“I love my job so much that getting called back to work is never a hard phone call to receive,” says Wyatt Thompson. He is living his dreams, sailing the seas and loving every second of it.

While most people dread heading back to work after time off, Wyatt is the exception. As a Merchant Marine and Second Officer, he spends 80 days at sea followed by 80 days on land — a rhythm of life he wouldn’t trade for anything. “It’s almost like a school summer break when I’m home,” he says with a grin. And when he’s at sea, he is all in.

A proud resident of Venetian Isles in St. Petersburg, Wyatt splits his time between navigating grain ships from Houston to ports across Africa and soaking in Florida’s sun-drenched coastal lifestyle. “This isn’t a cruise ship. It’s full-on work. But I love it,” he shares. His latest journey? Delivering grain to Mombasa, Kenya.

As a navigational officer, Wyatt spends long hours — often midnight to 8 a.m. — on the bridge steering massive vessels through open seas and foreign ports. “It’s all about precision. We even learn celestial navigation, using a sextant to shoot the stars and calculate compass errors.” From crazy storms and dazzling skies to dolphins dancing in the ship’s wake and whales breaking the surface, the job offers a front-row seat to Earth’s wonders. “I’ve seen the Suez Canal, Ghana, Egypt, Djibouti… places I might never have traveled to otherwise. That part is really cool.”

A graduate of Texas Maritime Academy (a branch of Texas A&M), Wyatt earned a Bachelor of Science in Marine Transportation and is currently working toward his First Officer license — with his sights firmly set on the ultimate role: Ship Captain. But that’s not the final destination. His dream? To become a Harbor Pilot in the Port of Tampa Bay, guiding enormous cargo ships through the local waters he’s loved since childhood.

A Love of the Sea

Born and raised in Atlanta, Wyatt grew up visiting his grandparents in Venetian Isles, falling in love with the Gulf breeze, salt air, and daily boat life. “I was always on the water with my grandpa,” he remembers. His grandpa taught him to sail and it made an impression upon him. 

After graduating, he officially moved to Florida in 2022, settling in Venetian Isles and overseeing renovations on his grandfather’s home after a hurricane hit. Now, he and his roommate — fellow water-lovers — have made the house their own. “We’ve got a boat at the dock, and if we’re not working, we’re out on the water.”

That’s not just talk. Wyatt’s off-duty life is jam-packed with fishing, duck hunting, and ping-pong. “We’ve got an entire room dedicated to fishing gear,” he laughs. With rods, reels, tackle, it’s lots of fun for him. His roommates, both expert fishermen, have turned him into an avid angler. Offshore trips mean they catch (and eat) just about everything that bites. “If we’re fishing from shore, we catch and release. But if we’re out on the boat, we’re cooking it up.”

Hunting runs deep in Wyatt’s family too — his dad taught him to hunt, and his grandpa passed down his love of fishing. Now it’s a way of life. “We’re big duck hunters in the winter. Always outside. Always active.”

Even while at sea, Wyatt keeps moving. “There’s a gym on board and the crew plays video games together.” It’s a whole lot of fun for him. 

As he continues logging sea time and advancing toward his captain’s license, Wyatt is also planning for his future on the shore. After chatting with Stephen Cropper, a retired harbor pilot who lives just two doors down, Wyatt has found a new inspiration. “That’s the dream — piloting ships right here in Tampa Bay, the same waters I grew up in.” Being the one to guide them in safely would be incredible. 

With his sharp mind, easygoing charm, and deep respect for the sea, there’s no doubt Wyatt Thompson is steering toward greatness — whether he's navigating cargo across oceans or casting a line from his dock at sunset. It doesn’t get any better than that for this sea lover and avid outdoorsman. He’s living his best life here and can’t imagine doing anything else!