Why Is Captain Lee Missing From Below Deck Season 9?

Don't fear, "Below Deck" Captain Lee Rosbach will eventually take the helm again. Fans of the hit reality show were immediately worried when they did not spot the beloved captain in the trailer for Season 9. Instead, Captain Lee will be replaced by Captain Sean Meagher for the initial episodes, until the skipper makes his comeback, per E! News. For those unfamiliar with the show, the reality series follows the trials and tribulations of the guests and crew aboard a luxury yacht as they sail to exotic locations. This time around, My Seanna will set sail from the port of St. Kitts.

In June, Captain Lee dished about the ninth season of "Below Deck" in an interview conducted by the show's executive producer, Nadine Rajabi. "We had some unusual guests this year, which I thought was rather unique. Had some unusual crew as well, which probably wasn't so unique. So great combination of both," he stated.

The "Stud of the Sea" also previously told Vulture that it takes a particular kind of personality to work at sea. "Yachting isn't for everybody, and there's a lot of pressure because you've got a lot to do and a very short time to get it done. Some people can handle it, some people can't," he explained. Captain Lee definitely can handle it. So, here's why he doesn't appear in the promotional "Below Deck" Season 9 trailer. 

After hearing that Captain Lee Rosbach had a mysterious "condition," many fans were concerned if he would ever return to "Below Deck." However, the veteran skipper assured fans that he would return later in Season 9. He exclusively spoke to E! News in August and clarified that his absence was only temporary. "I am much better," he told the outlet and confirmed that his condition "was not related to COVID at all."

In fact, Captain Lee said his temporary absence from "Below Deck" has to do with "screwed up" timing in regard to his health. He explained, "Because we have such a tight shooting schedule, it was imperative that the guests' charters start and end on time so it didn't have a domino effect and impact every charter after that." Therefore, the show started without him, and they tapped Captain Sean Meagher to stand in for Captain Lee while he was unable to work. 

The famous sea captain went on to describe Season 9 of "Below Deck" as being super fresh. He shared, "It's unlike any other season that we've had, and I really enjoyed it." We cannot wait to see how the "Below Deck" cast and crew coped without the leadership of Captain Lee, and how they fared under the new skipper.

This is not the first time Captain Lee Rosbach has had some health challenges. "Below Deck" fans will remember Captain Lee hurt himself at the start of Season 8. The crew panicked when they arrived on board and discovered that their captain was missing. Little did they know that the skipper had fallen and injured himself while bathing. Luckily, Eddie Lucas found him, per Bravo, and he was able to get necessary medical attention.

"I was getting out of the shower, and I don't know why they gave me this little postage stamp of a bathmat to step onto when I get out of the shower," Captain Lee recalled of the incident to "Daily Dish" (via Bravo). He then blamed a cramped space and slippery marble floor for his fall. "I should have put a towel down or something because it's marble floors ... I just slipped and fell into the sink," he added. He later thanked the medical staff when he was "fresh out the OR" on Instagram. 

Captain Lee also revealed that although the doctors had warned him that he needed to go on bed rest while on the yacht, he knew that wasn't going to happen. "As much as it hurt, I just started laughing," he said. Well, it seems like a slippery fall or mysterious "condition" isn't going to keep this caption away from his helm.