To those not sea-savvy, one may have many fantasies about the nautical life: Sagacious and weather-cracked captains bestriding the deck, days spent scanning the open waters, an easy familiarity with the sun-soaked natives of many a distant shore. Which is why it might surprise some of you that the day of Drew Smith of the Miami-based 120-foot motoryacht and charter vessel Usher starts in a way instantly familiar to many: The thrum of a cell phone alarm at 6 a.m. From there, however, this nautical professional’s workaday world is entirely alien to most. From painstakingly provisioning the craft to scrubbing the deck from any unsightly blemishes, expertly assessing local and destination weather conditions and making sure he stays abreast of all the latest nautical knowledge, Smith’s professional life is made up of part old-school sailor, part service professional of the highest caliber. Sailing all across our azure waters, what’s the one thing that Smith always looks forward to, no matter which far-flung port he’s anchored in? “I like exploring new places and having guests come aboard, showing them places they’ve only ever imagined,” he says. “There’s no greater feeling than meeting new people and making their vacations a dream while traveling on the open water!”; FleetMiami.com.
