Capt. Gregg McKee
Capt. Gregg McKee
Capt. Gregg McKee
Capt. Gregg McKee is a full time fishing guide and owner of Wildfly Charters, providing full service flats trips in both Southwest Florida and Puerto Rico. Born in central PA, (Go Steelers!) Capt. Gregg started his fishing career after moving to Key West in 1992.
He guided the Keys until 2005 when he and his wife Amanda moved to the island of Vieques, Puerto Rico. Gregg started fishing the waters surrounding Pine Island in 2001 when his parents retired to beautiful Matlacha, FL. He immediately fell in love with the area and now spends most of the year chasing tarpon, redfish, and snook from Boca Grande to Sanibel. Capt. Gregg runs an 18 foot Beavertail skiff and welcomes both experienced anglers and
total beginners.
Robin Griffiths
Capt. Gregg McKee
Capt. Gregg McKee
Robin’s adventure began in Parson’s, Kansas and Springfield, Missouri, but her love for the tropics eventually landed her in Southwest Florida. The word “adventure” has always had a strong presence in her life. From running marathons, or an 80 mile hike on the Appalachian Trail, to successfully climbing Mount Kilimanjaro, Robin has never been afraid of pushing the limits of human endurance, whether on an adventure or in the office.
Robin Anne Griffiths is the Founder of ReChargeMe Zone, a health, wellness and fitness company. She is a published author of two books, yoga instructor, meditation facilitator, certified master development coach, personal trainer and behavior change specialist. She works with groups and individuals on life transitions to create personal balance - both physically and mentally.
Capt. Joe Greco
Capt. Gregg McKee
Thomas E. Dawson
Capt. Joe Greco has been been a USCG licensed captain since 1991 and currently operates a charter fishing business in upstate, New York and in southwest Florida. From December through May, Capt. Joe operates "Fort Myers Fishing Adventures" out of Salty Sam's Marina, in Fort Myers Beach. , and on the pristine waters of Lake George -in New York's Adirondack region- during the summer months, targeting salmon, native lake trout and bass.
Capt. Joe conducts fishing seminars on a regular basis and has been an avid outdoor writer for nearly two decades. He is a pro-staff for several companies including Daiwa and Scotty Downriggers. Family-oriented, back-bay/ near shore fishing excursions are his specialty.
Thomas E. Dawson
Thomas E. Dawson
Thomas E. Dawson
Tom has been boating since the mid 1960’s, and has owned paddle, sail, and power vessels.
As a member of the Coast Guard Auxiliary throughout the 1990’s, Tom became active in promoting boating safety. While a member of the Auxiliary he was active in search and rescue missions, conducting Vessel Safety Examinations, and team-teaching boating safety and navigation classes to the public.
After retiring to Cape Coral in late 2017 he was reunited with the people he worked with while in the Auxiliary. They convinced him to join the Cape Coral Sail and Power Squadron and help them teach America’s Boating Course.
During the pandemic, Tom authored, Safe Boating in Southwest Florida Your Guide to the Many Channels on Our Waterways, an area familiarization guide for boaters in Lee County. This was followed up with Barret Bonden’s Thoughts on Safe Boating, a collection of articles and stories he shares with students in class.
Capt. Peter Kane
Thomas E. Dawson
Capt. Peter Kane
Capt. Peter Kane holds a 100T MMC, US Sail Safety at Sea Certification, was an instructor for New York State Safe Boating and has lectured on the Hudson River Striped bass fishery.
In 1998 he started Osprey Marine Ltd. as a fishing charter operating on the Hudson River and Connecticut. Osprey Marine expanded over the years, including sailing charters on a 40’ Beneteau Oceanis, arranging private charters in the British Virgin Islands and offering lessons on both power and sail boats. Over time, he began to see the need for boating education focusing on safety. Peter now teaches small vessel handling, safe boating practices and navigation in response to that need.
Capt. Kane spends the winter months at his home in Punta Gorda and the summers in Upstate New York managing vessels for clients.
Sophie Mckee
Thomas E. Dawson
Capt. Peter Kane
Sophie McKee attends Oasis Middle School in Cape Coral and writes about various reptiles living in Florida. She loves all animals, especially reptiles, but she’s am crazy about snakes! Sophie even has a pet ball python named Bella.
She learned to love snakes from watching shows about them on TV and her two favorite people are Bindi Irwin from Australia Zoo and Emily Roberts who has a YouTube channel called “Snake Discovery,” which inspired her to start writing articles to teach people about the reptiles you may encounter here in Florida.
Jim Griffiths
Kathy & Katherine Thousand
Kathy & Katherine Thousand
Jim Griffiths, publisher of the Nautical Mile, has lived in many towns from Key Largo to Dutch Harbor, Alaska, and was usually seen with a fishing rod in his hands. In his 20's while livein in Cape Coral he noticed that there was little information for boaters in the Lee County area, so he created a brochure with basic information which became the monthly Nautical Mile.
Jim was a runaway and a high school droop-out and credits having a happy life to mentors as a teen, which were all bosses at a job. All of this is in a book he wrote titled, "Don't tell me I can't do it."
He's also written a collection of kids books under the name, "My Dog Bo" in memory of a lab he rescued from Hurricane Charley.
Jim does talks at business groups and college classes about his philosophy on how entrepreneurism is not about business, it's a mindset that can be applied to anything. He has written philosophy books as well as a kids book collection, and submits a column to Nautical Mile with random thoughts.
His ongoing "JabberWhoppin" articles can be read here:
Kathy & Katherine Thousand
Kathy & Katherine Thousand
Kathy & Katherine Thousand
Kathy is originally from Syracuse, NY, where she graduated from Onondaga Community College with a business degree. Her first job was working for an insurance company underwriting business owner policies. So I guess you can say she's been in the insurance field for a very long time! She opened the Cape Coral office of Insurance Options Inc. in 2013, where they always have a fresh cup of coffee waiting for you and plenty of time to sit and talk about Medicare insurance. Kathy recently became a Babcock Ranch resident, where she enjoys gardening for the butterflies & pollinators.
She is joined in the office by her daughter-in-law, Afeisha Brathwaite, who is from the sunny islands of Trinidad & Tobago. Afeisha became a licensed agent in 2017. Afeisha has made her home Cape Coral for over 20 years.
Afeisha@InsuranceOptionsFL.com
Tom Perrin
Kathy & Katherine Thousand
Capt. Dave Wright
Tom Perrin's monthly contribution to the Florida Coaster comes from years of nautical experience and is about boating in general and safety on the water.
Tom Perrin has been a boater since the age of 12, learned to fish on the St. Lawrence River, he ran a power boat in the Adirondacks and sailed very small craft on the protected waters of the Hamptons on Long Island, NY.
He took his first boater safety class while in his early teens and has continued to update his experience and education ever since. He is a lifelong environmentalist, a Florida Master Naturalist and a member of the US Coast Guard Auxiliary.
Tom's first book was published in 1992 and he's currently working on two others.
Capt. Dave Wright
Capt. Dave Wright
Capt. Dave Wright
Capt. Dave Wright is a USCG Licensed Captain operating out of Osprey, Florida. Having retired from the world of business he now enjoys the full time fishing/sightseeing tours.
Dave has fished from Stump Pass to Little Sarasota Bay for over 20 years and is one of "the guys to ask" about fishing these waters. Dave charters inshore and nearshore for everything from Sheepshead to Mackerel, Snook and Tarpon. He's also on the prowl for big King Mackerel and Cobia when they're close to shore.
Capt. Dave runs a 22ft center console bay-boat allowing him to comfortably fish up to 4 clients. Fishing often begins 5 minutes from the boat ramp!
He also does casual Sunset Cruises and sightseeing tours. Up to 6 people and tours can be from 2 -8 hours as the customers wish. Combination fishing and sightseeing tours can also be custom designed to fit the customers requests.
Bob Moro
Capt. Dave Wright
Tim Gleason
Bob Moro is the past Commander of the Fort Myers Power Squadron-America's Boating Club, and remains an active member of their Bridge. His lifelong love of writing brought him to The Nautical Mile in 2014, and he has been writing a monthly column-appropriately named "Bob's World"- ever since.
Bob had a 40-year career in Massachusetts as a social worker and an investigator for the Massachusetts Juvenile Court. During his career he served as President of the Union representing the state's social workers, and later served as President of the Northbridge (MA) Teachers Association. Never short of an opinion, Bob likes to focus on boating education, boater safety, and our marine environment, but he loves to tell a good boating story wherever he finds them. He and his wife live on a canal off Whiskey Creek in South Fort Myers.
Tim Gleason
Capt. Dave Wright
Tim Gleason
Tim Gleason who was raised in New Jersey and who moved to Southern California as soon as he possibly could is a semiretired commercial photographer with 25 years of experience in product advertising imaging. He specialized in small product, tabletop photography. Most of his current clients are in the fishing and sunglasses industry. Tim’s advertising photography has appeared in publications ranging from Architectural Digest to Time Magazine and Sports Illustrated to name a few. After spending years chasing waves / surfing around the world, Tim became an avid fisherman who now lives on Pine Island with his wife of 30 years, Diane. More of Tim Gleason’s commercial photography and artwork can be seen at:
Beth "Annie" Bush
Beth "Annie" Bush
Beth "Annie" Bush
Annie Bush believes everyone deserves to live the happiest, most joyous life possible! You do not have to “settle” for the health you presently have, or have to accept those aches and pains as a normal part of “aging”. Now is the time to increase your endurance, get stronger, and enjoy all the activities this life has to offer!
After spending over 10 years as a Federal and State Prosecutor, Annie changed her focus to health and wellness education. Annie is currently a nationally-recognized Brain Health Coach and Consultant with the Amen Clinics, and also certified under Dr. Dale Bredesen. She is also available as a Speaker on numerous important health topics. She can educate you on the signs of ADD, anxiety, depression, or cognitive issues such as Alzheimer’s, Parkinson’s or Dementia, and customize treatment protocols for you. You are not alone. With the use of sound nutrition, neurotransmitter supplementation, hormone therapies, and proper mental and physical exercises, you can feel like the best version of “You”.
Her monthly column contains information about improving memory and cognition, boosting your immune system, the importance of balancing your hormones, reducing inflammation and pain, and other health topics which matter the most.
Capt. Alex Moran
Beth "Annie" Bush
Beth "Annie" Bush
Capt. Alex Moran lives in Cape Coral and is a full time fishing guide specializing in both fly fishing and artificial lures for the most sought after inshore species in Southwest Florida. Alex grew up in St. Louis and began fly fishing in Soutwest Missouri for trout just over a decade ago and quickly developed a taste for the salt. After reading countless blogs about the fishing around Pine Island and Charlotte Harbor he came down to see for himself. A year later almost to the day he moved to the area and bought his Beavertail Strike and began guiding clients to Snook, Tarpon, and Redfish from Gasparilla down to St. James City. Whether you want to stalk spooky fish through the back bays or just take a boat ride to Cabbage Key and go walk the beaches of Cayo Costa everybody is welcome on the boat, and your custom tailored trip will be an experience you won't soon forget.
Mark Rackay
Beth "Annie" Bush
Mark Rackay
Mark Rackay is a world-class angler who was co-owner in the offshore charter boat Tag ‘em, and the backcountry boat Black Death for over 20 years before returning to his home state of Colorado. He is also an avid hunter, traveling the world over in search of adventure and fair chase hunting. Mark writes an outdoor column for a dozen newspapers and several magazines. He is a firearms expert, earning the NRA’s prestigious Triple Distinguished Expert award. He is considered a leading authority on outdoor survival and teaches classes to mountain venturing people. He and his wife Carol and their Jack Russels divide their time between the mountains of Western Colorado and Everglades City, Florida.