Captain Lee Rosbach is opening up about filming Below Deck Season 8 at the start of the coronavirus pandemic.
Last spring, it was revealed the hit Bravo show had to shut down production in the Caribbean due to the health crisis. Fans caught a glimpse of the impact the pandemic had on Captain Lee and his Season 8 crew members.
The footage features the captain saying, “The f**king world’s going to hell in a f**king handbasket.”
Now, he gives more insight into what it was really like to be at sea as the world began to shut down.
Staying calm and avoiding full-on panic mode
Captain Lee insisted the My Seanna crew kept their cool as new information was pouring in regarding the health climate. It took the Below Deck cast and crew longer to get details regarding the coronavirus pandemic because the production is so isolated.
“We’re kind of like, in a cocoon, in spite of the fact that we have satellite, we have everything that we need, but it comes in a little bit late and a little bit tardy,” the beloved captain shared with E News!
The most important thing was for the cast and crew to remain calm. Everyone still had a job to do, and guests were still showing up for charters.
Captain Lee credits his crew with staying focused in uncertain times. The group never went into panic mode but were obviously concerned about the growing virus.
It was a jarring experience for all those involved with Below Deck. The seasoned captain admitted it was hard because he couldn’t help but wonder, “what’s really going on in the outside world and how much information are you getting.”
Captain Lee and his flexible crew ready for almost anything
According to Captain Lee, the yachting industry prepares people for unexpected circumstances. Crew members are used to emergencies working on a yacht, which the captain feels helped his crew amid the pandemic.
“The thing that you have to do is realize, ‘What can I do? What can I do to make it better?’ Take care of the things you can take care of,” Captain Lee shared.
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Viewers will get to see just how well Below Deck handled the unprecedented situation during Season 8. Captain Lee and crew may be used to unexpected things happening, but a world shut down is a new territory for everyone.
Although filming shut down with one charter left, there is plenty of drama to keep fans entertained based on the trailer. Bravo has not indicated if Season 8 will feature fewer episodes because production was halted. Season 7 had a whopping 20 episodes, but Season 6 only had 17 episodes.
Below Deck Season 8 premieres Monday, November 2, at 9/8c on Bravo.