\nSandy Yawn<\/p>\n<\/figcaption><\/figure>\n
BELOW DECK MEDITERRANEAN \u2014 Pictured: Captain Sandy Yawn \u2014 (Photo by: Fred Jagueneau\/Bravo)<\/p>\n
What does reaching Season 10 of the reality series mean to you?\u00a0<\/b><\/p>\n
Sandy Yawn:<\/b> It\u2019s like where did all the years go? It just flies by. Like am I really 10 years older? It\u2019s incredible to see the evolution of the show and myself on television. I am just thrilled and full of joy to be a part of this. I love going back every season because I like to drive different boats, have different crew members, and a completely different experience. This is not normal because when you\u2019re normally doing this, you\u2019re on the same boat with the same crew every time.\u00a0<\/span><\/p>\nWhat do you remember about those early days from the season to now?\u00a0<\/b><\/p>\n
I work well with production because I love logistics. We\u2019re one crew in my opinion. So, we take care of each other. I\u2019ve watched myself calm down over the years. I\u2019m more relaxed because in the charter world I wouldn\u2019t be the way I am now. The charter world you have to be on constantly. The reality is we\u2019re also on a TV show, so it\u2019s a very different experience than working on a super yacht. It\u2019s similar, but when you\u2019re out there serving the one percent, you have to be on all the time constantly. When we\u2019re doing this, I get to relax a little bit, have a bit more fun. So, I had to transition to being that kind of captain to a TV captain, who is still driving a boat and responsible for lives.\u00a0<\/span><\/p>\nBut I get to chill a little bit more and watch the crew do crazy things that make me laugh. It brings joy to my heart. Nothing dangerous of course. At the same time, it\u2019s a real job with a real crew doing the job. It\u2019s epic. It\u2019s incredible. It\u2019s hard, yes. Some days are very difficult. We\u2019re on our feet all the time. We wake up, and it\u2019s Groundhogs Day every day. We wake up, get dressed, meet the guests, go on charter, anchor overnight, anchor out the next day to a different location. It\u2019s very different from a normal career. There are a lot more things happening and a lot more things going on. So, we\u2019re constantly moving through the boat. It\u2019s great. Watching myself transition into this type of captain is very cool. I like it.\u00a0<\/span><\/p>\nThis is so much a boys club. Did you find you had something to prove in those earlier years? Was there a chip on your shoulder?\u00a0<\/b><\/p>\n
No. As a captain, I never really thought I am a woman in a man\u2019s world. I thought I was hired for my skillset, so that never entered my mind. Knowledge trumps sexual orientation, period. I always think about who I want in my lifeboat. Secondly, when you\u2019re out there, they are very rich people and expect a type of service I don\u2019t really have to do on <\/span>Below Deck<\/span><\/i>. When you\u2019re out there, it\u2019s very different. Whereas when I\u2019m doing this, I get to relax more. There was never a chip on my shoulder. What I had to learn is to just step back and allow them their process. Where if you\u2019re on another charter outside of this, there is no allowing that. This is what I expect and need from you. And if you can\u2019t do it, I\u2019ll find someone to replace you.\u00a0<\/span><\/p>\nThat\u2019s the reality in yachting because those who step on board want perfection. It\u2019s like walking into a Four Seasons, and you\u2019re training everybody who has never worked in hospitality before. You think they would allow that? Probably not. It\u2019s the same in yachting. This opens doors for people and shows what we\u2019re doing. It shows you can have a career, which is really cool. For me, it has been fun because I had to learn about the fourth wall. When I learned the fourth wall is there for a reason I got to relax more because when you have cameras in your face, it\u2019s a little intense. That learning curve for me is definitely more chill.\u00a0<\/span><\/p>\nHow is it having Aesha back?\u00a0<\/b><\/p>\n
I don\u2019t have to worry about anything when Aesha is on board, especially when it comes to the interior. She is incredible. Having Nathan as my bosun now, that changes everything. I\u2019m a little more focused on the deck where I don\u2019t have to focus on the interior. Of course, I want to have the best experience for the guests ever, but I also want the crew to enjoy what they\u2019re doing as well. Sometimes you have to let them know we\u2019re not playing a game here and doing a job. It\u2019s not about having your bros with you and hanging on the aft deck watching some toys and people. <\/span><\/p>\nWe really have to stay focused. Maybe there are a little more challenges with the interior than exterior, but it kind of swaps back and forth. With Aesha onboard, I never have to worry. She does have her challenges with her people, and we talk through that. I just have to stay on the exterior because they handle heavy equipment that can be very dangerous and I need them to stay focused.\u00a0<\/span><\/p>\n\n![\"Sandy](\"https:\/\/s.yimg.com\/ny\/api\/res\/1.2\/73RVObzgs8zpZRMsEYQuYg--\/YXBwaWQ9aGlnaGxhbmRlcjt3PTk2MDtoPTY0MDtjZj13ZWJw\/https:\/\/media.zenfs.com\/en\/tv_insider_639\/65093922cad49a4da94f23d5b26ff1ec\"\/)