Experience

Experience of J. Brad Chapman

Here are some of the various experiences and jobs that I have had over the years. These extra experiences occurred while working full-time for the companies listed on my resume. I used vacation time to participate in these other opportunities.

1991: While working for Micronesian Divers Association on Guam (1989-1995), I spent a week working as a Japanese speaking PADI instructor and dive guide on the Japanese cruises ship, Oceanic Grace of the Showa Line. They contracted me to guide some Showa executives that had been certified by PADI. The Oceanic Grace only had NAUI personnel on board  and the executives thought that it would be better to have a guide from their own certifying agency. The cruise was to the Ulithi Atoll in the Yap Islands of Micronesia. At the end of the cruise the Captain told me that my Japanese was very good and he appreciated the professional manner that I performed my divemaster and instructor responsibilities.

Cruise ship: Oceanic Grace

Diving in Ulithi Atoll, 

Yap Island Group

1992: Was hired as a captain and Japanese speaking interpreter to deliver the 110' dinner cruise yacht, "Sounds Of Pacific" from Guam to Japan. The owners, Tsuneishi Ship Builders in Onomichi, Japan, hired a crew of 5 to deliver the vessel back to their headquarters. The vessel was delivered during the typhoon season so what would normally take 1 week ended up taking 2 as we hunkered down in Saipan for a few days as a typhoon passed. The Sounds OF Pacific was built by Oceanfast of Perth, Australia.
Its top speed was 30 knots and it was set up as a dinner cruises vessel. It was powered by two Deutz, 2000hp diesel engines powering two Hamilton jets. We also spent a couple of extra days in the Bonin Islands (Ogasawara) dealing with some filter problems.

M/V Sounds Of Pacific

Dockside at the Tsuneishi Shipbuilding companies facility outside of Onomichi, Japan.

!994: In the summer of 1994, I worked as the captain aboard a 140' Norwegian Whaler that had been re-fitted to be a live-aboard dive vessel in Truk Atoll in the Federated States of Micronesia. The owner of the vessel left to advertise his live-aboard at dive shows in Europe. My responsibility was to oversee the day to day operations while the owners were gone. I monitored the weather in-case of a tropical storm and ensured safe dive practices. During that I time I was able to dive on the most famous WW II wrecks in the atoll. Truk is definitely a wreck divers paradise.

S/S Thor-fin
Live-aboard Dive Vessel

 I checked weather information daily 
and made sure that the vessel was in a safe location.

As the captain, I ensured that our guests were having fun and being safe. 
That is me in the yellow and blue wetsuit.

1995 to 2007:  During this time I worked full-time for Allen Marine of Sitka, Alaska.

During the tour season I captained whale-watching vessels from 48' to  105'. I worked all over Southeast.

Me, piloting a 78 foot, 150 passenger, whale-watching vessel.

Viewing Orca near Sitka Sound.

Viewing a Gray Whale in Sitka Sound.

2001 to 2005:  I was also the Port Captain for Allen Marine and delivered  vessels that they built for tourism and ferry applications. I delivered 15 of the 19, 150 passenger, high speed catamarans that Allen Marine built for New York Waterway.

I would pilot the vessels from Sitka, Alaska to Vancouver or Victoria. There, they were loaded onto a yacht transport or a freighter to be taken around to Florida or the Bahamas. Then I would pilot them up to New York.

Heading to New York from Florida along the Inter-coastal Waterway.

Stopping for the night in St. Augustine, Florida.

Arrival at New York Waterway dock with the New York skyline in the background.

Lifting a catamaran onto a freighter in Prince Rupert, BC

View from the bridge of the ship.

Departing Prince Rupert, BC.
I would meet up with the ship in Port Everglades, Florida
and then pilot the catamarans up the eastern seaboard to New York.

Just a few minutes after backing off of a yacht transport in Port Everglades, Florida.

Here is one of the 150 passenger catamarans that I delivered  to New York.

2000 to 2005: Allen Marine designed and built a 48' catamaran that carried 24 passengers in comfort for a photo shore excursion to beach-comb around Sitka Sound.
I captained this tour to some of the most beautiful beaches in the sound and regularly got excellent photographs of whales, bears, pinnipeds, and bald eagles. The vessel could cruise at about 25 knots. I have a lot of wilderness shore excursion experience. During the bear season we carried 12 gauge shotguns while on the shore to protect our guests from bears. I have firearm training.

This vessel was an excellent design for beach and shore landings.

Some bear would let us get very close to the
shore in the boat for some excellent photo opportunities.

2007, August: Delivered the M/V Qit'rwik from Sitka, Alaska to King Salmon, Alaska via Yakatat, across the Gulf of Alaska to Kodiak, up the Aleutian island chain to False Pass, then into Bristle Bay to King Salmon. The entire trip took two weeks going 8 knots. We saw Humpback, Sperm, Orca, Fin-back, and Beluga whales. A highlight for me were the beautiful Black-footed Albatross as we crossed the Gulf of Alaska.

M/V Qit'rwic  -  Length: 65'