Ocean Sailing & Sail Training

Growing up, I spent each summer cruising Florida and the Bahamas with my grandfather aboard his 24' sailboat. I earned my USCG 50-ton Captain's License in 2003, and the following year, purchased and moved aboard S/V Blue Heeler, a 40' cutter-rigged sloop. I lived aboard in Key Largo while attending graduate school in Miami, and frequently sailed the Florida Keys and Bahamas. In 2008, I sailed Blue Heeler to Puerto Morelos, Mexico, to begin a post-doc at the Instituto de Ciencias del Mar y Limnología. During my post-doc, I captained Blue Heeler up and down the Yucatan Peninsula, through the atolls of Belize, and as far south as Guatemala.

In 2012, I sailed home to Florida and began developing the Science Under Sail Institute for Exploration (SUSiE). In 2014, SUSiE Expeditions launched its first college student programs at sea, aboard 50' sailing catamarans. As captain and expedition leader I develop the curriculum and practicals to train the students to captain and command every aspect of the vessel, including plotting and piloting the expedition route.

Starting Early

I was on sailboats before I could walk. Growing up, my grandfather and I would cruise Florida, the Keys and Bahamas each summer. I began learning sail, navigation and seamanship skills at an early age.

S/V Blue Heeler

In 2004, I acquired a 1977 Creekmore 40’ offshore cruiser/racer. I named her S/V Blue Heeler after my water-loving cattle dog, and she would become our full-time cruising home.

Sailing Genes

I'm honored to be the son of a son of an amazing sailor. My grandfather and I getting ready for Blue Heeler's maiden voyage from Clearwater down to Key Largo, Fl.

Liveaboard Researcher

In 2008, I sailed Blue Heeler to Mexico for a 3-year post-doctoral research appointment at the Instituto de Ciencias del Mar y Limnología in Puerto Morelos . I lived aboard and explored much of the meso-american reef during this time.

Cruising the Meso-American Reef

S/V Blue Heeler sits on anchor in Placencia, Belize, during one of many exploratory trips down the Meso-American.

SUSiE Expeditions

In 2014, I founded the Science under Sail Institute for Exploration (SUSiE) and developed the sailing curriculum and hands-on sail training for its college student programs, SUSiE Expeditions.

SUSiE Expeditions

Each summer, I train groups of college students to sail, captain, and navigate a 50’ sailing catamaran through the 300+ islands of the Exuma archipelago, Bahamas.

SUSiE Sailing Alumni

To date, I’ve graduated 47 college students from SUSiE Expedition programs. Each one leaves with sound experiential training in the fundamentals of sailing, seamanship and coastal navigation.