Captain Sandy on Conrad Empson's Performance: "Hannah’s His Demise and It’s Not Hannah’s Fault"
Below Deck Mediterranean's captain also reveals whether she'd rather work with the Bosun or João Franco.
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When you live in close quarters for weeks at a time, as the Talisman crew does on Below Deck Mediterranean, conflicts are bound to arise — and in the case of couples aboard, it seems that everyone can feel the effects of the relationship. Case in point: Conrad Empson and Hannah Ferrier. On Tuesday's (July 31) episode of Below Deck Med, Captain Sandy's frustrations with the pair boiled over when she realized that both the Bosun and Chief Stew were off the boat with the guests for hours, while the rest of the crew prepped for dinner service — a move which she called "manipulative." (Hannah revealed on Watch What Happens Live with Andy Cohen that she and Captain Sandy have since talked everything out and made up.) Captain Sandy commented on her issues with Conrad — and his romantic feelings for Hannah — in a recent visit to The Daily Dish podcast.
"In Conrad's case, he's had a season under his belt and he comes in with this arrogance that isn't working for him. He is also like a deer in the headlights when it comes to Hannah, and I see that," Captain Sandy said. "I have had several conversations with him, just saying, 'Please, just keep your head in the game. We're in a season for a little bit; you're gonna learn a lot. Let's just stay focused.' He's having a hard time."
Speaking about Conrad, Captain Sandy said she didn't notice the tension between him and Lead Deckhand João [Franco]. "All I saw was João working constantly. I never did see their arguments but I didn’t see Conrad working; I saw Conrad walking to the bow with Hannah smoking. [When] we were docking the boat, where was Conrad? Lying on the dock ... Hannah's his demise and it's not Hannah's fault ... It's Conrad's responsibility to take care of his job and if he wants to be a leader, then lead."
When talking about what Captain Sandy admired about João, she said, "No matter what was going on that I didn't witness, his attitude was always positive. He was always gracious and grateful. I didn't witness that with Conrad. He was the exact opposite."
Captain Sandy admitted that if she had to pick between Conrad and João, she would choose the latter. "I think I would have João, only because of what I've witnessed. And he has big muscles, what can I say?" she joked, before taking into account some other factors. "And he's from Zimbabwe. I think he has survival skills."
To hear more from Captain Sandy, including her takes on the other crew members, listen to the podcast episode above. And make sure to tune in to Below Deck Mediterranean every Tuesday at 9/8c. Watch a preview, below.
