Unaware of Phil Harris final fight, the other captains continued to battle a 1,000 square-mile arctic storm.
The Northwestern plowed through 45-ft. waves and 60-mph wind and suddenly looked like a toy in a bathtub.
Thats an angry sea, my friend, deckhand Nick Mavar, Jr. said.
Wind blew in every direction around The Wizard.
We got just this confused sea going on right now, Capt.
The sea eventually turned flat calm three hours after Phil passed.
I just feel weird right now.
We just lost him, Josh said, and Freddie tried not to cry.
If he failed, you cant blame him: He was standing right by Phils chair.
He sat down, and cried.
Sig waited for what seemed like an eternity for him to say theyd found out Phil had passed away.
Hed just talked to Phils boys yesterday.
The Cornelia Marie crew had just talked to Phil yesterday, Derrick said.
Theyd both thought everything was fine.
Sig was visibly shaken but didnt cry (on-camera at least).
We didnt hear him tell his crew, but we saw the aftermath as they sat around the table.
Edgars and Nicks eyes were wet.
Edgar waved and gave a salute.
It did look wounded, like it was sitting lower in the water than usual.
Somehow that was as heartbreaking as looking into the faces of Phils boys.
Phil had captained it for 20 years.
That was just the beginning of the waterworks.
For all I know, that could be old Phil on the bow right now.
We learned a lot about both sides of Phil during the tribute that followed in the second hour.
From when he was 17, and talked his way onto a boat by saying hed work for free.
(Phil said hed consider himself successful if he was half as tough as his dad.
He was a much better fisherman than I am.)
Bottom line: He wanted to live life his way.
Work hard, play hard.
With three Harleys in his living room.
He missed a lot of their childhood, but he really got to know them as men.
I think Phil really did believe his time was limited and didnt want to waste it.
MoreDeadliest Catch:
Josh Harris Q&A: This has not been easy
Recap of Phils final episode
