Below Deck Recap: Tchau, Tchau

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In our third attempt, it’s clear now that Caio’s tenure has come to an end, as many had foreseen. The bosun was let go following some turbulent days marked by poor leadership, even though he never truly found his stride. Jess, Damo, and Kyle were disgruntled with their supervisor, but none more so than Kerry. As they prepared to dock the boat in Sint Maarten for guest pickup, Kerry let out a string of expletives under his breath, repeatedly labeling Caio as a “foolish idiot,” albeit not directly to his face, but the message was clear.

To start off, it’s the initial event of the new season, and despite the fact that Caio’s struggles were quite predictable, I can’t help but feel sorry for him. It appears that his issues aren’t so much about insufficiency in skills as they are about ambiguity. With unclear expectations set before him, he concentrated on tasks that weren’t essential instead of seeking clarification, inevitably coming up short. I can’t help but ponder if Kerry might elevate Jess next. She’s not only proficient and effective at communicating, but also ready to take charge when necessary. On the inaugural day of our charter at the beach outing, she boldly addressed Caio about the absence of a break schedule in front of the entire deck team. Caio seemed to believe it would have been more suitable for her to discuss it privately, perhaps forgetting that she had previously done so. Whether or not this move was calculated is uncertain, but it certainly places her advantageously for potential promotion: the crew knows she stands by them.

I’m enjoying this season of Below Deck as the interior and exterior teams are experiencing issues that complement each other nicely, providing a blend of interesting interpersonal conflicts and workplace drama. It’s clear that the show thrives on such tension, and this time around, it doesn’t disappoint – we have both types! The deck crew is grappling with their responsibilities while the stewardesses are butting heads. Luckily, this week we avoid Solène’s ineptitude, but a significant rift forms instead: the divide between the Girls and Rainbeau. Although Solène may lack experience, skills, or intuition, she makes up for it with her charm. Rainbeau finds herself isolated due to Solène’s dislike, as Solène serves as the center of gravity for the boat’s social dynamics.

Instead, let’s pause for a moment and consider our journey so far. This week finds our crew enjoying their day off, which begins with a leisurely brunch and shopping in St. Barthes. Solène and Bárbara engage in playful banter, while Fraser admires their bond, and Rainbeau stands uneasily by. In a private moment, Rainbeau confides that she’s struggled to form connections with other women, hinting at this theme throughout the episode. Warning signs start popping up everywhere. As I watch Rainbeau in the following scenes, all I can think of is a glaring warning sign, or simply, a red flag.

Despite my empathy for her loneliness, she struggles to connect with Caio during brunch, as he’s preoccupied with his job worries. As time passes, Rainbeau attempts to mend her strained relationship with Solène, yet her overzealousness is off-putting. After having been stern and frustrated with her, she now showers Solène with affection, which seems bizarre given the difficulties she’s causing both professionally and personally. Towards the end of the voyage, Rainbeau makes a point to greet Solène with a morning kiss, a gesture that Solène finds “odd.” Her overt displays of affection feel insincere – it would be more beneficial for her to have an open discussion with her colleagues about feeling overwhelmed, which could foster healthier and more natural relationships.

In this situation, you might expect the head steward, Fraser, to be involved in reconciliation efforts, but he seems preoccupied with other matters. Despite asserting that his actions with Damo didn’t constitute cheating since Damo is straight, Fraser chooses to do what’s morally right and end his long-distance relationship. Meanwhile, Anthony appears to be distancing himself from Fraser, expressing a desire to change cabins even during charter and later rejecting Fraser’s encouragement before the Cuban-themed dinner with the captain. Last season, tensions between Anthony and another crew member escalated during a poorly executed dinner, so Anthony feels under pressure to make amends. When Fraser tries to boost Anthony’s spirits before the evening, Anthony, visibly stressed, asks him to leave. The dinner turns out well, with Kerry praising the chef afterward, but there’s a noticeable strain in their relationship. Although Anthony initially came aboard with intentions to confront Fraser, he has yet to take action.

In terms of their romantic relationship, Solène and Kyle enjoyed a delightful date during their free time. While Fraser doubts their compatibility, I find them quite well-suited. They both exude playful and vivacious personalities, as Solène describes their shared sense of humor as “sexually charged.” After spending the night in a guest cabin, they both inform their respective teams that they had a wonderful time. Kyle appears deeply invested in Solène, stealing affectionate moments with her throughout the voyage, but she tells Anthony she’s in no hurry to make any commitments. Based on next week’s preview, it seems this couple may not last long enough for a solid relationship. Unfortunately, it looks like once again, Kyle will be left heartbroken as the last hopeful romantic on board.

The pivotal point and culmination of this episode, which we’ve been anticipating for a few weeks now, comes with Caio’s termination. His misfortune starts even before the charter, during their voyage to Sint Maarten to collect the guests. They successfully navigate the bridge, but as Kerry maneuvers the boat to dock, Caio misses his communication cues. When they finally manage to position the boat correctly, Kerry spots that some of the fenders are too high, offering no protection from potential damage. Earlier, Caio had requested Jess to verify the fender placement, and she left them elevated for the bridge crossing but failed to lower them for docking. Even Solène, who barely distinguishes between a blanket and a fitted sheet, is summoned to assist in lowering the fenders.

The boat has safely moored with minimal harm, yet Kerry is furious. He summons Caio to the bridge and informs him that this charter offers him a final opportunity to demonstrate his competence as a bosun. Perhaps Caio underestimated the gravity of the warning or simply isn’t suited for the role, but his work deteriorates almost instantly. He gathers the deck team for another meeting, urging them to improve and pinpoint what went wrong during docking. He confides in Jess that if the fenders hadn’t been excessively high, none of this would have transpired, which seems to infuriate her throughout the charter. Until now, Jess had been patiently eager to assist Caio in finding a better solution, but when he places full blame on her for the poor performance—which might be 40% fender-related and 60% Caio disregarding his radio communication—she loses her cool.

Despite her poised demeanor, Jess expresses candid yet thoughtful feedback about Caio’s leadership skills. After ensuring the charter guests were safely aboard and the ship was securely anchored at sea, Kerry accompanied Jess on a beach reconnaissance to discuss Caio’s management abilities. She admitted that Caio seemed overwhelmed by managing many people and appeared disorganized, agreeing with Kerry’s assessment that he was “out of his depth.” Later, during the beach picnic, she assertively voiced her concerns about the lack of breaks, possibly encouraged by Kerry’s acknowledgment of her opinion.

As the day progressed, Caio continued to struggle, particularly with managing the tender lines carrying people to and from the beach alongside Kerry. Both Fraser and Rainbeau noticed that something was amiss within the deck team. Although Damo and Kyle had a brief discussion about Caio’s ineffectiveness, with Damo admitting that at times he chose not to address Caio’s mistakes, this group wasn’t particularly gossipy. Jess confided in Damo about her conversation with Kerry on the tender, but overall, the deck crew remained relatively discreet about the whole situation.

The final moment of the charter, marked by Jack Finn and his beloved Darlene, along with their family, disembarking, was a heartwarming event. The Finns were ideal guests, seemingly absent yet gracious, amiable, and thankful. Tears flowed from Darlene as they bid farewell, and they left an astonishing $28,000 tip that helped alleviate the losses incurred due to theft last week. Activities during the charter included sunbathing, swimming, and playing beach volleyball, a national favorite pastime of Brazilians. Unfortunately, a Brazilian team with only two members failed to win at beach volleyball, an embarrassment for Brazilians everywhere. Solène’s fear of the ball made it difficult for her to compete, and perhaps the guests needed to be given victories.

The second day of the charter is presented in a montage format, which appears to be a recent addition on ‘Below Deck.’ While I am intrigued by the crew’s dynamics, some readers have commented that the editing pace is excessively rapid. However, I do not dislike this change, as it allows for a more condensed portrayal of events.

In this scenario, Caio assists Kerry in navigating the St. David through the bridge and over the swinging dock, but during docking, he fails to secure the sternline tight enough at the crucial moment. This issue causes a delay, which frustrates Kerry, who believed the lines should have been prepared before docking. As Caio struggles to rectify the problem, Kerry expresses her displeasure, saying, “I’m starting to doubt you.” In Brazilian terms, “Goodbye, goodbye,” Caio — it was a commendable attempt.

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2025-07-01 05:54