ABOUT MASTER CAPTAIN MARK
To me the sea is a continual miracle; The fishes that swim, the rocks, the motion of the waves, the ships with men in them. What stranger miracles are there? --Walt Whitman
- Captain Mark is a member of the Habitat and Water Quality Standing Advisory Committee, at the NC Marine Fisheries Commission
- Lifetime Member of the Friends of Fort Macon
- A financial Donor to Bonehenge Whale Center
- A member of the Friends of the North Carolina Maritime Museum in Beaufort where the company has become part of the "Signature Site" at the waterfront courtyard located on the Museum's Gallants Channel site, as well as the Sponsor of the online seminar series.
- Captain Mark is a U.S. Coast Guard Licensed Master Captain, approved to take any boat up to 100 gross tons out 100 nautical miles (115 miles) from our coast.
- The H2O Captain boat has been examined by the US Coast Guard and shows their Annual Decal on the boat as proof, along with our National Park Service Decal on our windshield.
- Our Captain, along with his 1st Mate, Lucky the Dog, is available for charters 6 days/week
- Captain Mark is an Admissions Partner to the USCG Academy in New London, CT, which trains future USCG Officers.
- He is a USCG Aux Certified Instructor as well as a Certified Vessel Examiner for recreational vessels up to 65 feet
- Captain Mark participates in the USCG Mariner Outreach System to assist in a national emergency or sealift crisis.
- H2O Captain is a Corporate Sponsor of the 2023 Kayak for the Warriors, which benefits those who have sacrificed in the name of freedom.
Captain Mark is the creator, producer, writer, and voice of the public service announcement, Boating Safety Minute heard throughout the boating season on FM107.1, presented by the USCG Aux.
Additionally, Captain Mark has taught sailing on Long Island Sound, NY, and in the State of Vermont, has participated in many regattas, and is also an expert whitewater kayaker where he has boated from Canada to Chile, with two first descents to his name, and from the Atlantic Ocean to kayaking The Grand Canyon 3 times!!!
Knowledge Base:
• USCG courses including Leadership Administrative Procedures, Vessel Safety, Workforce Resilience Training, Security Education and Awareness Training, Privacy at DHS, Protecting Personal Information, Sexual Harassment Prevention, Civil Rights Awareness, Suicide Prevention, Ethics, Influenza Training, Risk Management, and Bloodborne Pathogens
• USCG Auxiliary Flotilla Commander Leadership Academy, graduate, 2020
• FEMA courses Introduction to the Incident Command System and Introduction to National Incident Management System
• Advanced Piloting, United States Power Squadrons.
• Piloting, United States Power Squadrons
• Seamanship, United States Power Squadrons
• Personal Watercraft Training, National Association of State Boating Law Administrators / U.S. Coast Guard
• American Heart Association Heartsaver First Aid CPR AED Program
Lastly, Captain Mark is the Chief Entertainment Officer at the nationwide Mark Sonder Productions Entertainment Agency, a published author, speaker, as well as a Life Master Bridge Player where he was part of the winning 2017 North American Bridge Tournament Compact Stratified Knockout Champion Team!
Photos by Dave Tolley
