- The Cornelia Marie has been featured on Deadliest Catch for much of the show's 14-year run.
- It was temporarily removed from the documentary series in season 13, but returned in season 14.
- Here's everything to know about the boat, as well as its captains and how it got its name.
Deadliest Catch has been a massive success on Discovery since its premiere in 2005. Now in its 15th season, the documentary series about crab fishing is a staple on the network, not only for its inside look at one of the world’s most perilous professions, but also for its colorful cast of seamen and their uniquely named boats.
The Cornelia Marie is one of the aforementioned vessels that fans have grown to love over the years. But it hasn’t had an easy time on Deadliest Catch, as it has lost crew members and was cut from the show in the past. Here’s everything to know about the Cornelia Marie’s time on Deadliest Catch so far.
Is the Cornelia Marie on ‘Deadliest Catch’ This Year?
Yes, the Cornelia Marie is on Deadliest Catch this time around. The ship’s official Facebook page shared several posts promoting season 15, and Captains Josh Harris and Casey McManus both attended the premiere party in April.
Great! But wasn’t the Cornelia Marie off the show for a bit?
In October 2016, Josh shared a video on social media explaining that their crew was not coming back to Deadliest Catch for season 13.
“We do not have a camera crew aboard this king crab season. This was not our decision and it was not made by the owners nor the captains of the Cornelia. This was not a dispute over money, this was simply a decision made by production [at] Discovery. They have creative control over pretty much everything that airs in "Deadliest Catch," and we respect that. We are fisherman and we will be doing what we love to do this king crab season, but we’ll be doing it alone. The film crew has been like a family to us, and their absence will weigh heavy on our hearts.”
While the Cornelia was missed throughout that particular year, viewers were thrilled when it returned to their screens again in season 14, and again in the current 2019 episodes.
There doesn’t appear to be any lingering tension between Josh and Discovery, as Josh previously told Yahoo Entertainment that he was dealing with “a lot of family issues” during the break, particularly the death of his grandfather, Captain Grant Harris.
“I had [multiple] people in the ICU at the same time, and that put a kibosh on things—I had to be home," he explained. "Going to visit everybody in the ICU isn’t exactly a fun time or stuff that necessarily needs to be filmed.”
Who is the captain of the Cornelia Marie?
Captain Phil Harris had headed up the Cornelia Marie until his death in February 2010 after a massive stroke. His sons, Josh and Jake, took over after his passing, and attempted to earn enough money to buy the Cornelia Marie, but did not immediately succeed. Eventually, Josh and co-captain Casey purchased the boat, and continue to carry on Phil’s legacy today.
Who was the Cornelia Marie named after?
The ship was reportedly first commissioned in 1989 for Ralph Collins and its namesake—Ralph's wife, Cornelia. The couple eventually divorced, and Cornelia took ownership. Phil ended up buying a partial share, and the rest is history.
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Megan Stein is the executive editor for The Pioneer Woman, and oversees entertainment, features, and news for the website. Whether it's catching up on the latest true crime podcast, or re-watching the best '80s movies for the zillionth time, she's always here to talk about anything and everything relating to pop culture.
