Despite being one of the stars of Cold Water Cowboys, Conway Caines insists he isn’t going to change.
The Port Saunders native, along with the crew aboard his father Rick’s boat the Seadoo, were featured during the Discovery Channel’s 10-episode run this season.
Although he’s taken some teasing from friends and occasionally gets recognized in public, Caines said his newfound notoriety isn’t likely to go to his head.
“I’m me whether I’m happy or I’m mad,” Caines said with a smile Friday prior to a promotional appearance at Colemans at the Garden in Corner Brook.
“If I got to go be somebody else for a TV show, then the TV show can leave.”
Viewers of the show had the chance to see the Seadoos crew struggle through the ups and downs of the unforgiving Newfoundland fishery.
It wasn’t always smooth sailing and with cameras constantly rolling, Caines said there was nowhere to hide during these stressful, difficult moments.
“The weirdest part of it all is seeing yourself when you’re frustrated,” he said. “When things happen you just can’t hide your frustrations because it’s a make-it or break-it industry to start with.”
Caines and his father fish nine species to make a go of it in the fishery.
Despite the naturally competitive environment, the show often showed fisherman, including Caines and company, pitching in to help a vessel in peril or to help mend another crew’s nets.
He said this camaraderie is something ingrained in Newfoundland fisherman.
“To me, that’s a Newfoundland thing to help your neighbour,” he said. “If you’re out fishing and somebody runs over your gear, you might shake your fist at him. But when you get back ashore, you’re all over in the store having a bottle of beer.
“As Newfoundlanders, we’re there to help each other out.”
