Finding The One! Below Deck Mediterranean‘s Captain Sandy Yawn has been open about her love story with girlfriend Leah Shafer.
The couple met in 2018 when the gospel singer reached out to the reality star on social media about her hit Bravo series.
“She sent me a nice message that said, ‘I came across your show, congratulations, many blessings,’” the captain recalled in an interview with The Cheat Sheet in 2019, noting that the term “many blessings” quickly caught her attention.
Ahead of her romance with the Below Deck star, Shafer was married to entertainer Ross Shafer for 20 years. They welcomed daughter Lauren before their split.
For Leah, making her relationship with Sandy public in 2019 felt like the perfect next step in their romance. “It was definitely unexpected,” she shared with the outlet at the time. “It just happened, when you meet another soul that you connect with at such a deep level, it is unexplainable and so beautiful.”
The pair continued to offer glimpses of their blossoming connection over the years. In honor of their anniversary, Sandy gushed about her partner, writing via Instagram in November 2020, “2 years ago I met this incredible soul, my true love. It’s so true couples that play together stay together. Yep this is Leah’s idea of fun, detoxing the skin with a charcoal mask!”
The Bravo star later hinted that she and Leah weren’t ruling out a walk down the aisle, telling Bravo in July 2021, “Yeah, you know, honestly, slow and steady wins the race. So, I do. I do [see marriage in the future]. I mean, who knows? Like, it’s only been two years. Just under two years, so let’s see.”
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While things were smooth sailing for Sandy in her personal life, her career ups and downs were on full display on Below Deck Mediterranean. The TV personality, who joined the Below Deck spinoff in 2017, previously broke down her unique approach to running a boat.
“Sometimes you got to be in and get your hands dirty. That’s why I want [my team] to feel supported because I have a high expectation,” Sandy exclusively told Us Weekly in July 2022. “I go in with an attitude of, ‘It is new. We’re going to have a big learning curve.”
The Be the Calm Or Be the Storm author continued: “I love giving people new opportunities. So yes, of course, when you’re under stress, things aren’t really going your way because the crew maybe don’t have the experience they say they do. I would rather have past crew that have experience that have worked with me in a perfect setting. However, that would be [selfish] on my part because I’m not giving other people opportunities. Someone gave me an opportunity, so I like to mix the new with the old. A nice balance.”
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Scroll on for a full breakdown of Sandy and Leah’s romance:
Credit: Courtesy Leah Shafer/Instagram
Below Deck Mediterranean's Captain Sandy Yawn and Leah Shafer's Relationship Timeline: From 1st Meeting to Romance
Finding The One! Below Deck Mediterranean's Captain Sandy Yawn has been open about her love story with girlfriend Leah Shafer.The couple met in 2018 when the gospel singer reached out to the reality star on social media about her hit Bravo series.“She sent me a nice message that said, ‘I came across your show, congratulations, many blessings,'” the captain recalled in an interview with The Cheat Sheet in 2019, noting that the term "many blessings" quickly caught her attention.Ahead of her romance with the Below Deck star, Shafer was married to entertainer Ross Shafer for 20 years. They welcomed daughter Lauren before their split.For Leah, making her relationship with Sandy public in 2019 felt like the perfect next step in their romance. “It was definitely unexpected,” she shared with the outlet at the time. “It just happened, when you meet another soul that you connect with at such a deep level, it is unexplainable and so beautiful.”The pair continued to offer glimpses of their blossoming connection over the years. In honor of their anniversary, Sandy gushed about her partner, writing via Instagram in November 2020, "2 years ago I met this incredible soul, my true love. It’s so true couples that play together stay together. Yep this is Leah’s idea of fun, detoxing the skin with a charcoal mask!"The Bravo star later hinted that she and Leah weren't ruling out a walk down the aisle, telling Bravo in July 2021, "Yeah, you know, honestly, slow and steady wins the race. So, I do. I do [see marriage in the future]. I mean, who knows? Like, it’s only been two years. Just under two years, so let’s see."[jwplayer h8yR3zZe-zhNYySv2]While things were smooth sailing for Sandy in her personal life, her career ups and downs were on full display on Below Deck Mediterranean. The TV personality, who joined the Below Deck spinoff in 2017, previously broke down her unique approach to running a boat."Sometimes you got to be in and get your hands dirty. That's why I want [my team] to feel supported because I have a high expectation," Sandy exclusively told Us Weekly in July 2022. "I go in with an attitude of, ‘It is new. We're going to have a big learning curve."The Be the Calm Or Be the Storm author continued: "I love giving people new opportunities. So yes, of course, when you're under stress, things aren't really going your way because the crew maybe don't have the experience they say they do. I would rather have past crew that have experience that have worked with me in a perfect setting. However, that would be [selfish] on my part because I'm not giving other people opportunities. Someone gave me an opportunity, so I like to mix the new with the old. A nice balance."Scroll on for a full breakdown of Sandy and Leah's romance:
Credit: Courtesy Leah Shafer/Instagram
March 2018
The twosome met when Leah sent Sandy a message on Facebook. They went on their first date later that year.
Credit: Courtesy Captain Sandy Yawn/Instagram
October 2019
Leah and Sandy became Instagram official after several months together.
Credit: Courtesy Leah Shafer/Instagram
September 2020
The Below Deck star moved to Colorado to be closer to her girlfriend.
Credit: Courtesy Captain Sandy Yawn/Instagram
February 2021
Sandy and Leah shared photos from their Valentine's Day celebration.
Credit: Courtesy Captain Sandy Yawn/Instagram
March 2022
The duo were all smiles in a sweet selfie.
Credit: Courtesy Leah Shafer/Instagram
October 2022
After more than two years of dating, Sandy and Leah started their own podcast titled "Captain Sandy and Leah Rae Show."
Credit: Courtesy Captain Sandy Yawn/Instagram
November 2022
"4 years ago I parked your car in Los Angeles, I kissed you and that’s when I knew I would spend the rest of my life loving you, protecting you and teaching you what the meaning of 'do overs' meant hahah I love you Leah Rae @leahraeofficial," Sandy gushed via Instagram. "You’re my soulmate and I wanna grow old together."
Credit: Courtesy Leah Shafer/Instagram
December 2022
Leah joked in an Instagram caption that she wasn't engaged because Sandy "hasn't asked" her yet.
Credit: Captain Sandy Yawn/Instagram
January 2023
Sandy's short stint on season 10 of Below Deck made headlines when Captain Lee questioned her decisions. At the time, Leah defended her girlfriend after Lee said he wasn't thrilled that Sandy didn't keep him up to date.
"She has more than good manners and has been nothing but kind and supportive. Not sure why you are tweeting all of this. She left me and our home to come and take over until you were well. We pray for you and your family still and always wish you well," she tweeted in response to the Michigan native's comments.
Credit: Courtesy Captain Sandy/Twitter
January 2023
"Home is where the heart is 😍 #Love," Sandy wrote alongside a photo of her and Leah getting cozy in front of their future house.
Credit: Gregory Pace/Shutterstock
February 2023
During an interview with Us, Sandy opened up about making her relationship work long distance.
"We're figuring it out. We're madly in love," she gushed. "Leah and I just were in Miami together and I'm like, 'We need to go once a month. We need that time.' We're three-day people. So three days is perfect and that's our goal. In those three days, it's all about us and the phones are off, which is great."
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FAQs
Are Captain Sandy and Leah still together? ›
The captain knew it was love, so she uprooted her life to move to Denver, where Leah lived with her daughter and the rest of her family. Four years later, Captain Sandy and Leah are stronger than ever after enduring some really challenging times in their romance.
What does Captain Sandy have to say about Lexi? ›“[While] I feel for her, I would never tolerate that. I don't see it until you see it. I don't go to dinner and unless the crew really lays it out for me, the words 'it's bad', is that [really] a description?”
What did Captain Sandy say? ›Captain Sandy Fires Alissa Humber for Her 'Intolerable' Lack of Respect Ahead of Captain Lee's Return: 'That Was a F—k You to My Face'
Does Captain Sandy have a child? ›Captain Sandy Credits Her Work Ethic to Her Upbringing as a "Child Slave" in the Meat Business. This is from a woman that's been in the military for 34 years. My son 'came out' 2 years ago and had lived with his boyfriend while attending college and working about 38 hours. Keep up with he great job.
Who is Captain Sandy's love interest? ›Below Deck star Captain Sandy Yawn gushes about singer girlfriend Leah Shafer in new book as she gives rare insight into their relationship.
Are Mzi and Courtney dating? ›Below Deck Mediterranean's Courtney Veale has revealed that her on-screen romance with Mzi 'Zee' Dempers was fake. The pair first met on season six of Below Deck Med and sparked dating rumours after seemingly growing close to one another and even sharing a few kisses onboard the Lady Michelle.
Why was Lexi fired from below deck? ›Why did Captain Sandy fire Lexi? Below Deck sacking explained. After Lexi previously threatened to quit over a feud with chef Mathew Shea, Captain Sandy Yawn eventually stepped in to fire her in Season 6 over “disturbing” behavior. At the reunion, Sandy said the following after rewatching the show: “[It was] disturbing ...
What word did Lexi say? ›After viewers watched Lexi get fired by Captain Sandy after a rather vile outburst at a crew dinner that included telling Chef Mathew Shea that he “should've been aborted,” using the r-word, yelling at nearly every crew member present, and even telling Mat that she would “smack his ass” if cameras weren't present, ...
Who told Captain Sandy about Hannah? ›In what should come as no surprise to Below Deck Med fans, Hannah isn't exactly friends with all of her former co-stars—namely Malia White, who was the one to tell Capt. Sandy that Hannah had undeclared Valium and a CBD pen on board, leading to her dismissal.
How many years sober is Captain Sandy? ›One morning, Yawn decided that she wanted her life to be different. That day was August 29, 1989, and soon after, she began her career in yachting. Yawn recently celebrated her 33rd year in recovery and regularly speaks about continuing to take her sobriety one day at a time.
What is Captain Sandy's story? ›
Captain Sandra Yawn (“Captain Sandy”) is a leader, hero, international speaker and businesswoman, whose exceptional leadership style has helped her to break through every obstacle in her path – from the glass ceilings and near-fatal accidents on land to pirates and fires at sea!
Is Camille fired from Below Deck? ›Camille Lamb was fired from the Below Deck Season 10 crew by Captain Sandy Yawn, after she replaced Captain Lee mid-charter season.
Was Hannah pregnant on Below Deck? ›Hannah Ferrier Welcomes Her First Child: "[She] Has Captured Our Hearts Forever" The Below Deck Med chief stew is officially a mom to a baby girl. Baby on board! Hannah Ferrier welcomed her first child, a baby girl, with boyfriend, Josh on October 26, the Below Deck Mediterranean chief stew has confirmed.
Who is Leah Rae? ›Leah Rae joined Riverkeeper in 2013 and serves as Associate Director of Communications and Marketing. She is a writer and editor who worked previously at two newspapers, as a copy editor at The Buffalo News and a reporter for The Journal News in the lower Hudson Valley.
How much is Captain Sandy net worth? ›7 Captain Sandy Yawn's Net Worth Is $400,000
Sandy is firm in managing the crew members, but the captain has caught steam for mistreating a crew member while favoring another. The accident survivor has a net worth of about $400 000. Sandy amassed her wealth from over thirty years of sailing the high sea.
That wasn't the only big event to take place in Hannah's life this year. In March, she married her husband Josh Roberts in a beautiful ceremony held in Sydney, Australia. The couple tied the knot just 16 months after welcoming their daughter, who played an intricate role in the beachside wedding.
How much is the salary on Below Deck? ›The Below Deck Crew Makes A Salary & An Appearance Fee
The deckhands usually make around $3,500-$4,500 a month, while a bosun would make a little bit more at approximately $5,000 a month. However, don't forget at the end of every charter, the whole crew even receives tips from the guests in addition to their salary.
Isla Saona, Dom. Rep. Following Season 5 of Below Deck Med, Bugsy went on to work as a chief stew for a charter yacht in the Bahamas.
Is Leah still with her new boyfriend? ›The statement continued, "So many of you have watched our love story unfold, and we hope that you'll continue to watch our stories while we move forward as friends. We will forever have love and respect for each other, and we ask for privacy as we refocus and transition out of this chapter together."
Are any couples from Below Deck still together? ›Malia White and Jake Baker
The couple is still going strong, seen above in an Instagram photo she posted from the Florida Keys on February 13, 2022. However, by October, it seems things have gotten shaky between Jake and Malia.
Who is Captain Sandy's new crew? ›
Joining Sandy and Zee on board is a brand-new crew, which consists of Chief Stew Natasha Webb, Chef Dave White, Bosun Raygan Tyler, Stews Natalya Scudder and Kyle Viljoen and Deckhands Storm Smith and Jason Gaskell.
Who is Captain Lee married to? ›