Captain Gene Reynolds

Gene has been a professional helicopter pilot and mariner for over 25 years. His love of
all things aviation and nautical has taken him around the world as both sky and sea
captain. Born in Texas, and raised in North Carolina, Gene currently lives on Whidbey
Island in Washington State. He has worked and taught domestically and internationally
in many different roles including military special operations pilot, test pilot, flight
instructor, vessel captain, sailing instructor, teacher, and mentor.

Gene learned to sail as a teenager through both formal and informal programs and received his first ASA credential in 2006. Since then, Gene has completed ASA 101, 103, 104, 105, 106, and 118 as well as instructor clinics associated with each ASA rating held. Gene also holds a USCG 100-ton Master’s license with sailing and towing endorsements and serves as Captain for the 100-year-old schooner Suva with the Whidbey Island Maritime Heritage Foundation and as a relief captain with Island Express Charters in Anacortes, WA.

His maritime experience extends from Southeast Alaska, British Columbia, the Pacific Northwest, both coasts of the United States, Central America, and Caribbean waters. In 2010, Gene and his family sailed their boat from Shilshole Bay Marina all the way to Costa Rica with many adventurous stops in between including a year and a half of cruising Mexico and El Salvador. When he’s not working, Gene enjoys traveling, hiking, boating, camping, exploring the outdoors, amateur photography, searching for antique aviation and nautical treasures, and Lego. He also serves as an industry mentor and seminar speaker for veterans transitioning into their civilian careers after their military service. Gene’s work has been featured in several aviation and maritime periodicals and podcasts.

Ask him about the time a single potato saved an entire voyage!