Phil Harris (fisherman)
Encyclopedia
Phillip Charles "Phil" Harris (December 19, 1956 – February 9, 2010) was an American
captain
and part owner of the crab fishing vessel Cornelia Marie
, which is featured on Discovery Channel
's documentary
reality TV series Deadliest Catch
. He suffered a massive stroke
while offloading C. opilio crab
in port at Saint Paul Island, Alaska
, on January 29, 2010. Despite improvements in his health, Harris died on February 9, 2010, while in the hospital. He was 53 years old.
The episode of Deadliest Catch featuring the Captain's death aired on July 20, 2010, followed by a special tribute episode.
. He initially worked on a crab boat unpaid until he proved his worth. By the time he was 21 he was one of the youngest captains of a crab fishing boat on the Bering Sea
. He had been the captain of the Cornelia Marie
for more than 20 years at the time of his death.
Beginning in 2004 and continuing until his death, Harris and his boat were followed by an embedded film crew for the series Deadliest Catch. The Cornelia Marie was first shown during the opilio crab
portion of Season 1, as a partner ship of F/V Maverick, and was heavily involved in the search effort after the sinking of the Big Valley. It became a regular fixture of the show from the second season on. During the 2008 season, Harris was thrown from his bunk during a storm and thought he had broken his ribs. However, after coughing up blood for hours, his sons and crew convinced him to seek medical attention and enlisted the film crew to watch his condition. He was determined to have suffered a pulmonary embolism
and ongoing medical treatment kept him from fishing for almost a year. He returned to fishing in January 2009.
Some of Harris' sea stories were included in the book Deadliest Catch: Desperate Hours. In 2008, Harris developed a line of coffees, "Captain's Reserve", with blends named after fishing themes such as "Harris Family Blend" and "Midnight Sunrise." Adding to his health woes was Harris' noted chain-smoking which was frequently seen on the show.http://articles.latimes.com/2010/jul/13/entertainment/la-et-deadliest-catch-20100713
on January 29, 2010 while harbored in St. Paul Island, Alaska. He was flown to Anchorage for surgery, and was placed in an induced coma to reduce intracranial pressure
and swelling. He awoke from the coma after his condition had improved. He was squeezing hands, talking, and showing other signs of improvement but died from an intracranial hemorrhage
on February 9, 2010. He was cremated, and half of the ashes were buried with the remains of his mother. Harris' family intends to spread the remainder of the ashes at sea.
His sons Jacob and Joshua issued a statement for the Harris family, saying, "It is with great sadness that we say goodbye to our dad -- Captain Phil Harris. Dad has always been a fighter and continued to be until the end. For us and the crew, he was someone who never backed down. We will remember and celebrate that strength. Thanks to everyone for their thoughts and prayers."
The sixth season of Deadliest Catch, featuring footage of Phil Harris at work, began airing on Discovery Channel on April 13, 2010. A memorial service to Phil Harris was hosted by the Discovery Channel along Seattle's waterfront on Smith Cove Cruise Terminal at Pier 91 on Friday evening, April 30, 2010. This was the night before the Puget Sound
's annual Opening Day for boating season. Phil's sons Jake and Josh Harris spoke at this service. A boat gave a final salute from where Phil's vessel is based in Elliott Bay
.
. He enjoyed driving fast and owned both a Harley-Davidson
motorcycle and a Chevrolet Corvette
. Besides driving fast and fishing, he also enjoyed building bird feeder
s.
Before his death, Phil Harris set up a coffee company called the Captain's Reserve
. His sons Jake and Joshua are now in the process of promoting the brand and expanding the family business. National retail expansion began January 2011, and will be going global the same year.
United States
The United States of America is a federal constitutional republic comprising fifty states and a federal district...
captain
Captain (nautical)
A sea captain is a licensed mariner in ultimate command of the vessel. The captain is responsible for its safe and efficient operation, including cargo operations, navigation, crew management and ensuring that the vessel complies with local and international laws, as well as company and flag...
and part owner of the crab fishing vessel Cornelia Marie
FV Cornelia Marie
The F/V Cornelia Marie is one of the commercial crab fishing boats featured on the Discovery Channel series Deadliest Catch.The boat is owned by Cornelia Marie Devlin and prior to his death, Phil Harris . Two of Phil's sons, Jake and Josh Harris, work on the boat as well...
, which is featured on Discovery Channel
Discovery Channel
Discovery Channel is an American satellite and cable specialty channel , founded by John Hendricks and distributed by Discovery Communications. It is a publicly traded company run by CEO David Zaslav...
's documentary
Documentary
A documentary is a creative work of non-fiction, including:* Documentary film, including television* Radio documentary* Documentary photographyRelated terms include:...
reality TV series Deadliest Catch
Deadliest Catch
Deadliest Catch is a documentary/reality television series produced by Original Productions for the Discovery Channel. It portrays the real life events aboard fishing vessels in the Bering Sea during the Alaskan king crab and C. opilio crab fishing seasons.The Aleutian Islands port of Dutch Harbor,...
. He suffered a massive stroke
Stroke
A stroke, previously known medically as a cerebrovascular accident , is the rapidly developing loss of brain function due to disturbance in the blood supply to the brain. This can be due to ischemia caused by blockage , or a hemorrhage...
while offloading C. opilio crab
Chionoecetes
Chionoecetes is a genus of crabs that live in the northern Pacific and Atlantic Oceans.Other names for crabs in this genus include "queen crab" and "spider crab" – they are known by different names in different areas of the world....
in port at Saint Paul Island, Alaska
Alaska
Alaska is the largest state in the United States by area. It is situated in the northwest extremity of the North American continent, with Canada to the east, the Arctic Ocean to the north, and the Pacific Ocean to the west and south, with Russia further west across the Bering Strait...
, on January 29, 2010. Despite improvements in his health, Harris died on February 9, 2010, while in the hospital. He was 53 years old.
The episode of Deadliest Catch featuring the Captain's death aired on July 20, 2010, followed by a special tribute episode.
Career
Harris began fishing with his father at age eight and after high school began crab fishingAlaskan king crab fishing
Alaskan king crab fishing is carried out during the winter months in the waters off the coast of Alaska and the Aleutian Islands. The commercial harvest is performed during a very short season, and the catch is shipped worldwide...
. He initially worked on a crab boat unpaid until he proved his worth. By the time he was 21 he was one of the youngest captains of a crab fishing boat on the Bering Sea
Bering Sea
The Bering Sea is a marginal sea of the Pacific Ocean. It comprises a deep water basin, which then rises through a narrow slope into the shallower water above the continental shelves....
. He had been the captain of the Cornelia Marie
FV Cornelia Marie
The F/V Cornelia Marie is one of the commercial crab fishing boats featured on the Discovery Channel series Deadliest Catch.The boat is owned by Cornelia Marie Devlin and prior to his death, Phil Harris . Two of Phil's sons, Jake and Josh Harris, work on the boat as well...
for more than 20 years at the time of his death.
Beginning in 2004 and continuing until his death, Harris and his boat were followed by an embedded film crew for the series Deadliest Catch. The Cornelia Marie was first shown during the opilio crab
Chionoecetes
Chionoecetes is a genus of crabs that live in the northern Pacific and Atlantic Oceans.Other names for crabs in this genus include "queen crab" and "spider crab" – they are known by different names in different areas of the world....
portion of Season 1, as a partner ship of F/V Maverick, and was heavily involved in the search effort after the sinking of the Big Valley. It became a regular fixture of the show from the second season on. During the 2008 season, Harris was thrown from his bunk during a storm and thought he had broken his ribs. However, after coughing up blood for hours, his sons and crew convinced him to seek medical attention and enlisted the film crew to watch his condition. He was determined to have suffered a pulmonary embolism
Pulmonary embolism
Pulmonary embolism is a blockage of the main artery of the lung or one of its branches by a substance that has travelled from elsewhere in the body through the bloodstream . Usually this is due to embolism of a thrombus from the deep veins in the legs, a process termed venous thromboembolism...
and ongoing medical treatment kept him from fishing for almost a year. He returned to fishing in January 2009.
Some of Harris' sea stories were included in the book Deadliest Catch: Desperate Hours. In 2008, Harris developed a line of coffees, "Captain's Reserve", with blends named after fishing themes such as "Harris Family Blend" and "Midnight Sunrise." Adding to his health woes was Harris' noted chain-smoking which was frequently seen on the show.http://articles.latimes.com/2010/jul/13/entertainment/la-et-deadliest-catch-20100713
Death
During the sixth opilio crab season of Deadliest Catch, Harris suffered a massive strokeStroke
A stroke, previously known medically as a cerebrovascular accident , is the rapidly developing loss of brain function due to disturbance in the blood supply to the brain. This can be due to ischemia caused by blockage , or a hemorrhage...
on January 29, 2010 while harbored in St. Paul Island, Alaska. He was flown to Anchorage for surgery, and was placed in an induced coma to reduce intracranial pressure
Intracranial pressure
Intracranial pressure is the pressure inside the skull and thus in the brain tissue and cerebrospinal fluid . The body has various mechanisms by which it keeps the ICP stable, with CSF pressures varying by about 1 mmHg in normal adults through shifts in production and absorption of CSF...
and swelling. He awoke from the coma after his condition had improved. He was squeezing hands, talking, and showing other signs of improvement but died from an intracranial hemorrhage
Intracranial hemorrhage
An intracranial hemorrhage is a hemorrhage, or bleeding, within the skull.-Causes:Intracranial bleeding occurs when a blood vessel within the skull is ruptured or leaks. It can result from physical trauma or nontraumatic causes such as a ruptured aneurysm...
on February 9, 2010. He was cremated, and half of the ashes were buried with the remains of his mother. Harris' family intends to spread the remainder of the ashes at sea.
His sons Jacob and Joshua issued a statement for the Harris family, saying, "It is with great sadness that we say goodbye to our dad -- Captain Phil Harris. Dad has always been a fighter and continued to be until the end. For us and the crew, he was someone who never backed down. We will remember and celebrate that strength. Thanks to everyone for their thoughts and prayers."
The sixth season of Deadliest Catch, featuring footage of Phil Harris at work, began airing on Discovery Channel on April 13, 2010. A memorial service to Phil Harris was hosted by the Discovery Channel along Seattle's waterfront on Smith Cove Cruise Terminal at Pier 91 on Friday evening, April 30, 2010. This was the night before the Puget Sound
Puget Sound
Puget Sound is a sound in the U.S. state of Washington. It is a complex estuarine system of interconnected marine waterways and basins, with one major and one minor connection to the Strait of Juan de Fuca and the Pacific Ocean — Admiralty Inlet being the major connection and...
's annual Opening Day for boating season. Phil's sons Jake and Josh Harris spoke at this service. A boat gave a final salute from where Phil's vessel is based in Elliott Bay
Elliott Bay
Elliott Bay is the body of water on which Seattle, Washington, is located. A line drawn from Alki Point in the south to West Point in the north serves to mark the generally accepted division between the bay and the open sound...
.
Personal life
Harris was unmarried at the time of his death, but had been married and divorced twice. His first marriage from 1982-1991 was to Mary Harris, mother of his two sons, Joshua and Jacob. Joshua and Jacob also worked on board his fishing vessel, Cornelia Marie, as deckhands. His hometown was Bothell, WashingtonBothell, Washington
Bothell is a city located in King and Snohomish Counties in the state of Washington. It is part of the Seattle metropolitan area. The population was 33,505 as of the 2010 census...
. He enjoyed driving fast and owned both a Harley-Davidson
Harley-Davidson
Harley-Davidson , often abbreviated H-D or Harley, is an American motorcycle manufacturer. Founded in Milwaukee, Wisconsin, during the first decade of the 20th century, it was one of two major American motorcycle manufacturers to survive the Great Depression...
motorcycle and a Chevrolet Corvette
Chevrolet Corvette
The Chevrolet Corvette is a sports car by the Chevrolet division of General Motors that has been produced in six generations. The first model, a convertible, was designed by Harley Earl and introduced at the GM Motorama in 1953 as a concept show car. Myron Scott is credited for naming the car after...
. Besides driving fast and fishing, he also enjoyed building bird feeder
Bird feeder
A birdfeeder, bird feeder, bird table, or tray feeder are devices placed outdoors to supply bird food to birds...
s.
Before his death, Phil Harris set up a coffee company called the Captain's Reserve
Captain's Reserve
Captain's Reserve is a gourmet coffee company set up by the late Deadliest Catch Captain Phil Harris. His sons Joshua and Jake are working to promote and expand family business. National retail expansion began January 2011, and will be going global the same year. Owned and operated by Marsha...
. His sons Jake and Joshua are now in the process of promoting the brand and expanding the family business. National retail expansion began January 2011, and will be going global the same year.
External links
- Official Captain Phil Harris Fan Site
- Official Cornelia Marie Site
- Phil Harris moments on Discovery Channel