Captain Lee Rosbach’s Departure from Below Deck Leaves Fans and Crew Heartbroken, but Hopeful for His Return.

Captain Lee Rosbach, a fan favorite on Bravo’s Below Deck franchise, has announced his departure from the show after 10 seasons. The veteran seaman has been experiencing health problems that have forced him to leave season 10 after only a few episodes. Although he will be returning at the end of the season, he has decided to leave the show for good due to his health concerns.

Captain Lee Rosbach’s injury, which has caused mobility and nerve issues, has been getting worse. He has been on crutches or a cane during the episodes he appeared in, which made it difficult for him to keep a proper eye on his deck and interior teams. Lee said in a confessional that he could not feel anything on the left side of his body, which is a frustrating and humbling experience for him.

“One of my biggest problems now is I’m not able to observe,” Captain Lee Rosbach said in a confessional about his decision to leave the super yacht. He added that he owed it to his crew to do right by them, and as a captain, he should be putting the best interests of his crew first.

Captain Sandy Yawn, who captains Below Deck Mediterranean, stepped in when Lee flew back home to Florida to get surgery for his mobility issues. Since her micromanaging style was the opposite of Lee’s hands-off approach, she clashed with some members of Lee’s crew, including his chief stew, Fraser Olender.

The show has since spawned the spinoffs Below Deck Mediterranean, Below Deck Down Under, Below Deck Sailing Yacht and Below Deck Adventure. Fans got to know Captain Kerry Titheradge on the Norway-set adventure series. Us Weekly reported that Captain Kerry is set to replace Lee for season 11.

Despite a montage of his most memorable moments over 10 seasons of the show seeming to point to his departure, Captain Lee Rosbach hinted at a possible return to the series during the season 10 finale on March 20, 2023. He said, “I don’t know what’s going to happen in the future, but the ocean’s always going to be part of me. I still got the best goddamn job in the world.” He continued to tease that his tenure on the Bravo hit might not be over while live-tweeting throughout the episode.

Fans of Below Deck have grown to love Captain Lee’s salty one-liners and the way he managed his interior and exterior crew. However, his health concerns have taken priority, and he has decided to step away from the show. Although he may return in the future, viewers will miss his presence on the show.