One of ‘Deadliest Catch’s Least-Featured Deckhands Is One of the Most Impactful
When it comes to Deadliest Catch, aside from the high-stakes action, part of the draw are the characters seen on the reality series. With an assortment of fishing vessels featured, each with its own designated crews, it may be hard to feature everyone. But sometimes, there’s that one personality that makes an impact. Such was the case for deckhand Oj Ganuelas. While he seems to appear less and less, when he does pop up on screen, it’s for a purpose. His impact on Deadliest Catchmeans much more than you might think.
Deadliest Catch captures the lucrative world of deep sea crabbing in the Bering Sea. With brushes with danger thanks to the elements, the hit Discovery Channel series has proved that fans adore this show. Now in its triumphant 20th season, Deadliest Catch has brought viewers an inside scoop into what happens when these fishermen risk their lives for their careers.
Who Is Oj Ganuelas?
Deckhands come and go on Deadliest Catch, and this deckhand is living proof. Since Season 16, Pascual “Oj” Ganuelas has worked alongside the crew of Fishing Vessel Wizard. As one of the most popular vessels on the program, F/V Wizard is led by Captain Keith Colburn. When it comes to duties as a deckhand, the long list of duties can include cooking meals, cleaning the vessel, and implementing safety measures should an emergency arise. Now how long Ganuelas works on F/V Wizard during the season is unclear. Due to his seldom appearances, one might assume he could be closer to a dayworker, but in reality, his time on screen may simply be due to the edit.
Unfortunately for Oj Ganuelas, the safety protocols have been used in his favor multiple times during his tenure on Deadliest Catch. During his first season of the show, Ganuelas endured a scary moment when he was tossed overboard during the infamous “Snow Moon.”When a cyclonic snowstorm churned up rogue waves, it almost cost Ganuelas his life. The rare astronomical event can cause rogue waves that may wreak havoc to many of the fishing vessels on the show. The extreme currents, alongside the 50 knot winds, caused massive swells that caused waves that towered upwards of 50 feet. Onboard F/V Wizard, a massive wave blindsided Oj Ganuelas, tossing him into a steel pot that caused a brutal leg injury. Thankfully, Ganuelas was able to return to work after this scary incident.
Oj Ganuelas Had a Terrifying Moment on ‘Deadliest Catch’
Though seldom seen on Deadliest Catch, the next major moment for Oj Ganueles occurred during a terrifying moment in a Season 19 episode. While fans are used to terrible moments due to weather-related elements, this moment was due to a physical health scare. In this episode, viewers watched as Oj Ganueles was ultimately rushed to the hospital following some massive chest pains. After being tended to by the fire department following complaints regarding his chest, he revealed he had never felt anything like it. While being tended to, Ganueles revealed that he found more pain when he moved sideways. Captain Keith Colburn then rushed Ganueles in his truck to the clinic as it would be a better facility for medical treatment.
As Oj Ganueles was being treated, Captain Colburn woke up his crew in the dead of night to come up with a contingency plan to deal with the crab while dealing with their fallen deckhand. Captain Colbun requested that his crew charter a plane to take Ganueles to a hospital when he was in a more stable condition. As Colburn said, “We’ve never had this much drama or breakdowns and medical issues in a season.” Ganueles felt bad, but he was medivaced to the Anchorage Hospital. With Ganueles off the boat, Captain Colburn brought in a temporary cover until Ganueles could return following his recovery from a heart attack. No matter how much time Ganueles is seen on screen, his connection with his captain is quite strong. Ganueles posted a photo of “boss man in the house” on his Instagram.
Despite his terrifying moments on Deadliest Catch, Oj Ganueles’ presence is important for the show as a whole. His various emergencies while working on deck have provided viewers with a first-hand glance into the protocol to save a life. The show allows fans to see how dangerous the show can be and how important it is to know how to rescue someone from whatever situation comes their way. Oj Ganueles may be the subject of terrifying incidents, but they illuminate how these crews rush into action.
