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What Happened on ‘Below Deck Down Under’ Season 1?

With 'Below Deck Down Under' Season 2 ready to set sail, what happened on 'Below Deck Down Under' Season 1?

by Gina Ragusa

Published on July 4, 2023

2 min read

‘Below Deck Down Under’ Season 1 recap

Captain Jason Chambers was at the helm of superyacht Thalassa along with chief stew Aesha Scott from Below Deck Mediterranean. Scott’s team included stews Tumi Mhlongo and Magda Ziomek and chef Ryan McKeown was in the galley.

Captain Jason Chambers looks out over the water on 'Below Deck Down Under'

Captain Jason Chambers | Mark Rogers/Bravo via Getty Images

Bosun Jamie Sayed wasn’t new to the industry but was new to the position. His deck team included Culver Bradbury, Brittini Burton, and Ben Crawley.

The season kicked off with drama when the boat needed repairs as guests arrived. But Chambers managed to get the boat off the dock at night. The deck team seemingly got along well, but the anchor locker posed a problem, especially for Crawley. Meanwhile, McKeown and Scott clashed almost immediately when she asked him if he was prone to chef tantrums.

Drama heated up when Sayed’s management style clashed with Crawley’s more relaxed approach to yachting. Also, the interior team struggled because Ziomek spent more time on the phone with her boyfriend than supporting her team.

Did anyone get fired on ‘Below Deck Down Under’ Season 1?

Chambers was a fair and kind captain, but he also could be pushed only so far. McKeown’s attitude worsened throughout the season and he snarked at Chambers when he suggested that McKeown elevate his game. He also realized that Ziomek’s phone calls and FaceTime sessions with her boyfriend were draining the data usage on the boat.

Toward the end of the season, Chambers fired McKeown and Ziomek in a single morning. Ziomek left the boat with no hard feelings. She even flirted with Chambers on her way down the dock. However, McKeown was angry and mooned the crew as he left.

Two new crew members rounded out the cast for the last charter. Taylor Dennison took over Ziomek’s job and Nate Post was the new chef.

Does anyone return for ‘Below Deck Down Under’ Season 2?

Following the typical production format, Below Deck Down Under Season 2 returns with Chambers and Scott. They embark upon a new season with an entirely new crew, however, the trailer teased that the crew who starts the season, won’t finish the season.

Cameras follow Chambers as he fires a crew member and the dismissal looks extremely heated. During a 2022 interview with Showbiz Cheat Sheet, Chambers described his management style.

“I’ve been a captain for 20 years, and the reason why I’m still doing it is because I enjoy it,” he said. “I don’t try and pretend that I’m a heart surgeon. No one’s going to die. You know, we have safety, but we’re not trying to save lives.”

“We try to enjoy our environment, and that’s where the big brother comes in,” he added. “I don’t want to be seen like a principal or a headmaster, I want to be a friend as well. And if people can’t respect the boundaries, then that’s when the discipline comes out and let everyone hang himself if they want to.”

Below Deck Down Under Season 2 premieres on Monday, July 17 at 8/7c on Bravo