Fans of Discovery Channel's Deadliest Catch
The Future of the Cornelia Marie
The season premiere of "Deadliest Catch" will be April 13, 2010. This will be the sixth season of the "Deadliest Catch" and the fifth season that the "Cornelia Marie" has been featured on the show. The television crew from Imagine Productions boards our boat during the fall for King Crab season and then after New Year's to videotape the Opilio Season. They videotaped the King Crab season on board with Capt. Phil and the crew. In fact, the King Crab season included a "near collision" of the F/V Cornelia Marie and the chase boat.
Up to and through the passing our skipper, the Discovery Channel cameras have been rolling. The cameras were present in the hospital with Capt. Phil and up to the end. The cameras then accompanied much of the activity in the weeks following, up to the private memorial for Capt. Phil on February 21st. We don't know how Discovery will choose to edit the show. It's true that Phil allowed the cameras into his hospital room after surgery. While still recovering from surgery, Phil unable to talk so he wrote a note to keep shooting, because "we need a great finish to this story". I actually thought one week after the stroke that he indeed was going to make a great recovery. As a boy coming of age on Alaska fishing boats, I always thought of skippers as rather indestructible.According to the show producer Thom Beers, whether any of the hospital footage will air will be a decision made later with Phil’s family. I think that is the right decision and really the only appropriate way to go.
Most likely the cameras will be present at the beginning of the next King Crab opening in October to videotape Phil's ashes being scattered into the Bering Sea. Whether, the Discovery Channel wishes to follow the Cornelia Marie through the remainder of the King Crab season and the Opilio season will be up to them. Of course, the F/V Cornelia Marie is a fishing boat and needs to keep on working. Appearing on the TV show doesn't pay the bills, only bringing crab aboard does that. We were fishing before the TV show and we'll be fishing after the TV show.
Many have asked us if Jake and Josh will continue fishing. Its too soon to tell. As part owners of the boat, they would always have that choice. Many have also asked if Josh or Jake will now take over as Captains. The job of skipper and deckhand are two different worlds. Many great deckhands never become skippers for very good reasons. Being a skipper is one the most stressful jobs in the world. Things will become more clear as the months go by and we get closer to King Crab in October.
The F/V Cornelia Marie will finish Opilio fishing in a couple weeks. Our current skipper, Derrick Ray has done his best to finish off this tough season. As stated earlier, Derrick is an old family friend who started his career earlier on the precursor to the Cornelia Marie - the F/V Milky Way. The Milky Way was one of the boats owned by Ralph Collins who owned and built the F/V Cornelia Marie.
We are grateful to all the fans of the Cornelia Marie and Capt. Phil. Thank you for the many nice words left here and other places on the internet. I hope this blog entry answers some questions. Capt. Phil was one of a kind and is missed by everyone. I look forward to the new season with apprehension. It will be strange to see Phil brought back to live on videotape only to face what we all know happened. Yet, I also assume the camera captured new joyful and humorous moments too - so that will be good.
Comment
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Comment by Wanda P/Steeves on August 24, 2010 at 9:16am -
A special thank to Captain Phil, because he wanted to show the end, he was clear on that. It was wonderful that he got to talk to those he loved and they new they were loved. It shows we should all be a little more patient kind and if anything a good neighbor, no matter how irritating they are, if your house catches on fire they are there for you.. Watch season 6 was tough but i just loved his heart, he went out with love and family, we can only hope that we all have the same chance to say good bye, and you know he will be watching over his fellow DC mates god speed Captain Phil, we love you 4 ever
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Comment by Stacey Biondolillo on August 11, 2010 at 5:16pm -
I understand things are difficult for Jake and Josh . My son served in the USAF and loved living life on the edge over in Iraq , fighting for his country . Up to the last minute , before he died . Watching the season with Captain Phil and his boys and the crew , I could relate to being a parent and worrying how your kids will go on , and , I felt deep in my heart for the boys who shared life with a Dad who had so much passion for life and gave so much of himself to his sons , how many kids today , get that ? It was a privilege to see this unfold . I was deeply touched . And I thank you !
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Comment by julie ebbert on July 21, 2010 at 4:15pm -
i miss captain harris
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Comment by Tina Bennett on March 5, 2010 at 12:07am -
I hope to see that big blue boat out there, we all are thinking it but I'll say it, Phil will be in that wheel house making sure that everything runs safely. though we as fans and his family lost a great man, what we all who loved him don't realize is that we all gained a raspy voiced giggling tom-foolery guardian angel! I for one think that he is going to make sure that his boys fish safe. he may have left us in body, but I assure you that ole skipper had not left our sides forever. I personally will miss you Phil, god is a lucky man to have you and my precious uncle (1 week after Phil) up there with him, by now he is covered in tattoos, and drinking duck farts wearing leather chaps and had a Harley Davison bandanna on his head just like Phil and my Uncle. All 3 are laughing about naughty jokes having a good ole time, please help keep us all safe.
T♥B
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Comment by Angela Houwen on March 3, 2010 at 7:19am -
Thank you for the update, good to read the Cornelia Marie will keep fishing. It is hard to watch Deadliest Catch now, every time I see Phil I feel it is such a loss. No doubt that the family together with Discovery will make something beautiful.
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Comment by Vickie Lee on March 2, 2010 at 6:32pm -
I sure do miss you Captn Phil! I was watching the show ther other night and I cried most of the time! This is as bad as losing my Nascar hero Earnhardt Sr., Nascar will never be the same and now Deadliest Catch will never be the same! Although I know"the boys" Josh & Jake and the fantabulous crew will do their damndest to keep things alive! I will continue to watch the show as long as the Cornelia Maria is fishing! Muah!!!!
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Comment by Gail C Penny on March 1, 2010 at 6:54am -
I hope they keep the Cornelia Marie in the show! We didn't know any of the captains when we started watching DC but we fell in love with Capt Phil and when Jake and then Josh came to the show we fell in love with them too. We also fell in love with the other captains and their crew!! We can fall in love with a new captain be it Jake or someone else!!! Please keep this boat on the show--I know I love everyone on the show!!! Cornelia Marie is part of the show and we NEED this boat to continue!!! Yes, we will miss Capt Phil deeply and not forget him ever but there's a crew we fell in love with too and hope to continue seeing them. I sure hope Josh and Jake come back but I know Josh may not. What ever those boys decide--we love Cornelia Marie!!!
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Comment by Brian H on February 28, 2010 at 10:09am -
I would like to see Josh or Jake as Capt. of the Cornelia Marie, but neither is experienced enough to do that right now. They have some hard choices to make right now. They can sit home and collect a check from the boat and probably never have to fish again. Or they can go back to sea and keep fishing and get the experience they need to be a Capt.. So the legacy of fishing can continue in their family. I hope it is the latter.
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Comment by Dusty Cassidy on February 28, 2010 at 8:26am -
I would really like the Cornelia Marie to continue fishing on the show it is only fitting and Phil would have wanted it that way. As for me I like all the Capt's except a couple no names mentioned but I am partial to the Cornelia Marie and if they remove her from the show there is a good possibility that I will quit watching when I have seen every single episode since day 1.
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Comment by Phyllis Finn on February 28, 2010 at 8:25am
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I will definitely watch King crab but I'm not certain I'm strong enough for what will be shown on Opilio. I never had the privilege of meeting Phil. He seemed larger than life and I think I would like to remember him that way. Whatever his family and Discovery decide, I'm sure the footage will be done with respect for his memory. Thank you to his family for allowing us to get to know all of you. Good luck to them and Godspeed.
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