The Deadliest Catch season 20 finale featured some dicey moments on the Bering Sea, and Captain Sig Hansen had to work hard to make the voyage successful – his skills at the helm are the reason why he’s the most impressive reality TV boat captain ever. Yes, there are Below Deck captains galore, from the OG show and spin-offs. Captains Sandy Yawn and “stud of the sea” franchise alum Lee Rosbach are great at their jobs, whether they’re docking white boats or dealing with interpersonal crises.
However, Sig encounters more intense challenges.
Sig Keeps His Cool When Other Captains Would Crumble
Sig is a Taurus man who works hard to provide for his family, including the grandchild born at the end of the season 20 finale. See highlights from a wild season in the Trending News at YouTube clip shown above. Sig is mostly unflappable when he’s running the boat. The buck stops with him and that means that he has to maintain a lot of self-control. This seems relatively easy for him. However, Sig, who was born in Seattle and is currently 59 years old, may need some self-soothing while performing an extremely stressful job.
That could be why he turned to tobacco to manage his stress. Many Taureans need creature comforts to help them cope – they feel grounded when they indulge in what they like. Sometimes, when it comes to food, cigarettes and booze, they can go overboard. The good news is that Sig eventually broke that bad habit. The bad news is that a heart attack preceded his decision to stop smoking. As any ex-smoker knows, tobacco is extremely addictive – as much as heroin or cocaine. So, quitting is really an achievement.
During season 20’s last episode, Sig’s naturally calm personality came in handy. His job is to make the tough decisions. When all electrical on the vessel failed, he had real problems to solve. For one thing, the pots couldn’t be brought in via electrical power. Everything had to be done manually. That is grueling work for the crew, but if they don’t do it, they won’t get the money. The clock is ticking, and those pots must be raised up, loaded onto the vessel and taken to the cannery.
Another issue is directional. When a nautical electrical system fails, GPS systems aren’t available. That means that Sig had to rely on his years of experience to figure out where to take the boat. He decided to wait for sunrise, probably because it would be easier to decide what to do with better visibility. All he had to work with were the last coordinates.
He did get the crew to land, with the help of his crew. This stuff isn’t easy at all and the fact that he does it without verbally abusing others or acting like a diva is extremely cool. He’s mature, and believes in himself. He uses his skills to ensure that everyone can profit from a fishing trip.
Sig has had his moments, but during the finale of season 20, he was a first-class captain, who showed concern for the people working under him, such as the person handling the ship’s steering wheel. That can be an exhausting task in rough conditions, and Sig was worried about his crewmates arms – were they sore? This kind of consideration is the hallmark of a good leader.
Sig ended up bringing in a haul valued at 658,000K. That’s a lot of money! Fishing trips typically last three to four weeks, and crew members can earn up to $35,000 each. Of course, they risk their lives. Why do they do it? As one cast member said, they do it to take care of their loved ones. To buy them birthday and Christmas presents, to put food on the table, to make sure roofs are over their heads.
Above, via Discoverchannelaustralia at Facebook, a scene from another episode shows just how dangerous Sig’s lifestyle can be. Yes, the work pays well, but it’s not worth losing one’s life over, and there’s always the risk of a mishap serious enough to be fatal. In the clip above, Sig finally loses his cool. His son-in-law went overboard, and he panicked. The water is ice-cold – it doesn’t take long to succumb to hypothermia. As well, in the dark, there’s no guarantee that a person will be found.
This time, it was so personal. It’s a family member in the water. Of course, the best Deadliest Catch captain ever got his son-in-law back, with help from his crew. Sig does what he needs to do, and is level-headed enough to handle stress. He’s someone that other members of the Northwestern crew can look up to.
Sig Is The Best Deadliest Catch Captain
Deadliest Catch is a fascinating show with a lot of different layers. There is the “man versus nature” conflict. Then, there are the pressures of running a business. As well, there are the personal lives of the cast members – they’re out on the water, homesick, and doing their best for their families. Sig’s strength and ability to solve problems without falling apart make him stand out. He’s someone it’s so easy to respect.