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10 Things You Didn't Know About Captain Lee Rosbach's Life on the High Seas
There's a lot more to the fearless leader of the #BelowDeck crew than meets the eye.
"Stud of the Sea" Captain Lee Rosbach has stolen our hearts with his no-nonsense leadership style, fatherly advice, and wry sense of humor in every episode of Below Deck. However, you'd think we'd know more about the man in charge of keeping the ship afloat by now. The things that make Captain Lee so lovable also make him as mysterious as the deepest parts of the ocean.
But when you're busy catering to finicky charter guests, managing a young and energetic crew, and handing out the occasional plane ticket home, there really isn't much time to tell your life story. Luckily, you can get to know Captain Lee by diving into these 10 illuminating facts about the fan-fave Bravoleb right here, right now. So go ahead. The water's fine.
1. We've been calling him by the wrong name this whole time
Though the captain title sounds pretty official, we've actually been referring to Captain Lee by a nickname of sorts. Captain Lee's real full name is Harold Lee Rosbach, but, as he would probably say, what's in a name as long as you can get the job done?
2. He's a Michigander
Captain Lee may work in the Caribbean and live in Fort Lauderdale, Fla. these days, but growing up, his surroundings were a lot less tropical. Captain Lee was born and raised in Saginaw, Mich., a city located in the middle of the index finger and thumb on the state's "hand." He lived in Saginaw until he was 25 years old and then soon enough made his way to warmer climates.
See the full Below Deck cast in their younger days, below.
3. This captain found his first mate for life
Though the Below Deck crew is filled with young and attractive men, charter guests and Bravo fans alike are particularly smitten with Captain Lee. But don't get too excited. This silver fox is taken. Captain Lee is happily married to his wife Mary Anne, and she's been his anchor throughout his yachting career. "God bless my wife, Mary Anne, for putting up with my dragging her all over the world to finally find out what it was that I wanted to be when I grew up," Captain Lee wrote in a blog post on his website. It sounds like their marriage has been quite the pleasure cruise.
4. Captain Lee used to be a restaurateur
Long before Captain Lee took to the high seas, he was a landlubber who owned and operated several restaurants in Indiana, Georgia, Florida, and eventually Turks and Caicos. You can still tell that Captain Lee is a foodie just by looking at his Instagram profile, which is filled with pics of yummy-looking cakes and steaks. Eat your heart out, Chef Ben.
5. He almost missed the boat to become a yachtie
Captain Lee always says that he got into boating later in life than most yachties. He was 35 when he decided to take the plunge and give the yachting life a try by becoming a captain. We're so glad that he did.
6. Captain Lee got seasick during his first time on a yacht
Do you think Captain Lee would have given himself a plane ticket home for that kind of behavior?
7. Yachting runs in the Rosbach family
Rosbachs are apparently born for a life at sea. Captain Lee's son Sean is currently a chef on a private yacht that has been doing a circumnavigation for two years, Captain Lee posted on Twitter in June. The only thing better than having one Rosbach on Below Deck would be having two, duh.
8. He has a big heart
When Captain Lee isn't looking after the crew and charter guests on the Below Deck yacht, he's looking out for others. Captain Lee has helped the Marine Industry Cares Foundation support local charities for children and families in need for the past couple of years. He has participated in the organization's annual Spin-A-Thon, a six-hour fundraising bicycle endurance event, and was one of the top fundraisers, according to the Marine Industry Cares Foundation website. We always thought Captain Lee was a class act, but now there's no doubt.
9. You might get Captain Lee confused with a famous sports figure — or actor
Last year, the New York Daily News declared Captain Lee the doppelganger of New York Mets manager Terry Collins. While these two definitely share a resemblance — and a home state — we think Captain Lee looks a bit more like Sean Connery. Now if only the legendary Scottish actor had some more hair on his head, these two would practically be twins!
10. He wants you to remember his name
With three seasons of Below Deck now under his belt, Captain Lee has certainly made a name for himself — and he wants to keep it that way. It looks like Captain Lee has filed to trademark "Capt. Lee" in a couple of different fonts, one of which you can see in the logo of his newly launched website. Whether the application goes through or not, Captain Lee has certainly made his mark on this world.
Check out a first look at Episode 2, below.
