What it takes to be a captain with Captains Source.
When we started this adventure, we thought there were maybe 100 captains in Charleston. We now realize there are well over 300 captains. We understand you have choices. Let us share with you how we decide who makes the cut here.
We have a very careful selection process used to find our captains. It is easy to book a captain on the internet or yellow pages. The problem arises in that you as a customer do not know if your captain has experience or not. He may not do well with small children. He may have just moved here from another area and just opened his business. Some well established captains have been in business many years and do a great job. While others have less experience or do not have excellent client skills. Our captains are interviewed, trained and have undergone background checks to make sure they will provide a good experience. Our captains have chosen this as their full time profession. They are willing to go the extra mile to do what is necessary to make sure their guests have a good time. They love what they do and want to share their enthusiasm for the water with their guests.
The captains that work for Captains Source are professionals that understand customer service and are focused on providing the highest quality customer service they can offer their clients.
Our captains are all family friendly. While most captains are serious fishermen, some of them do not want families on their trips. They tend to cater to the serious fisherperson. Our captains are family men, have a love of children and a love of fishing. They enjoy helping children catch their first fish, or watching a pod of bottlenose dolphin swimming. Children love being on a boat with the wind in their faces as they travel the many waterways in our area. The teens, love to catch a shark. The fight is fun and the adventure is something they will be talking about for many years to come. It isn't all about fishing. It is about quality time. It is a day to escape from the electronic age and step into nature. It is truly a wonderful way to build family memories.
Our captains take serious pride in their boats. You will not find dirty, run down, un-safe, or cheaply made boats here. These captains have invested in top quality boats. You can expect clean, quality equipment that is well maintained. We want you to enjoy your time on the water and be confident your captain has your safety and comfort in mind.
Our tour captains have attended and passed a Clemson University Certification program on knowledge of the history and ecology they encounter in the harbor and can talk about what they see with confidence. Our captains can answer most questions about the many varieties of birds, fish and sea life that you may encounter while on the water. While this is not required for captains that offer harbor and nature tours, our captains have gone the extra mile to educate themselves to provide a higher quality trip than others. They want to be the best and have dedicated the time and effort to go beyond what is necessary to provide their guests with a quality excursion.
We have selected captains based on experience and reputation. Our captains stand out from the crowd on service, quality and friendliness. They take serious pride in what they do and work well as a team. Bottom line - we are very proud of our team of captains. We worked hard to filter through the masses to find the ones we have selected to be on our team.
Our captains all meet the following standards:
Captain Training/Certification
- Have a minimum of a 23 foot boat
- United States Coast Guard 6 pack licensed
- Liability Insurance
- Submit to background checks
- TWIC certified (Transportation Workers Identification Card)
- Submit to random drug tests
- Be CPR certified
- Be USOBE approved or Clemson Certified for the excursions they are taking
- The boat must meet safety and cleanliness requirements
