ABOUT THE CAPTAIN
Hi, I’m Bear and I like to smile. I was born in Redding, a small town in Northern California. Landlocked, and far from the sea, I learned to sail on a small mountain lake called Whiskeytown.
What drew me to sailing was the freedom. On the water one has to stay present and aware. The boat is at once in two worlds, half in the water and half in the sky, yet fully immersed in the elements. The tradition of sailing or “Going to Sea” felt inherent in my love for adventure. When I’m not sailing you can find me surfing, kiteboarding, fly-fishing and dancing.
Sharing the wonders of the world with others is a passion I’ve had for all of my life. I am fascinated by people and their stories, their drives and their loves.
The sea is unprejudiced with its sharing of wonders, and it’s power. I find the balance of this dance to be invigorating, and endlessly variable. Helping others connect to the water energizes me.
One never has the same day at sea, and I relish the freshness that living onboard gives me in my life. I look forward to sharing this with you!
A LIFE ON THE WATER
After early years on Whiskeytown lake I sailed FJ’s competitively for the University of California Santa Cruz race team. Once I became a familiar face on the docks, I began racing on SC 27’s, a West Coast one-design class.
I moved East after college to work for Captain Robert S. Douglas on the Square Topsail Schooner, Shenandoah. Starting as a deckhand aboard, I worked my way up to 1st mate, and became a licensed 100 ton USCG Captain. Learning the ropes the old fashioned way, from a Master Mariner, I developed my love for the sea. Using only paper charts and a depth sounder, Captain Douglas taught me to navigate the waters around Martha’s Vineyard safely. He shared with me many stories of maritime history and Vineyard lore. Over the course of seven summers on Shenandoah, we taught hundreds of children from all over the U.S. and Martha’s Vineyard about life on a traditional vessel.
After leaving Shenandoah, I worked on the Gannon and Benjamin schooner, Juno, for seven years. On Juno, I learned a different set of skills from Captain Scotty DiBiaso; yacht racing, deep water voyages, and keeping the yacht in Bristol Fashion. While sailing up and down the East Coast and Caribbean, I connected to new communities and other boats, finding a sense of home on Saint Barth’s.
In the spring of 2025, I was approached with the opportunity to take a tack in another adventure, and set sail on Aldebaran.
“I must down to the seas again, for the call of the running tide
Is a wild call and a clear call that may not be denied;
And all I ask is a windy day with the white clouds flying,
And the flung spray and the blown spume, and the sea-gulls crying.”
- John Masefield
