stated goal<\/a> was to arrive at the end of the six weeks without having fired anyone. He white-knuckled a deeply dysfunctional team and achieved that goal at a questionable cost (Rainbeau\u2019s sanity). In the first episode of this new season, after a sweet, eager reunion with Rainbeau, Fraser promises not to hesitate to \u201cmake changes.\u201d That said, he expects her to be \u201csofter\u201d and \u201chave some patience\u201d this time around. Rainbeau herself admits that she has been working on accepting that things can\u2019t be perfect all the time and on coming across as less \u201charsh\u201d and \u201crude.\u201d This is all already aggravating because Rainbeau\u2019s tone and impatience were hardly the issue last season. If anything, she was too patient: Weary of coming across as a bad team player, she bottled up her valid discontents until she exploded under pressure.<\/p>\nSpeaking of pressure, is it just me or is there something tense about the vibe on the Azul V? The reunion between Kerry and Fraser was underwhelming at best. Rainbeau is already overwhelmed because Fraser gives her a huge list of things she\u2019ll be in charge of, even before he makes her second stew. At the first all-crew meeting, Kerry warns everyone to stay vigilant. The weather can change on a dime in Thailand, and it\u2019s crowded, so \u201cif something feels off, say something.\u201d He also warns that he is their biggest ally but can be \u201csomething else as well\u201d: Like Fraser, he won\u2019t hesitate to replace people if needed. This is Kerry\u2019s usual spiel at the beginning of a season; historically, the bravado lets up over time. The first department-specific meetings give us a good opportunity to get to know our new crewmates:<\/p>\n
Alex from London is our new bosun. It\u2019s his second year in this position, and he\u2019s fresh off an eight-month break from yachting. His management style is hands-off: He will assume people can do their jobs until they prove otherwise. Privately, he worries that he\u2019s rusty, but luckily he has a mostly experienced team to rely on. Deckhand Matt, a South African with Boarding-School Experience, has been a bosun for over two years. The British deckie, James, is greener \u2014 he\u2019s been in yachting for only two years \u2014 but not inexperienced. Finally, there is Jessenia, who is new to yachting but has been working on tugboats for the last couple of years. Sen, as she tells Alex she likes to be called, has had her hands full working in a male-dominated field. Some of the things guys have said to her are dark. Still, she\u2019s confident: \u201cI\u2019m literally just like one of the guys,\u201d she says, \u201cbut with better lashes and hotter.\u201d She tells Alex that she\u2019s eager to learn and takes feedback well. At one point later in the episode, she offers to take a heavier line from him. As usual, I retain the right to retract any statements I make on the first day of the season, but so far: queen.<\/p>\n
We have two new stews working with Fraser and Rainbeau. The also British Rosa \u2014 that\u2019s four Brits onboard \u2014 has years of experience, even as a chief stew. The Australian Kaylee is newer to yachting, though not totally green; she has mostly worked day charters. Fraser puts Rosa on lates and Kaylee on earlies and laundry. Finally, we have Moe, our chef, hailing from New York. Moe cut his teeth in Michelin-starred restaurants and has since transitioned to yachting. Despite his training in fine dining, what motivates him is the warmth and affection of home cooking. He tells us a bit about his 19-year-old daughter and his Dominican mom, who is his culinary inspiration. He also asks Fraser not to call him Chef; it gives him the ick. Love him immediately.<\/p>\n
In all, we have an experienced crew, which is perhaps an effort to compensate for last season\u2019s greenery disaster. Fraser is not alone in picking his second right away; Alex makes Matt his lead deckhand, given his plentiful experience. I wonder how wise it is to assign these roles so early on \u2014 a power dynamic settles in before people have had time to get to know one another. And, this being Below Deck, we can expect that people will get to know each other in more ways than one. The most repeated question throughout the first day is: \u201cAre you single?\u201d Rainbeau is taken. Jessenia explains that she is \u201can equal-opportunity lover.\u201d James describes his sexuality as \u201cstraight, [but] bent a little bit.\u201d He\u2019s attractive to Fraser, who is on an amicable, supportive, mutually understood break with Las Culturistas\u2019 Matt Rogers. The season preview shows us a lot of kissing; here\u2019s hoping people will act more sanely this year.<\/p>\n
Everyone duly introduced, the crew gets to work preparing for the first charter. Primaries Kenny and Christina have long wanted to come to Thailand, but have been held back by Christina\u2019s lethal nut allergy. The obvious solution to this traveling conundrum was to charter a yacht, duh. Moe tells us that he doesn\u2019t mess around with allergies: After he lost a close friend to an anaphylactic reaction, he got certified in food-allergen safety. When the abundant provisions arrive, Moe feels overwhelmed with anxiety, but in moments like these he reminds himself of how far he\u2019s come in his career over the past 12 years. Here is a man in full control of what he\u2019s doing. \u201cIt\u2019s almost unsettling how cool he is,\u201d Fraser says. \u201cBoy, is that refreshing.\u201d After dealing with Anthony for two seasons running, I\u2019m sure it is.<\/p>\n
The crew gets the boat ready to take off, if it can take off. After welcoming the guests onboard, Azul V\u2019s engine stalls and dies twice when Kerry tries to start it. He worries that the engine will die after they\u2019ve taken off and they\u2019ll drift toward the shore, so he has Matt stand by the anchor. But on the third try, the boat finally starts, and they make it out. Other than the false starts, it\u2019s a pretty smooth undocking and a good anchoring. Kerry is very communicative with the deck team, and they take his directions well and are quick on their feet. Kerry is pleased with everyone\u2019s performance, especially Alex\u2019s. Over the past several seasons, we\u2019ve endured bosuns who operate on massive egos; a bosun who leads with humility, or at least a not-burdensome self-regard, is a welcome change.<\/p>\n
Later in the day, taking the inflatables out and preparing the NautiBuoys for the guests, Kerry is just as present. On the Azul V, the guests apparently have to walk through the laz in order to get to the swimming platform, which is awkward: The laz is basically a big closet filled with folded inflatables. Alex makes a note to organize it so that they can find things easier and quicker. Matt, who already seems to supplant the ego that Alex might be lacking, thinks he could come up with a better system. God, please, not the Nathan-Joe problem again.<\/p>\n
Inside, Kaylee is eager to prove herself by really learning laundry and nailing it; Fraser advises her to come up with a system and stick to it. But later, she has some trouble with the dryers \u2014 she packed too many towels in \u2014 and has to ask Rosa for help. Rosa is kind and helpful, but Kaylee worries about disappointing Fraser, who overhears her ask for Rosa\u2019s help. It can be frustrating to feel like you\u2019re behind your peers, but as my teachers taught me, there\u2019s no such thing as a stupid question. Ultimately, asking questions will help her get ahead. As night falls, Kenny and Christina are over the moon about their trip. They\u2019re wholesome guests, and they really enjoy Moe\u2019s stunning-looking Thai feast, which concludes with a mango sticky rice with coconut ice cream that had my mouth watering, and I\u2019m not even sticky rice\u2019s biggest fan.<\/p>\n
The single most difficult part of Rainbeau\u2019s job last season was to stay up on lates with Sol\u00e8ne, having to do both their jobs while Sol\u00e8ne was busy having a glass of wine or breaking someone\u2019s heart. Flashing back to that traumatic experience, Rainbeau goes through every single thing Rosa needs to do before clocking off. \u201cGo to bed,\u201d Rosa pleads. \u201cPlease have more faith in me.\u201d It already raised Rosa\u2019s suspicion that Rainbeau would automatically be made second when she has just as much experience, if not more; now, she feels patronized and micromanaged. She might feel differently if she knew what Rainbeau went through last season \u2014 here\u2019s hoping Rainbeau will tell her. Forget \u201csofter\u201d and \u201cnicer\u201d; I think Rainbeau should focus on open communication.<\/p>\n
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