Posted on February 17, 2010 - by Morgan Howard
Dutch Harbor Mourns Capt. Phil
The following article is by ROSE COX of The Dutch Harbor Fisherman (rcox@alaskanewspapers.com)
To fans of the “Deadliest Catch,” he was captain Phil Harris, the famous crab-killing rider of the wild Bering Sea.
But to those living at the tip of the Aleutian chain, he was just plain Phil, one of the most endearing, demanding – and sometimes downright irritating – men Dutch Harbor ever loved.
Harris, 53, suffered a stroke Jan. 29 while the fishing boat he captained, the Cornelia Marie, was in port at St. Paul Island near Dutch Harbor. He was medevacked to Anchorage and appeared to be on the mend Feb. 3, according to reports on the “Deadliest Catch” Web site.
He died Feb. 9, spurring thousands of online comments from fans of the Discovery Channel show that depicts the crab fishing industry in the dangerous waters off Alaska.
News spread quickly between fishermen, the docks, bars and businesses of Dutch Harbor and Unalaska.
“God bless him, he lived life to the extreme,” said Walt Dauderis.
He and Harris go way back. They worked together two decades ago on the Sea Ern, and before that in rubber boots and rain gear on the decks of the Alaska Monarch. More recently, Dauderis spent a few seasons as engineer and cook on the Cornelia Marie.
“People who tried to be like him, you’d watch them fail by his side. No one could keep up with him.”
Dauderis gave up crabbing for a job with the Alaska Marine Highway System, but he and Harris are practically neighbors in Lake Stevens, Wash., where they rode motorcycles together and yukked it up over fishing, Harleys and life in general.
Dauderis has lots of stories. But none of them are printable.
“I’m going to miss him. I just painted a motorcycle and was going to go by his house to show it to him and he was going to give me a bunch of s— because it wasn’t macho enough.”
Their pain is so new that people in Dutch Harbor talk about Harris in the present tense, like he’s about to walk through the door any minute amid a cloud of cigarette smoke and colorful language.
He was “friendly,” “honest,” “strong,” “hardworking” “caring.” He was the kind of guy who took “Deadliest Catch” T-shirts to sick children in the hospital.
“He was a one-of-a-kind person,” said Al Mendoza, fleet manager for Unisea, where the Cornelia Marie landed millions of pounds of crab over the years. “I don’t think he had an enemy over the years I knew him. Not one enemy, ever.”
All say he loved his sons, Josh and Jake Harris, more than life itself.
Then they tell how he used to joke about why lions eat their cubs. The words “brash,” “macho,” “loud” and “impatient” pop up. By all accounts, he could be a pain in the patoot, but that doesn’t mean they loved him less.
“We’re devastated,” said Veda Webb. And in the next breath, “I can’t count the times I told him to get out and never come back.”
When Webb started her business, Unalaska Advertiser, a few years back, Harris stopped in to welcome her, then made sure the other fishermen gave her their business.
The first week in February, she was working on getting Harris a mini computer for Internet and e-mail onboard the boat. She had a couple on order, but they got stalled in the mail.
“He’d hound me if he wanted something until he got it. He called me every night, ‘Are they here? Are they here?’ ”
His last call was the night before he left for St. Paul Island. The computers were in.
“He said, ‘Well, try to get me a Gateway with Windows 7, for when I get back.’ ”
Typical Harris behavior.
When he wanted something done, yesterday was too late, said Don Knoblauch, superintendent for Magone Marine Services, the shop that fixed the Cornelia Marie for the past eight years.
“Extremely pushy, boisterous expedience, that’s how he was,” Knoblauch said. “If he was off the boat and not pressured by the fishing, he was a pretty decent guy. I’d see him in the bar and he seemed like a relatively normal person.”
Crabbers tend to get into town, gear up, go fishing, unload and repeat until the season is over. But there’s always time to visit the bar, and Harris made all the stops over the years.
The first time bartender Danielle Williams met Harris, she served him his signature drink – a double duck fart.
“He and his two sons, one had just turned 21, and a crew member came in. His crew guy and he got into an argument, and his crew guy knocked him into the corner of the bar.”
She was about to boot them all out, but they started laughing.
“They got over it really fast. They ended up closing the bar.”
Lionel Silva, chief engineer on the pollock catcher Morning Star, said Harris’ death is a blow to the crabbing industry as well as a personal loss for him.
“He was a terrific captain, and one of the most outstanding people I know.”
There was far more to Harris than “Deadliest Catch” fame, Silva said.
“I understand he was on the show and stuff, but they’re all going to go away. When everybody forgets about ‘Deadliest Catch,’ we’re still going to be remembering Phil and everything about him.”
Rose Cox can be reached at rcox@alaskanewspapers.com, or by phone at (907) 348-2419
This entry was posted on Wednesday, February 17th, 2010 at 4:14 am and is filed under Capt. Phil. You can follow any responses to this entry through the RSS 2.0 feed.
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June 23, 2010
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Rich said:
there WILL be a movie about this man, watch and see, and I will buy the first ticket.
RIP friend.
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June 23, 2010
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Peg Snyder said:
Rick-U betcha & I’ll be right behind you!
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June 25, 2010
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Si Frost said:
My wife comes from a port town in Devon England, although we only know of him through the Deadliest Catch, he seemed a really gentleman, someone, whom was ‘what you see is what you get’.
I think he is one of these people whom will be remembered for many years to come, and in a way he live on for years to come, within the shows that he made so fantastic.
RIP Phil
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June 29, 2010
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shawn cook said:
cant believe it really happened to him. but phil you will be in my prays because you were the man and boat i liked the best. jake and josh take care of your selfs and keep your head up just remember what your dad would want you to do keep on fishing and keep the tradition alive.
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June 29, 2010
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Ray Rogers said:
Phil was always to me the Dad we shoulda had. Learn real life, no time for PC, but could be gentle with those he loved the most…Gonna miss him, so’s My wife, we both cried…Rest friend, you have earned it.
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July 2, 2010
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Troy Balderson said:
I would just like to say that Phil was much more than a reality tv star to me and my family. He represented a mass majority of what every man wants, success, love and a great family, he to me showed integrity, grit, and definately hard work. My heart goes out to the boys as they have a long road ahead of them. Josh and Jake ARE the Cornelia Marie and I know in my heart that you fellas will succeed with all your dreams, hold your head high Jake, from on recovering addict to another ,, it can be done big guy, ONE DAY AT A TIME. Anyway just wanted to give you guys my best wishes and let you know (as if you didn’t lol) that we all love you and your and you guys are in our prayers.
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July 11, 2010
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Deb said:
RIP Captain Phil Harris… god bless all of you!
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July 14, 2010
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Lisa Cannon said:
I only saw him on t.v. but I felt like
I lost a father. RIP Phil.
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August 3, 2010
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Aluminium Bronze Valve said:
Deepest Condolence to the family, he seems to have been an very interesting individual, wish I had known him personally. Looking forward to the movie based on Captain Phil’s life.
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August 3, 2010
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Kalbow2 said:
I have been a long time watcher of Deadliest Catch and when I read that Phil had passed away earlier this year I cried. Now that the show is here I have been dreading every episode, yet watching at my first opportunity. My heart hurt watching the last few episodes and while I am sure those boys know just how loved their father was – I hope it sinks in for them.
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August 4, 2010
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Diane Hoffman said:
Dear Josh % Jake,
I wish you the best in all that you do, Very sorry for your loss. We all will miss Captain Phil Harris, May he rest in peace and forever live within our hearts. In the past we lost our “King” of rock n roll… and now we have lost our “King” of Crabbin”. He will forever be remembered! God Bless you
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August 11, 2010
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Dawnna said:
Dear jake and josh…i’m sending my love and prayers…your not alone…i watched the show b’cause my grandpa whom practically raised me on his cod fishing boat, passed many years ago…i would go with him fishing as often as i could…the others would woose out lol…the love of the ocean is still in me…always will be…your dad was a great guy…wish he was mine lol..RIP PHIL…
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August 12, 2010
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Maralynn Malakowsky said:
Hi, I started watching Deadliest Catch because of an employee I worked with. She had two brothers, one loved fishing one hated fishing. The brother that loved fishing did not go due to a new child. The brother that hated it died that season when his ship sank. They used his insurance money to take the family on vacation… From that moment my interest was peaked.
And well Capt Phil…Its all been said. I loved they way he loved his boys..his bikes..birdhouses and of course the sea.
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August 17, 2010
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Kev and Sharron Fletcher said:
To Jake and Josh, only just heard about your Dad. Our thoughts are with you even after all this time. We loved watching you guys on tv and he will be sorely missed by all of us. You guys be safe.
Regard and thoughts,
Sharron and Kev
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August 20, 2010
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Janie Williams Lewis said:
Captain Phil will be greatly missed. to Jake and Josh, keeps Dads dream alive. i have faith in you both and truly believe that you will both succeed in whatever you choose to do. You are in my prayers.
Rest in Peace Captain
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August 23, 2010
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ronny duré said:
rust in vrede Captain Phil Harris
ik heb al de aflevering gezien
je was een goede capitein
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August 23, 2010
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ronny duré said:
Captain Phil will be greatly missed
Rest in Peace Captain phil
We loved watching you guys on tv and he will be sorely missed by all of us
from duré ronny