We had the good fortune of connecting with Melissa Stubbs and we’ve shared our conversation below.

Hi Melissa, what was your thought process behind starting your own business?
I wanted to work at a job or career that was what I love. I thought back to all the hopes, dreams, and ambition I had when I was younger before life left its residue and scars. When I was fresh, and full of hope and ideas. Before I understood the words, you cant, or you will never make a living at that. I had spent the last 3 years, stepping up to the plate being a team player in a world wide pandemic that left me exhausted, tired, and disappointed. Being an RN on the front lines of a war against humanity and world wide health. I felt called to serve for the greater good. I was happy to serve my community. But now, after having covid 3 times and having every vaccine required. I was done. Its now someone else’s turn to risk their life daily while hospital administration sits comfortable at home. I have faced fear, death and dying, despair, exhaustion and tragic life situations on a daily basis for 3 years. While I myself faced covid alone. I am not married or don’t have children. I thought and reflected about my life as I lay sick on my couch, I ask myself. Was I happy? Was I doing what I dreamed of doing? What was my dream? As I recovered from the 3rd strain of COVID as I watched the hospital use my life and others like a pawn, ordering me back to work after 5 days of sick leave when in the beginning we were given 15 days to fight the virus. I decided, “MY LIFE MATTERS”, I deserve to be happy. I no longer need to risk my life on a daily basis, for my community. I decided I had served my time on the front lines long enough! I gave my one month notice, yes one month. I quit my 25 year nursing career. I signed up for my Captains license and put 100% of my time, money and effort on achieving my lifelong dream of being boat captain and having a boat tour business. It was a huge risk. I took my nursing retirement and plowed full speed ahead into achieving my dream.

Alright, so let’s move onto what keeps you busy professionally?
I have careers and degrees in two completely different worlds. I have a love and accomplishment in both. I have a love and passion for both the fine arts as well as science and medicine. I have had a lifetime love affair with education and learning. I never want to stop growing and learning. My first degree at the young age of 22 was a bachelors in photography and a minor in business. I am “classically” trained in the zone system, black&white printing and processing. As well as color printing and theory. I excelled at studio lighting and photography business. All talents completely useless in todays world. After a short career in photography I furthered my education in medicine. Laboratory medicine, phlebotomy where encouraged by my Father. Jobs in the laboratory got me thru school to become a registered nurse. Going to school at night and on weekends it took me a long 7 years to get my nursing degree. I decided to pick the field that scared me the most, ONCOLOGY! I decided this was going to make me or break me. I worked double shifts every weekend as a student nurse at MD ANDERSON. I saw and experienced everything I feared. Death and dying, codes, technical machinery, complicated procedures and administration of chemo and bio therapies. I saw and administered first hand experimental therapies that sometimes did more harm than good. I walked proudly onto the floor daily, proud to help cancer patients and work at one of the leading hospitals on the planet. But it came with a price. It hard to experience so many tragic endings. The pressure and acuity was difficult. My creative brain longed to be inspired. So I started taking art classes at Houston Community College. Every semester I signed up for a evening art class. I ended my day expressing myself in the world of art. I took every and any class that interested me. From mechanical and technical drawing to acrylic painting, or pottery. I took all of the classes on the degree list and then started to repeat the ones I liked the most. Why not. I took painting 5 times. Each teacher taught me something different. Each semester I got better at painted and developed my “style” I also pursed advancement in my nursing career. I trained and worked in ICU, PACU, IV team, IV home health, private oncology practice and then finally radiation oncology and special procedures. Well I was a long way from my lifelong dream of being a boat captain. But wait… not really. All this time I was learning and researching buying my own boat. Methodically planning my purchase of my first boat!

Any places to eat or things to do that you can share with our readers? If they have a friend visiting town, what are some spots they could take them to?
Well I lived in Houston for 21 years. I love and miss the Montrose and Heights area. I frequently had family or friends visit. I was the ultimate tour guide!. See I am also a history buff. I love art and quirky places. I love fountains. I love the downtown area on foot or bike. I worked in the med center and museum district for years. I know every private garden, fountain or pathway in that area. As far as a restaurant or bar. I am only going to take you to a one of a kind dive restaurant or quirky signature bar. I also will be telling you the history of Houston, from Freemans Town, to the background behind Memorial Park, I am a wealth of useless history stories.

As far as my present city, I moved to Galveston in 2014 to be closer to the ocean. I wanted to hear the ocean in the morning not traffic or sirens. I wanted to be able to put my boat in the ocean after a hard day at the hospital. If you want to know the best spots in Galveston, then you have to come see me. Yes, you are invited to spend time with me on my beloved Island of Galveston, Time is my love language and I love the water and this Island! I have disected this Island from East to West. If nature, wildlife, the beach or bay are your thing. I will show you an amazing time. If dining and shopping are your thing, I know a few awesome not touristy places. But if water adventure is your interest, then sit down and hang on. Your water adventure awaits, on the waters of Galveston with the notoriously naughty Captain Hook!

Shoutout is all about shouting out others who you feel deserve additional recognition and exposure. Who would you like to shoutout?
My life long friend Kandi Ashford played a pivotal role in keeping me going on course. She lives several states away. We don’t talk daily or even weekly. She has known me almost all my like, she knows where I have been, where I want to go, and my life story, as well as I know hers. She is the friend that always makes time to call me and talk with me as long as I need. She served our country in the Navy. She retired from the military. I respect her determination and grit. She had no idea how much her encouraging words meant to me. She did not know that I struggled with self doubt and wondering if I was making the right decision. On the day I found out that I had passed my Captains exams and fulfilled my license requirement I called her crying. I told her she was my anchor. Her belief in me kept me going. I heard her voice in my head telling me I could do it! She was shocked and surprised. She laughed and said, ” I always knew you could do it! I never had any doubt. Melissa you have always kept the course, no matter how long it took, no matter how hard it was. She said she didn’t even know she was my anchor because I didn’t seem to need one. We laughed and cried and she said she was proud of me. I felt proud of myself.

Website: www.captainhooksnauticalvoyages.com

Instagram: availelaunche

Facebook: Captain Hooks Nautical Voyages

Other: TicTok Captainhooksgalvestontx

Image Credits
Melissa Stubbs selfie with client

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