Talking with the 'Zaddy of the Sea' – 'Below Deck Down Under's' Captain Jason Chambers

EDGE: How did the opportunity to join "Below Deck Down Under" happen?

Captain Jason Chambers: I was on my way to Patagonia after many years working in Indonesia for an American family, which was amazing. I was stuck in Australia during COVID and wanted to get out of Australia to see my daughter, whom I hadn't seen for a year and a half. This opportunity popped up in an email through a friend. I started talking to the production company, and I told my crew, and they told me to do it. They said I would be great. The engineer who worked with Captain Lee said I should do it.

After meeting with the producers, production, and everyone behind the scenes, I started really liking the idea, and now many of them are my close friends. At first, I thought I'd do one season, and I never do it again. Honestly, I didn't even know the show was a big deal.

EDGE: Is the reality of chartering a yacht different from what the viewers see on "Below Deck?"

Captain Jason Chambers: That's an easy answer. A great charter season would be eight charters yearly, from May until September. You work a week, have a break, relocate, and prep. The crew has a night out, and then a day to get over their hangover, and prepare for the next charter. You usually do eight in a five-month period, but we do nine charters in six weeks for the show. We don't know the boat, and I don't know the crew. The guests come on for a three-day trip. So, the show's essence is doing what would happen in a two-year period condensed into two months.

EDGE: Chef Tzarina Mace-Ralph and Deckhand Harry Van Vliet are returning this season. Do you prefer working with a crew that you already know?

Captain Jason Chambers: Compared to your last question, we would actually walk into a charter season knowing precisely who, and everyone would know their roles. That's one of the ingredients. The crew has their issues as we spoke about – not knowing the boat, not knowing each other, and having to do the charter guess from a captain's point of view. It's great and challenging for me, too. I get a new crew and boat, and then have to put all these pieces together. I'm beginning to be proud of myself and what I'm getting from this experience. Every year, I am thinking how I would be in real life and in a real job, and I'm working on the crew's growth throughout because I want to see where they can go and what is going to happen to them. I try to visualize which crew member is going to do what, and I try and work around that the best I can. I'm actually getting really proud of myself for watching how the crew grows. I do love the end result.

EDGE: Tell us about the location for this season.

Captain Jason Chambers: I spent four years working in remote locations in Indonesia, the Philippines, and Papua New Guinea. I love anything unique. I gave up big jobs in the Mediterranean to do the work I did for 10 years in Papua New Guinea. To be in Seychelles was on my bucket list. There are 115 islands there. The underwater world is amazing. The islands are gorgeous, and it wasn't hard to attract charter guests. I mean, who doesn't want to go to the Seychelles? If you haven't heard of it, Google it. You're like, "Oh, damn, I'm there."

EDGE: What can the viewers expect to see this season?

Captain Jason Chambers: Well, in the last few seasons, we didn't really have much romance going on, so we actually see a little bit of love this season, which I think you'll see in the teaser. A little bit of love is great for the boat. I love the crew that can get along, but don't worry; there's some drama there, too.

We spoke about the Seychelles, the new location. The boat is bigger and has a lot more interior, so when the weather wasn't so good, we could still complete our theme nights. This season's full, and it's constant. I can tell you it doesn't plateau. There's no lull; it just continuously goes.

EDGE: What's been your most memorable charter experience?

Captain Jason Chambers: I wish I could say their name. They're an American family. They're very well known. I worked for them for a few years in Papua, New Guinea. We had to anchor once, and I had to go ashore with the helicopter pilot with a bucket of nails, flour, and a tarp, and find the chief to give him some money to get permission to anchor in his bay. We came across an old hospital that was run down and had no lights there. It was disgusting, and had no running water. We returned and got plumbing, LED lights, and solar power equipment. We cleaned it up. We got the pumps going, the water running, and the lights on. This old, abandoned hospital, which was still used as a labor facility for giving birth, was functioning. The boss saw it, and asked how much it cost. I told him, "It cost me nothing. It cost you about 20 grand." He said, "Triple it and keep doing it." That was one of the most rewarding experiences, and helped me learn always to give back. There's a bit more than caviar on these boats, and many owners also like to give back.

EDGE: Many fans consider you a "Zaddy" and refer to you as "Zaddy of the Sea."

Captain Jason Chambers: If you know me, I cringe a little bit. It's just not me. Look, but I'm going to lean into it. Why not? Let's have fun. Let's have fun! The promo with me coming out of the water was definitely not my idea, but I had so much fun doing it. After working so hard for six weeks on these charters, doing all the promos was a hell of a lot of fun. We were laughing at ourselves the entire time.

EDGE: Can you tell us about your new fragrance coming out?

Captain Jason Chambers: If anyone wants to smell like Zaddy, you can. It's called Captain J, releasing in March on https://www.captainslounge.life. It's being developed in Australia. It's very aquatic. It's got the earth, waterfalls, and the ocean in it. It's actually quite good. It's gender-neutral. A portion of everything sold goes back to the projects and charities I work for in Indonesia.

EDGE: In Season Two you went the extra mile for your guests by wearing a budgie smuggler. Are there any surprises we should look out for this season?

Captain Jason Chambers: Well, I do have a whip, but I won't tell you who I used it on.

EDGE: Which one of these boats would you captain, and why: The riverboat from Willy Wonka, the Love Boat, or Captain Hook's Jolly Roger?

Captain Jason Chambers: I'd have to choose Captain Hook's Jolly Roger. It's all about going as far and beyond as possible and into the unknown. It's very mystical. That's kind of like me. I want to go into the unknown and always explore.

"Below Deck Down Under" Season 3 premieres on Monday, February 3 at 8 p.m. ET/PT on Bravo. Stream episodes the next day on Peacock. For more information, visit https://www.bravotv.com/

And check out these pics and video clips from Captain Jason Chambers IG: