Below Deck: What Captian Lee and the original gang of characters are doing now

From Captain Lee to Chief Stew Kate, the characters of the Below Deck franchise have caught viewers hook, line and sinker over the past few years.

We’ve had Chef Leon’s endless seasons of beef cheeks, yacht crashes, staff falling overboard, firings, hirings and some very impressive cash tips.

While most real-life “yachties” maintain that the dramas shown on Below Deck does not happen on their yachts, it sure does make for good TV.

Below Deck series finished its 11th season this year, but fans can now tune in to the chaos of Below Deck Mediterranean, which is currently being streamed on Bravo.

So where are all our favourite characters these days?

Here’s what the chefs, stewardesses and deckhands did after their stint at sea.

Captain Lee

While the rest of his crew were often embroiled in bitter spats and romantic feuds, Captain Lee served as the wise voice of reason.

Known for his no-nonsense approach, he was a staple of the Below Deck family across 10 seasons before his departure due to mobility issues following surgery.

Speaking to the Standard, Captain Lee said: “I miss the traveling. I miss the challenges. And there’s certainly no lack of challenges on board, each one unique and different. So, yeah, I do miss it.”

Since leaving Below Deck, the veteran captain has remained in the entertainment world. He’s gone on to front a true crime series, Deadly Waters With Captain Lee, and a pop culture podcast called Salty with Captain Lee.

However, he may still be open to returning to the show should the producers approach him about it.

Chef Ben

Boasting a cheeky sense of humor and a distinct British accent, Chef Ben Robinson knew how to cook up a storm during his seasons of Below Deck. He left the show in 2016 but continued to appear on Below Deck Med in a handful of episodes.

Alongside his television stints, Robinson has stuck to what he knows best: cooking. With almost 1 million Instagram followers, he shares cooking videos on social media as he plates up delicious recipes for diners around the world.

According to Us Weekly, he also specialises in weight loss, addiction support and cancer care. Last year he confirmed that he had proposed to his girlfriend of three years, Kiara Cabral.

Kate Chastain

Fiery chief stewardess Kate Chastain spent six seasons on the show before confirming her departure to pursue new projects. She also remained in the entertainment world, initially going on to host a Bravo show called Chat Room and appearing on other talk shows. More recently, she has appeared on The Traitors US season one and two.

But her days of working on a yacht may be over. “These days I prefer being a guest on a yacht,” she wrote on social media this summer.

In 2023, Chastain’s son Sullivan was born and she has shared lots of doting pictures of her family life on social media.

Eddie Lucas

Deckhand-turned-bosun Eddie Lucas initially graced our screens for three eventful seasons before returning for another stint in seasons eight and nine. After the show, he remained at sea and finally gained his captain’s licence as he’d always dreamed he would. These days he operates a tug boat in the US.

“I’m the captain now,” he wrote in 2022.

“After 10 years of hard work, I’m proud to announce I am now captain of a harbor tug in Baltimore Harbor. I am working with a great crew, on a great tug, and I’m excited for 30 more years of harder work. Big thank you to my family, both on and off the water, I wouldn’t be here today without you.”

Ashton Pienaar

Ashton Pienaar was working as a deckhand on Below Deck when he almost died in season six after his foot got caught in a tow line, sending him overboard. He was dragged into the water and saved by the cameraman during the hairy moment, which left the entire crew shaken.

Pienaar now works as a health and fitness coach and has published a memoir called Knots, Lines, and Life, which is about his life at sea.

Hannah Ferrier

Australian chief stewardess Hannah Ferrier is one of the most memorable characters from Below Deck Mediterrenean.

She was forced to leave the show after violating maritime law for holding valium without a prescription, as well as a weed pen.

According to her social media, she is “now helping people realise their dreams of working on yachts” and hosts a podcast called Dear Reality You’re Effed.

In 2020, she gave birth to a daughter, Ava Grace Roberts.

Raquel 'Rocky' Dakota

Rocky was one of the wilder crew members to grace our screens, known for her impressive diving skills, mermaid tail and on-screen romance with Eddie.

“After the show, I went on a big blow-out vacation trip, with no rules and no regulations! I linked up with my hot model girlfriends in Paris and just crushed Europe,” she said after leaving the show.

According to Screen Rant, Rocky stepped back from yachting and television and went on to share many social media posts about her dreamy surfer lifestyle.