With more than 30 years of sailing experience, Captain Sandy Yawn rarely breaks a sweat on Below Deck: Mediterranean — the reality TV show hit that follows superyachts chartered for luxurious holidays.
Since taking the wheel in 2016 for Mediterranean's second season, Captain Sandy has become an unlikely star of the dramatic Bravo-verse. She's a conflict-resolver rather than a starter, who steers her ship (and young, excitable crew) straight, all in the name of professional luxury service.
With the ninth season currently airing and the captain landing in Sydney for a short stay, ABC Entertainment sat down with her for a rapid-fire round of questions. All aboard!
How has Below Deck: Mediterranean changed your life over the years?
It's unbelievable. It's been a journey.
I feel like when you're given this beautiful platform, you have a job — not just filming, it is staying engaged with your fans. Giving back, because they take their time and watch your show. Answering their questions.
You know, I'm not great at social media. Because I'm older, I'm not the social media person. I do my best. But the emails, the letters that come? I answer.
Congratulations on your wedding to Leah Shafer! What did it mean to film the ceremony — and to have executive producer Nadine Rajabi officiate?
I began the show in 2016 with [Rajabi]. I met Leah three seasons in [and] I used to talk to her about Leah. She's followed our journey, and we became more like sisters. She was the one we wanted [to officiate].
Everybody that's watched the show has also watched my journey with Leah. So why not share that beautiful moment — and show people that two women can fall in love? And, for those people who are struggling to come out or not feel comfortable, that it's OK. Once you accept yourself, it's easier for others.
What was the last thing online that made you laugh?
Stay out of the shark's house!
There's been a few shark attacks in Florida, and my sister sent me this [video]. This woman is so funny.
You've worked with quite a few Australians over the years. What's your impression of us?
Great people. Always a can-do attitude. Just kind, fun, hard workers. Focused. And I've had a lot of Australian crew before Below Deck: Med!
What's your advice for putting out multiple fires at once?
One at a time, right? So, deal with one, move on to the next, deal with that one, move on to the next.
It's [also] experience, age — you learn how to manoeuvre through situations to keep people motivated. So that comes with time.
For me, it's pausing. I use a [safety] stop, like in diving. Take a breath, don't react or respond. Rise above it. Don't make a decision quickly, take time. Pause. That's the big one. Think about the impact.
Your job can be pretty stressful. What do you do to unwind?
During filming, I retreat to my cabin, listen to music or I read a book — well, a few chapters if I can, but I'm going to say more music.
What's on the playlist?
Oh my gosh, sometimes it's Cee-Lo's F*** You. *Laughs*
I love Southern rock. I love Pink. Adele, country music. Leah, my love, she sings — sometimes it's her cover of Put a Little Love in Your Heart, the Dolly Parton song.
What's the last book you read?
It's called The Path Between the Seas. It is about the making of the Panama Canal.
The undertaking blows my mind — how back in the day, people risked their lives to discover locations, to figure out where to slice a canal in this land that could kill you, because it's a jungle.
And how the [French and United States] governments paid to ship these people out there to figure out a place to put the Panama Canal. It's fascinating to me.
What's your favourite saying about being at sea?
Jacques Cousteau put it so well. Let me look up the quote:
"The sea, once it cast its spell, holds one in its net of wonder forever."
It's really true.
[What] you see on TV, we're chartering, we're busy. But that is just a small part of what we do. When we do [ship] deliveries, it's just a crew. You drive this boat out into the blackest of night on the ocean — and you see the stars come up, then the Moon rises, and it's flat, calm.
Those moments are, 'This is why I'm doing this'. It's not all the chaotic stuff that we do. It's those moments that we have at sea together.
I just spent a day with two former crew I had back in 2002. They got married, they met on board, and we talked about all the times that we did our crossings. Every memory we had that we talked about was together — it wasn't with guests. It's those moments.
Can we see the last photo that you took?
I just did a video for Leah. *Shows a video of herself smiling and then talking to someone off-camera* But you said photo!
What was the last Wikipedia rabbit hole you went down?
I like the weather — as captains, we read the weather all the time. I was reading about weather trends historically — say I come here [to Sydney] for the first time, [I ask] 'What is the trend here?'. So I was Googling the weather trends for here.
I just like to know. It's pretty cool — but all my friends are like 'not the weather again!'
Below Deck: Mediterranean season six is streaming on HayU and Binge.
Quotes lightly edited for clarity and brevity.