Captain Sandy Yawn Is Engaged to Leah Shafer: “I Truly Could Not Wait”
Find out how Aesha Scott, Bugsy Drake, and João Franco reacted to the engagement news.
Captain Sandy Yawn has officially set sail on the love boat!
The longtime Below Deck Mediterranean captain — who will lead a group of new and returning yachties when the show comes back for Season 8 on September 25 — just announced her engagement to longtime love Leah Shafer.
Get all the details on Sandy’s proposal and find out how cast members and alums from the Below Deck universe reacted.
Captain Sandy Yawn and Leah Shafer’s Engagement
On September 18, the Be the Calm or Be the Storm author confirmed to E! News that she had proposed to her gospel singer girlfriend the weekend before after about five years together.
“I have been thinking about marrying Leah for years,” Captain Sandy told the outlet. “I knew from the minute I met her, but the timing had to be right. I wanted to make sure we could truly do life together first.”
Sandy went on to share how she came up with the plan to pop the question.
“Leah wanted the fairy tale, and to me, Leah represents elegance,” she added. “I planned a boat ride to a beautiful cove. I had it decorated with flowers with a path to a small table accompanied by three violinists where we could sit and have a small date.”
As soon as the pair arrived at the cove, Sandy proposed, noting, “I truly could not wait!”
“I shared my vision list of love I had written and wanted, then got on one knee. Then she said yes! The look on her face was priceless, and my heart exploded! It was filled beyond capacity of anything I could ever imagine,” Sandy continued. “Somehow I feel closer than I did before, and I can’t explain it. There is an energy that I have never experienced in my life. I love her beyond; as Leah says Yawn beyond.”
A day after Sandy confirmed the engagement to E! News, she took to her Instagram feed to share a series of photos from the proposal.
“It[’s] official ! I asked Leah to marry me, and she said YESSSSS,” she captioned the post. “We are engaged! Stay tuned for [the] wedding.”
Below Deck Mediterranean Yachties’ Congratulatory Messages for Captain Sandy Yawn
After Sandy shared a look at her engagement on Instagram, several yachties from Below Deck Mediterranean congratulated Leah and the captain in the comments.
“SOOOOOOOOOO EXCITING GAAAHHH!!!!” Below Deck Med alum and Below Deck Down Under chief stew Aesha Scott wrote. “Couldn’t be happier for you two!!!!! [B]est couple!”
Luka Brunton, who just appeared on Below Deck Down Under and who will also be on Below Deck Med Season 8, added, “Congratulations,” along with two red heart emojis.
João Franco commented, “Amazing[,] Sandy.”
Below Deck Med Season 6 alum and Winter House cast member Katie Flood wrote, “CONGRATULATIONS! Love you guys! My lil heart is so happy for the both of you.” (Captain Sandy and Aesha will pop in on Winter House Season 3.)
“OMG this makes my heart beyond happy!!!” Bugsy Drake shared. “Love you both.”
Delaney Evans, who also briefly appeared on Season 6, wrote, “Congrats Sandy.”
Leah herself also shared a heartwarming message in the comments section: “[I] love you yawn beyond baby.”
As Sandy already said, Below Deck Med fans will have to “stay tuned” to find out more about her wedding plans!
