Look and Listen

Biography

Over 22 years ago, Captain Rick Rhodes moved onto a 33-foot sailboat to live aboard. Soon, he was extensively cruising the Chesapeake Bay and the Potomac River. During the mid-1990’s, he twice sailed his 33-footer to Central America. From 1999-2000, Captain Rick served as a Peace Corps Volunteer in Ecuador. From 1983-1999, Rick was employed by the federal government in Washington DC, and worked in the international trade arena. That work was highlighted by contributions to the NAFTA. Captain Rhodes has twice served as an instructor –in the late 1970's --with the Corps of Engineer School, and in the late 1980’s --with the Annapolis Sailing School. Rick has forestry degrees from West Virginia University and Virginia Polytechnic Institute (Masters). He is well-traveled in the Americas, and can speak a bit of Spanish. Captain Rick grew up in Washington DC and Louisville KY. By the time he was 22, he had visited all 48 contiguous states, mostly by motorcycle. Before that, he had hiked the Appalachian Trail. In 2000, after volunteer service with the US Peace Corps, Captain Rick moved aboard a 25-foot pocket trawler to continue his guidebook researching and writing. He soon traveled and researched from Lake Michigan to the Gulf of Mexico, most of Florida’s upper Gulf Coast, and the entire length of the Ohio River along with its many tributaries. Captain Rhodes has written seven guidebooks. Wherever he’s been, Rick has engrossed himself in local history. He’s always had a passion for trailblazing, and has often found himself to be one of the first in an area that would later become heavily treaded. In St. Petersburg Florida, Rick is an active member of the local YMCA, Bay Area Professional Writer’s Guild, and Toastmasters.

Inspiration

This is an extremely long story, wrought with more heartbreaks, and twists and turns than you'd care to know about. Nonetheless, after this long journey, I believe my raison d'etre in the life is to thoroughly research and produce guidebooks using my nautical-travel expertise.