Crew Spotlight: Captain Hal
Meet Captain Hal, the master of the 125 ft SOLARIS Yacht! Captain Hal specializes in the commandment of a ship, and deeply meaningful wedding ceremonies through SunQuest Beach Weddings! We sat down with Captain and got to take a sneak peek inside the mind of this nautical genius. Read below to get to know him!
Q: How would you describe your role as Captain and wedding officiant of SOLARIS?
A: My number one job as the captain is safety. The captain is responsible for the safety of every person on board the yacht. That is a role I take very seriously. SOLARIS is a very large boat and driving her is a challenge. I enjoy greeting each passenger as they board the yacht but one of my favorite roles as Captain is officiating weddings. It is always a very special moment for me to lead a couple through their vows and pronounce them as newlyweds.
Often, after the ceremony, the couple will come into the wheelhouse for pictures and I get an opportunity to visit with them for a few minutes. The entire wedding experience is always special for the couple and it is a privilege for me to get to be involved in it.
Q: What three things would you take to a deserted island?
A: My fiancée, a bottle of wine….and a boat!
Behind the Scenes: Our wedding planning team is currently planning Captain Hal’s wedding aboard SOLARIS for February 2023! We can’t wait to celebrate with Captain Hal & Dana! Now, wait…who is going to captain the yacht?!
Q: What is the most challenging part of your job?
A: Being the captain of SOLARIS presents many challenges. Operating the yacht is one of them. The yacht is very large and very susceptible to wind. The channel leading in and out of Baytowne Marina is very narrow and passengers often comment about the apparent difficulty of navigating safely through it.
Another challenge is making sure the crew is properly trained. SunQuest has a large crew of competent safety-minded individuals and we hold regularly scheduled training sessions to ensure everyone is ready should we ever have an emergency occur during a cruise. Of the many challenges my job brings, knowing that I have a talented crew and a dedicated office staff supporting me gives me the confidence to do my best work every day.
Q: What motivates or inspires you?
A: The satisfaction of a job well done is very motivating to me. At the end of every cruise, I stand at the exit and thank each and every passenger for cruising with us. Whenever someone tells me how much fun they had, or compliments me on the smooth ride, or thanks me for getting them back safely it gives me great satisfaction and reminds me that I am in the profession I was meant to be in.
Q: Describe yourself in three words.
A: I had a hard time answering this one so I asked some others who know me. My crew used words like calm, steady, funny, easy going, gutsy, and decisive.
My fiancée had some interesting descriptive words until I told her what this was for and then she said to let her think some more. Then she came up with generous, thoughtful, charming, devoted, entrepreneurial, honest, humble, patient, safe, warm, and methodical.
Our onboard entertainers said compassionate, entertaining, reliable, diplomatic, and trusting.
So far no one has said ‘handsome’.
Q: Are there any fun facts or anything special about you that we should know?
A: Fun fact: My fiancée and I will be getting married next year aboard SOLARIS. It was actually her idea because she wants me to think of her and our wedding day every time I come to work. I am a very lucky man.
Captain Hal, thank you for everything that you do! We are so glad that you are a part of our team!
To cruise with Captain Hal aboard SOLARIS, we welcome you to make a dinner cruise reservation online or book your next event with us!