Untold Love Story: Captain Sandy Yawn and Leah Shafer's Unforgettable Journey on Below Deck Mediterranean

Captain Sandy Yawn of Below Deck Mediterranean has candidly shared her romantic journey with her girlfriend Leah Shafer. Their paths crossed in 2018 when the gospel singer made a connection with the reality TV star through social media, expressing her admiration for Captain Sandy's popular Bravo series.

In 2019, during an interview with The Cheat Sheet, the captain shared a pleasant message she received. It said, "I came across your show, congratulations, many blessings." The term "many blessings" immediately grabbed her attention. Prior to her relationship with the Below Deck star, Shafer was married to entertainer Ross Shafer for two decades. They had a daughter named Lauren before separating.

Leah felt that publicly announcing her relationship with Sandy in 2019 was a natural progression in their love story. She shared with the outlet at the time, "It took me by surprise. When you meet someone whose soul connects with yours on such a deep level, it's indescribable and breathtaking."

As time went on, they continued to give glimpses of their growing bond. On their anniversary in November 2020, Sandy expressed her adoration for Leah on Instagram, saying, "Two years ago, I met this amazing soul, my true love. It's true what they say, couples who have fun together stay together. This is Leah's idea of fun - detoxing the skin with a charcoal mask!"

The Bravo star hinted at the possibility of marriage with Leah, saying, "Slow and steady wins the race. I do see marriage in the future, but who knows? It's only been just under two years, so let's see."

While Sandy's personal life was going well, her career highs and lows were showcased on Below Deck Mediterranean. The TV personality, who joined the spinoff in 2017, openly discussed her unique management style for running a boat.

“Sometimes, you have to get your hands dirty and fully immerse yourself. That’s why it’s essential for me to provide support for my team because I hold them to high standards,” Sandy shared exclusively with We in July 2022. “I approach each new project with the mindset of embracing the learning curve that comes with it."

The author of Be the Calm Or Be the Storm continued, "I truly enjoy providing people with fresh opportunities. While it can be challenging when things aren't going smoothly due to crew members lacking the experience they claimed to have, I believe it would be selfish of me to only work with past crew members who have proven their expertise in ideal conditions. After all, someone once gave me a chance, so I strive for a balance by combining new talents with familiar ones."

Scroll on for a full breakdown of Sandy and Leah’s romance:

Credit: Courtesy Leah Shafer/Instagram

Below Deck Mediterranean's Captain Sandy Yawn and Leah Shafer's Relationship Timeline: From 1st Meeting to Romance

Content: Captain Sandy Yawn from Below Deck Mediterranean has candidly shared the narrative of her romance with girlfriend Leah Shafer. They crossed paths in 2018 when the gospel singer initiated contact via social media to discuss Captain Sandy's popular Bravo series.

In an interview with The Cheat Sheet in 2019, the captain shared that she received a kind message from Shafer, which said, 'Congratulations on your show, I came across it. Many blessings.' The captain mentioned that the phrase "many blessings" immediately grabbed her attention.

Prior to her relationship with the Below Deck star, Shafer was married to entertainer Ross Shafer for two decades, during which they had a daughter named Lauren before separating.

Leah felt that making her relationship with Sandy public in 2019 was the perfect next step in their romance. She described it as unexpected but beautiful when you meet someone with whom you have a deep connection.

Throughout the years, Leah and Sandy have continued to share glimpses of their growing relationship. To celebrate their anniversary in November 2020, Sandy expressed her love for Leah on Instagram, stating, "Two years ago, I met this amazing soul, my true love. It's true that couples who have fun together stay together. This time, Leah's idea of fun is detoxing our skin with a charcoal mask!"

The Bravo star later hinted at the possibility of marriage with Leah, stating in July 2021 that "slow and steady wins the race. So, I do. I do [see marriage in the future]. I mean, who knows? It’s only been two years, so let’s see."

While Sandy's personal life was going well, her career highs and lows were prominently featured on Below Deck Mediterranean. The TV personality, who joined the spinoff in 2017, previously discussed her distinct approach to boat management.

Sandy expressed the importance of getting hands-on and providing support to her team due to her high expectations. In an exclusive interview with We in July 2022, she shared her approach of embracing new challenges and recognizing the learning curve. As the author of Be the Calm Or Be the Storm, Sandy also mentioned her passion for giving people new opportunities, even though it may lead to stressful situations at times when crew members lack the necessary experience. She acknowledged that it would be selfish on her part to only work with experienced crew members, as she values the opportunity she was once given and believes in creating a balance between experienced and new individuals.

Scroll on for a full breakdown of Sandy and Leah's romance:

Credit: Courtesy Leah Shafer/Instagram

March 2018

The twosome met when Leah sent Sandy a message on Facebook. They went on their first date later that year.

Credit: Courtesy Captain Sandy Yawn/Instagram

October 2019

Leah and Sandy became Instagram official after several months together.

Credit: Courtesy Leah Shafer/Instagram

September 2020

The Below Deck star moved to Colorado to be closer to her girlfriend.

Credit: Courtesy Captain Sandy Yawn/Instagram

February 2021

Sandy and Leah shared photos from their Valentine's Day celebration.

Credit: Courtesy Captain Sandy Yawn/Instagram

March 2022

The duo were all smiles in a sweet selfie.

Credit: Courtesy Leah Shafer/Instagram

October 2022

After more than two years of dating, Sandy and Leah started their own podcast titled "Captain Sandy and Leah Rae Show."

Credit: Courtesy Captain Sandy Yawn/Instagram

November 2022

"Four years ago, I parked your car in Los Angeles, planted a kiss upon your lips, and within that moment, I felt a profound certainty that I would devote the entirety of my life to loving, safeguarding, and imparting the significance of 'do overs' to you. Hahah! Leah Rae @leahraeofficial, you hold the key to my heart, my soulmate, and I yearn to embrace the journey of aging together."

Credit: Courtesy Leah Shafer/Instagram

December 2022

Leah joked in an Instagram caption that she wasn't engaged because Sandy "hasn't asked" her yet.

Credit: Captain Sandy Yawn/Instagram

January 2023

Sandy's brief appearance on season 10 of Below Deck gained attention when Captain Lee raised concerns about her decisions. During this time, Leah defended her girlfriend against Lee's dissatisfaction with Sandy's lack of updates.

In response to the remarks made by the Michigan native, Leah tweeted, "She possesses exceptional manners and has consistently shown kindness and support. I am unsure of the reason behind your tweets. She left me and our home to step in until you recovered. We continue to pray for you and your family, and always wish you the best."

Credit: Courtesy Captain Sandy/Twitter

January 2023

"Home is where the heart is #Love," Sandy wrote alongside a photo of her and Leah getting cozy in front of their future house.

Credit: Gregory Pace/Shutterstock

February 2023

During an interview with Us, Sandy opened up about making her relationship work long distance.

"We're still figuring it out. Our love for each other is overwhelming," she beamed. "Leah and I recently had a fantastic time in Miami, and it made me realize that we should make it a monthly ritual. We're the kind of people who thrive on three-day getaways. Those three days are pure bliss dedicated to just the two of us, with no distractions from our phones. It's truly rejuvenating."

Credit: Courtesy of Leah Shafer/Instagram

June 2023

The star of Below Deck Med discussed the challenges of maintaining her relationship during filming.

"It's all about communication and the reality is that it's only six weeks. So, each time we come back, it's like starting something new. It's actually quite exciting," Sandy shared exclusively with Us. "We've been busy building a house, so we make frequent visits to Florida and we also spend time in the Hamptons. We're just embracing life because as we get older, we crave more experiences."