Remembering Captain Phil Harris. His wiki, bio, net worth, wife, and kids.

When it comes to fishing for King Crabs, Captain Phil Harris is as legendary as they came. A man of the sea, the captain spent all of his life in the sea. Right from the moment, he was born to his final breath. While he lived, Phil was one of the best fishermen in all of the Bering Sea. Few could match up to his wit and even fewer matched up to his skills. But what made Captain Phil Harris the stuff of legend was the speed with which he took decisions. The man knew what he was doing at all times and never backed down from a fight. In this article, we will take a closer look at the wiki-bio of Captain Phil Harris.

Early Life:

Phillip Charles Harris was born on the 19th of December 1956 in Bothell, Washington. Born and raised in a fishing household, Philip would often follow his father on several fishing trips. Philip started fishing when he was eight years of age and started fishing for crabs right after high school. Apart from his early interest in fishing, little is known about Philip’s early life or his family.

Earning his way:

When Philip began crab fishing fresh out of high school, he joined a crab boat as an unpaid deckhand. Over the years, Philip proved his worth and by 21 had already earned his captain badges. At 21, Philip was one of the youngest crab fishing boat captains on the Bering Sea.

Having finally earned his captain’s badge, Philip started as the captain of The Cornelia Marie. In the years that followed, the discovery channel came knocking with an idea of a reality TV series with Philip in the center.

Deadliest Catch:

Philip was introduced to the world of the Deadliest Catch in 2005. On the helm of the Cornelia, Philip’s first appearance came during the opilio crab portion of Season 1, as partner ship of the F/V Maverick. In the same season, Cornelia was heavily involved in the rescue of F/V Big Valley after it sank. After its debut appearance in season 1, Cornelia and Philip became a staple of the series. Phil also owned a coffee brand called Captain’s Reserve, which is in the hands of his sons now. From 2004-2005, Phil made 70 episodes appearance on “Deadliest Catch.” He was also part of the spin-off After The Catch making 13 appeareances from 2007-2009.  

Turning Fortunes:

Things were going well for Captain Philips during his early years in the series. But in 2008, Harris was thrown from his bunk during a storm. He broke his ribs and spent hours coughing up blood. At the bequest of his sons and crew, Phil decided to go to the doctor. He was diagnosed with a pulmonary embolism and had to miss the next fishing season. Even though he returned for the opilio crab fishing season in January 2009, Phil was still in the danger zone. A chain smoker, Phil was often chastised for his habit by his sons.

One with the sea:

During the opilio crab season in 2010, Phil suffered a massive stroke. It happened while he was offloading crab on January 29, 2010, at St. Paul Island, Alaska. He was quickly flown to Anchorage for surgery and was placed in an induced coma to reduce intracranial pressure and swelling. And while early signs were encouraging, Phil died from an intracranial hemorrhage on February 9, 2010. And while Phil was cremated alongside his mother, his sons dispersed his ashes on the sea.

Net Worth:

At the time of his death, Phil was reported to have a net worth of $1.5 Million.

Personal Life

Wife and Kids:

Even though Harris was single at the time of his death, he had been married twice. His first marriage was to May Harris which lasted from 1982 to 1991. The pair had two sons, Joshua, and Jacob Harris. His second marriage was to Teressa Harris which began on January 22, 1992 and ended in divorce in 2006. Both sons have followed the sea life and turned to crab fishing as a grown-up.

Wiki Facts