WHY YOU NEED A CAPTAIN

We have traveled land and sea
But as long as you are with me
There's no place I'd rather be
--Rather Be by Clean Bandit

A professional captain should be viewed as an important step in becoming familiar with a new boat. While some may see it as a necessary evil and expense, I have long argued it is perhaps one of the best things one can do to become a responsible and confident mariner. Especially for people like me who tend to avoid instruction in an academic environment, the hands-on experience of working and learning from the right captain makes all the difference in the world.

A professional USCG Licensed Captain is able to manage many sailing and motor vessels single-handedly and has the necessary knowledge to prepare and optimize your boating experience.  A Captain is there to ensure the smooth running of operations on board.  He/she must manage all the potential hazards, both on a technical and human level.  She/he is the only master on board and it is he/she who takes responsibility for the crew and the vessel.  However, the Captain's role does not stop at navigation; the Captain's ability to guide the crew and assign to each one of them their role on board is also essential.  The Captain must know how to adapt to everyone's needs and desires while maintaining his/her role as a leader, which is essential for a good working environment and to avoid damage or injury.  In short, the Captain is the guarantor of your well-being and safety.

• If you just took delivery of a new boat you may want to experience it firsthand with a Captain with local knowledge of the area waters so as not to damage your boat.
• If you want to cruise with your family and/or friends but you are the only one who knows how to skipper the boat.
• If you want to relax at sea without worrying about the maneuvers and handling of the boat.
• If you have just purchased the second-hand boat of your dreams without having the time to transport it to your East Coast or Caribbean destination.
• If you wish to rent a boat for your vacation, but the boat rental company doesn't feel that your boating resume is as "advanced" as it should be.
• If this is the first time out this season and you don't want to take any risks or you are simply new to boating...and the waves...and the current...and the tides...etc.
• If your insurance carrier won't cover you unless you use a USCG Licensed Captain!
• If you are a real estate agent your clients will want to see their perspective water view home from the water!
• If you just purchased a boat you may want to experience firsthand a Captain with local knowledge of the area waters so as not to damage your boat.
• If you need private lessons on boat handling.
• If you need to offer ecological interpretation on school field trips.
• If you wish to explore another nearby area, for example up to Oriental for lunch, area rivers, see the canals of Pine Knoll Shores, etc. Please tell us where you wish to go and what you are looking for and Captain Mark will try really hard to make it happen.
• Was your charter trip legal? Illegally operated charter boat operations are more common than you think. Here's an inside look at a Coast Guard sting operation. 
• Coast Guard cautions the public concerning illegal charters (Press Release from May 14, 2021)

Master Captain Mark's License allows him to take you out as far as 100 miles from the coast in a vessel up to 100 Gross Tons.

In addition, Captain Mark has obtained a TWIC card (Transportation Worker Identification Credential). The TWIC program provides a tamper-resistant biometric credential to maritime workers requiring unescorted access to secure areas of port facilities, outer continental shelf facilities, and vessels regulated under the Maritime Transportation Security Act of 2002, or MTSA.

The cost for the above is dependent upon job description, and duration of time.