BEING a speedboat captain is no small feat. In fact, the undertaking is quite dangerous, and James McGarrell, better known as “Calvin”, is well aware of this. McGarrell must be aware of the tides and weather conditions at all times, and must implement safety as part of his operations to keep himself and his passengers safe and preserve life.

McGarrell is a native of Parika, East Bank Essequibo, and still resides in the community, a place that is familiar to him. The 63-year-old is far from hanging up his gloves when it comes to work as a speedboat captain. He has spent more than 40 years traversing the Essequibo River, and he knows all the nooks and crannies, and just about every corner in that river.

Since he was a boy, he has been going to the beach in Parika, where he used to sit and watch the boats and their operators. Back then, the location contained a structure just like the seawall, but that has long washed away. McGarrell told himself that one day he would become a boat captain, because he would visit to observe the men and their boats day after day.

He wanted to be just like them. He liked the way they mastered the boat, and they seemed to be in total control.

For him, it looked so easy, and he took a liking to it. He embedded the idea of becoming a boat captain in his mind, and he grew with it.

When he was old enough, at age 15, he made sure he was around to secure a job with boat owners and boat captains.

From doing odd jobs at Parika Stelling to becoming a boat captain was a long and hard journey for McGarrell, whose only consolation was that one day he would fulfill his dream.

“I was at the Parika Stelling working, willing to learn, and I gained knowledge from a former boat captain, the late Floyd Griffith, who had his own speedboat, and after he passed away, I went to work with others. As time went by, I became licensed, because it was the right thing to do, and from there, I was able to master the job of being a boat captain on my own,” he said.

Even though McGarrell doesn’t own his own speedboat, he works with Justin Chance, who owns four speedboats that ply the Parika to Supenaam route.

McGarrell told the Pepperpot Magazine that the boats are outfitted with individual cushioned seats for 22, 21, 19 and 20 passengers, respectively. All of the vessels have sheds, and the necessary safety gear, including life jackets, which must be worn.

The father of five and grandfather of seven stated that he began working with boats when they were small and had no sheds like they do now. Back then, a boat was just 10 to 15 dollars.

Growing up, McGarrell’s options for employment were very limited, since he was forced to leave school early. So, apart from liking the profession, it was also one of the only options in life. Even though it was not easy, he reported that he learned a lot and gained experience over the years.

He related that two licenced tour operators, Touring Guyana and Dagron Tours, would hire boats for trips in the Essequibo River to go to resorts, heritage sites, waterfalls, and other places for the day. McGarrell pointed out that this is not everyday work, but at times, they would get a few trips per week, and he gets paid for the day, based on the trips and prices per hire.

He added that he likes his job, because he gets to meet many people from all over the world; tourists and also our local people. And he gets to show them our beautiful Guyana; something he is very proud of.

McGarrell said that as part of his job, he would tell people about Guyana, and as a seasoned boat captain, he is familiar with many places on the Essequibo River.

He related that he never gets tired of visiting the same places over and over again, and some of the most visited places include Fort Island, Sloth Island, Bartica, Aruwai, Baganara, and Fort Kyk-Over-Al, among others.