Captain Dan Zwerg resides in Ocean Springs, MS and routinely navigates the waters of the Gulf of Mexico, Atlantic Ocean, and the Caribbean Sea. He captains trips in the Florida Keys, the Bahamas, and the Virgin Islands.
Captain Dan is a U.S. Coast Guard licensed 100-Ton Master Mariner with Sailing and Towing endorsements. He is a U.S. Sailing Level 3 Sailing Coach and is also certified in Lifeguarding, First Aid, CPR, and SCUBA. He has been the sailing team coach for St. Stanislaus College for more than 20 years.
He holds a Masters degree in Technology Education from the University of Southern Mississippi and a Bachelors degree in Microbiology from Mississippi State University. He is experienced with computer technology, environmental technology, and marine research. Dan is a pilot and teaches aviation at Saint Stanislaus College.
Dan’s interest in boating started early. He built his first boat at the age of 9 and built another at the age of 11. An Eagle Scout, he was running the waterfront at Boy Scout summer camp at the age of 15. He restored a ski boat at the age of 17. He captained his first trip to the Bahamas at age 20. At age 21 he bought and restored a 38′ motor yacht and lived aboard for several years. For many years, Dan was a Sea Scout Skipper, teaching others boating safety and navigation. He has since owned and operated a myriad of boats, both sail and power. Dan enjoys sailing and powering to the barrier islands of the Mississippi Gulf Coast, the Florida Keys, the Bahamas, and the British and U.S. Virgin Islands.
Safety is Dan’s number one priority on any vessel. His education and experiences have taught him the value of preparation and planning. Keeping a close eye on the weather and adjusting logistics accordingly makes everything better. Understanding the systems on a vessel and having highly tuned troubleshooting skills allows for most problems underway to be handled in stride.