Meet Captain Paul
I was born in the (Windy City) Chicago, IL but grew up in Marco Island, FL. Throughout my childhood, I was surrounded by water. There was plenty of ways to enjoy what the Ocean had to offer and so I started fishing from shore first then to swimming in the gulf, then on to my Dad’s kayak (in that order). I had a curiosity and desire to navigate the water in any way I could even after getting lost in the mangroves a few times. It wasn’t until the 9th grade that I sailed for the first time through an Outward Bound course thanks to a high school program. I learned the basics of sailing and how to live on a 30 ft wooden sailboat in the Florida Keys for 7 days. It was during this week that I caught the wind and was hooked thereafter. After high school I attended the University of South Florida in St. Petersburg, FL where I joined the sailing team and learned how to race on FJ, 420, and J24 sailboats. During the summers I would teach adults and kids how to sail with my sailing instructor certification I obtained during this time too. This took me to places such as the San Juan Islands , WA, Portland, ME, and St. Croix, USVI. After leaving college and trying to navigate life, I went back to my hometown of Marco Island and got my OUPV 6-pack Captains license. I started working on powerboats and sailboats doing tours in the 10,000 islands and FL Everglades areas and navigated the areas I once got lost in. I was able to work with older Captains and mentors and learned what it truly takes to be a boat Captain. I then purchased a 1982 Hunter 30 monohull sailboat for $7500 to live and sail on. This is where my life on the water really began. This is where everything clicked. This time in my life is when I was most conscious of my surroundings and in tune with Mother Nature. I’d like to share that experience with everyone through time spent out on the water. I started Sailing Sessions as an effort to get people sailing for the first time and at the same time relive the feeling of being on a sailboat for the first time myself. This company and (lifestyle) has helped me strengthen my passion and it is precisely why I go to the ocean every day to live a life working with Mother Nature and not against.
“THe grass is gonna grow just like the wind is gonna blow”
— Captain Paul Salomon Grisko