About Your Captain
While I have only been a USCG licensed Captain for a short time, I have been running boats in Mid Coast and Southern Maine for years. As a young man, I worked on most of Boothbay Harbor's tour boats. I spent a summer during college working on a 36' sport fishing boat, and even worked for six months on a commercial fishing boat.
Over the years, I have spent a lot of time on the water. We live in Richmond, on the Kennebec River. From my location, I have access to the Atlantic Ocean, nine rivers, ten lighthouses, working lobster boats, one Civil War fort, Bath Iron Works, and all sorts of Ospreys, Eagles, Seals, and other wildlife. And, we can see all of that in a 4 hour trip!
My company, Maine Imaging, has been around for over 17 years. Most of my work involves around aerial photography and the construction industry. Currently, we have over 17,000 stock high resolution, aerial images of Maine and New England, and several thousand stock scenics and nature images from around the world. My work has been published in several magazines including Downeast, Conde Naste Traveller, and Portland Magazine, and I have been featured twice in Outdoor Photographer magazine. The highlight of my career was photographing Walkers Point, in Kennebunkport, for Mr. and Mrs. George H.W. Bush, and then being invited to meet and talk with the President, while delivering a metal print of Walkers Point to him. If you go on one of our tours, make sure to ask me to tell THAT story!
Being a pro photographer, owning a boat, and being a licensed USCG Captain puts me in a wonderful position to be able to guide other photographers around the area that I have been photographing for over 20 years. The beauty, ruggedness, and history of the area is more than worth your time.
And, of course, if you have questions about your photography or would like "one on one" instruction, you have the perfect guide for that as well. All of the photos on this site (except the above aerial of PHL) were captured in the area that we will be exploring.
My boat is a 22′ Key West center console, with cushioned seating and backrests up front. Two people will work best for this layout, although we can take up to 6 passengers. With the center console, you have 360˚ of shooting possibilities, and we have dry storage for your gear. The “Rockin’ Spartan” is equipped with a marine radio, chart plotter, AM/FM stereo, USCG approved life jackets, and all the safety equipment. There isn’t a lot of room to “hide” on a center console, so make sure to bring warm/dry clothing. If rain or fog are forecast, foul weather gear (rain gear) is a must.
For years, my wife has been telling me to get my Captain's license, so that I can guide other people around the waters that I know so well, and show them all the beauty that Maine has to offer. A couple years back, I passed my Captain's exam, and now I'm a USCG licensed Captain, looking forward to showing you the waters of Mid Coast Maine!
I am a USCG licensed OUPV (Operator of Uninspected Passenger Vessel) Captain.
-Captain Dave Cleaveland
