the Mediterranean Sea airs Mondays at 9:00 PM EDT on Bravo.
Source: Bravo/YouTube
