Deadliest Catch's Johnathan Hillstrand Has Written Children's Books

Life out at sea isn't easy for anyone, let alone a crab fishing boat captain. Watch just one episode of "Deadliest Catch" and you'll see what we mean. The long-running hit Discovery Channel reality series follows the struggles of crab fishermen who experience a varying array hardships, challenges and victories in enduring the harsh Alaskan waters during king crab season. Since 2005, the show has never shied away from showcasing the brutal reality of this lifestyle. 

While the rewards for a successful collection of crabs can be vast, the risks and stressors are almost always guaranteed, whether you come back with one crab or one million. Heavy machinery, powerful waves and long hours with little sleep or good nutrition are just some of the many reasons why crab fishing has often been considered one of the world's most dangerous occupations (via National Library of Medicine). 

Although it seems that such a lifestyle would thicken the skin of any and all involved, the "Deadliest Catch" captains all have their fun sides and special hobbies that they relish in when on dry land. Amongst them is Captain Jonathan Hillstrand, who's love for his grandchildren manifested itself into a series of colorful adventures. 

Johnathan Hillstrand is perhaps best known to many as the longtime captain of the Time Bandit, a ship he has put to good use on "Deadliest Catch." But what happens when the hard-headed ship captain finds himself on dry land? As it turns out, Hillstrand has quite the passion for storytelling. 

On an 2019 interview with KOOL 101.7, while discussing an upcoming event he would be appearing at, Hillstrand shared his surprisingly prolific side career. "A lot of people don't know I wrote kids books and they're really good books," he explained. "I never thought that I'd ever write a kids book but I got these grandbabies and I always ... had these characters in my head." Hillstrand, who admitted that he originally aspired to work for Stan Lee as a sequential comic artist, has bigger goals for his stories in the future. "Now I got these three books and I want to make an animated cartoon is what I want to do." He described the plot of the books, which all center around characters learning simple yet valuable life morals and overcoming obstacles. 

It would certainly be something to see what a cartoon made by a hardcore crab fisherman would be like, but we are all in favor of the wholesome act, as Hillstrand's stories clearly come from with good intentions. Hillstrand's books can all be found on Amazon and their own website.