Captain Glenn Shepard is back on board for season 3 of Bravo Sailboat under the bridge. He is once again leading the charter team of Parsifal III as he ventures into the waters of Menorca, Spain. Joining him are familiar faces of chief stew Daisy Kelliher, chief engineer Colin MacRae and second in command Gary King.
They will welcome new blood in chef Marcos Spaziani, second stew Gabriela Barragan, third stew Ashley Marti and deckhands Kelsie Goglia and Tom Pearson. Between hookups and drama at work, injuries and unpredictable weather, Shepherd certainly has his hands full.
Here, the good captain guides us through it all.
Do you sometimes feel more camp counselor than captain?
Glen Shephard: They are so full of life. They are good people. This is the most important thing. They push the limits but know the limits. This industry is the epitome of hard work and fun. Playing hard is almost like catharsis. It’s a way to face the aftermath of hard work. There is a balance there. I’m not trying to put them down too hard. I let them have fun at the right times, as long as they are ready to play when the call comes.
If you are too strict with people, you will kill their initiative, their enthusiasm. They are adults. We all live on the same boat, and here the boss is always there. You have to walk a fine line not to be too bossy when it’s their time. As long as they respect the boat and each other, I give them some slack.
What’s the dynamic like this season?
I was very lucky last season because I had a complete crew change. I had eight new people. I did not know anyone. It’s a difficult situation to live in, but I was very lucky because they are great people. Now I have the core of these great people. They set the tone and the atmosphere for the boat. They understand me better. They try to recreate a great atmosphere. It’s so important for morale that people feel good about their jobs and feel comfortable. Having the core team makes me feel a lot better.
In many ways, the weather can be an actor in itself.
The weather is always a challenge. We are also looking for places where we can take guests who are protective waters. You can’t always find that. Sometimes you have to deal with bad weather, usually for a few days. The local weather conditions are really part of the show, but I think we’re doing a really good job of adapting to the weather… You’ll have an area of disturbed weather coming through.
Sometimes there is a lot of extra wind. I saw squalls up to hurricane strength. They may only last half an hour, but they are very difficult. You need to be aware and ready for them. We always have someone who is supposed to watch to make sure the boat is secure, especially if we are going to rest for the evening. If this happens, it can be difficult and risky. It’s a very tense situation.
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What did you learn about yourself from this experience?
I will say, “Every day is a school day because you should always be learning.” I’ve been doing this for so long, I think I’ll carry on like I do. You are going to encounter problems and problems. I consider myself as someone who is results-oriented and solution-oriented. I try to keep that mindset. You have to be ready to adapt and move forward. Everything is a learning experience. A lot of what I do is work with personalities and try to get the best out of them.
How do you compare last season to this one when it comes to COVID?
If anything, it’s a little less hectic. We are used to it and are following all protocols to ensure we protect ourselves and our guests and try to stay in mode to keep charters going. We don’t want a positive test and have to shut everything down. We learned a lot in Season 2 in the middle of this thing. As this progresses, many people really want to try as much as possible to get back to normal life. There is a definite demand for people to return to vacations and travel. The good thing about superyachts is that you can take vacations while isolating yourself from the general public.
Do you still have a dream destination that you would like to charter?
Mine would be Tahiti, of course. I’ve never been there. I lived in Hawaii for a while. I have sailed and raced in Hawaii…There are discussions of the family who owns Parsifal III that we can go to the Pacific in the next two years. I await it with impatience. Thailand would be amazing. Of course Galapagos..this side of the planet. I hope that will happen.
When you are noticed in public, what are the most common questions that fans ask you?
A lot of them want to talk about Gary, of course. I tell them Gary is still on board. Gary and I are on the boat year round. Many of them want to talk about our docking in Croatia. I don’t like to talk about it too much. They just want to say hello, and that they like the show and the crazy antics of the team and the beautiful places we go.
Sailboat under the bridgeSeason premiere, February 21, 8/7c, Bravo
