I was rewatching Season 5 of Deadliest Catch last night, and the episode where Lenny comes back to The Wizard to help Captian Keith after "The Wave" came on. This is one of the best episode's in my opinion, because, including Lenny, you really get to see how the captains depend on the senior deckhands.
My point is this: There is always at least one guy on every single boat that the captain never has to yell at, can always depend on, and is usually the first one on deck, and the last one to leave.
Behold....The Unsung Heros....
So let's start with The Wizard and Mr. Lenny Lekanoff. This guy is amazing. I know he retired from fishing, crabbing, etc, but when his captain needed him, he didn't ask questions, didn't complain that his retirement was cut short, and even laughed when a wave knocked him off his feet during the first trip. He's quiet and steady, always honest, and really throws himself into his job.
Now the Time Bandit. This one is a little harder because the Time Bandit has always been the "Party Boat" and in the last season, they lost Russell Newberry. He was usually the one that Captains Andy and Johnathan would rely on, talk to, and allow to run a little wild. Then when he left, under strained circumstances, Mike Fourtner stepped up and became that guy. Now he is on the outs with the captains after being bumped back down the the deck when his"Captain in Training" rights got taken away. They would be the obvious choices. But this brings me to Eddie Uwekoolani. He's funny, but dedicated. He's a hard worker, he never complains, and he does a great job ragging on the greenhorns.
On the Northwestern, there are two such men: Nick Mavar and Norm Hansen. For Norm, there is one shining moment that shows exactly how calm, cool, and collected he is in the face of chaos: Matt and Jake's fist fight on deck. This video cracks me up, because Norm is silently watching the fight, completely uninterested in the drama, calmly closing the coiler, and keeping the two brawlers out of the bite of the line, never once shouting at them to stop or inserting himself into the fray. While Nick on the other hand is standing between the two men trying to get them to calm down. Without Nick and Norm, this fight could have gotten ugly really fast.
And last but certainly not least is the Cornelia Marie. When I think of great men on the Cornelia, I immeidately think of Freddie Maughtai and Steve Ward. Freddie is the rock of that crew, always ready with a smile and a positive attitude. And Steve, well Steve is just a plain old hard worker. I always admired how Steve would go down to the engine room, and look and look and look to make sure everything was working properly, and if he found something that he didn't like, he fixed it, without needing to be told by Phil or before a crisis came up.
The fact is, without these deckhands, who work for hours upon hours without rest, who watch the backs of their brothers at sea, the fishing industry would be a chaotic mess. The captains need someone they trust and can rely on, on deck to guide the younger deckhands and greenhorns, to provide morale. Someone who will be honest with them, not bullshit them to cover mistakes, and who will accept responsibility. These senior deckhands might not get a lot of TV time, but as a fan, I appreciate their hard work and their dedication to their work.
*Shannon*
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