Deadliest Catch Time Bandit Was Burned By A Silly Prank
As longtime fans of “Deadliest Catch” know, the docuseries’ title isn’t hyperbole. Commercial crab fishing is one of the most dangerous industries in the United States, owing to frigid temperatures, heavy equipment, and long hours. We can’t fault fishermen, then, for being ignorant of the dangers of another trade: baking. How were the hardy seamen of “Deadliest Catch” supposed to know that flour is highly flammable? Unfortunately, F/V Time Bandit deckhand Freddy Maugatai learned the hard way.
In Season 19, Episode 16, the Time Bandit crew decides to surprise Maugatai for his 50th birthday. The crew presents Maugatai with a crab pot buoy emblazoned with a happy birthday message. Maugatai exclaims, “Turning 50 in the Bering Sea is the best feeling ever!”
The mischief-loving Captain Johnathan Hillstrand kicks off the birthday prank by pretending the ship has lost power. The deckhands then proceed to cover Maugatai in raw eggs and a plume of flour before firing an emergency flare. The prank backfires, and the extremely flammable flour engulfs Maugatai in a fireball. The mood shifts from celebratory to dire as the crew works to extinguish the birthday boy.
Just another day at sea for Freddy Maugatai
Discovery
Frostbite and hypothermia are common concerns on “Deadliest Catch.” Fire — not so much. Still, Freddy Maugatai took the at-sea blaze in stride. “Hey, human candle! Dude, you were gone! You were on fire!” said Hillstrand before apologizing profusely for the prank gone wrong. “I’m OK, boss,” Maugatai responded. “That was the best birthday present ever!”
Fans of “Deadliest Catch” shouldn’t be surprised by Maugatai’s easy-going demeanor. The veteran deckhand, who first appeared on the series in 2008, has long displayed an affinity for wild stunts. In Season 9, Maugatai jumped overboard in an effort to harvest a walrus carcass’ lucrative tusks, despite protests from his fellow deckhands.
Maugatai’s devil-may-care personality has gotten him into hot water, too. In 2012, Maugatai got into legal trouble when he had an altercation with a couple in a hotel bar bathroom. A year later, he and a rookie fisherman almost came to blows on Keith Colburn’s ship.
While Maugatai’s temper and impulsive lifestyle may not jibe with some captains, he and Johnathan Hillstrand are a perfect match. Hillstrand is an avowed prankster with a love of motorcycles and auto racing. His birthday prank may have gotten out of hand, but Maugatai graciously accepts his apology.
