Julius Dacasin

BY MATT LARSON

This month we had the pleasure of getting to know Julius Dacasin, a captain for Blue & Gold Fleet. At this writing he’s been captain for more than two and a half years. Remaining flexible, he also sometimes still works as a deckhand, which he’s been doing for the past five years. You may have seen him on one of the evening commutes departing from either Richmond or Alameda/Oakland.

One of the first things people notice about him is his age—Dacasin was only 27 years old when he became a captain. “When people meet me for the first time they usually think I’m a deckhand,” he said. “The look on their faces is priceless when they find out I’m the captain.”

Dacasin loves his time on the water. “The things I get to see are definitely a blessing,” he said. He also appreciates the daily challenges that come with the job, and the tough days only make him want to work harder. “The variation in weather conditions will definitely keep you engaged and wanting to learn as much as possible,” he explained. “Being as young as I am, this has definitely helped me grow as both a person and professional.”

Dacasin has always been drawn to hands-on work, and the maritime industry was a perfect fit. “It seemed interesting to be on the water, and being on a boat sounded like a fun thing to do,” he said. “It’s much different than what I previously did, which was working in the medical field as a certified nurse assistant.”

Extra healthcare experience on board is never a bad thing, and Dacasin’s life-saving skills have already served him well sitting up on the helm.

“Some of the most intense situations I’ve been in as a captain happened in my first couple months,” he recalled. “In back-to-back weeks, I had to retrieve kite surfers out on the water. It was an adrenaline rush—we do man-overboard drills with life rings, but when you have an actual person in the water it changes the whole dynamic!” Dacasin said both rescues were successful.

When he’s not working the waterways, Dacasin can be found coaching his son’s basketball team, playing pickup games with his friends, working out at the gym and making music.

“Sound engineering is a passion of mine; it was my major in college,” he said. “I’ve been producing, writing, singing and rapping since 2006. It’s a great way to let out stress or just let your creativity flow.” So if you’re looking for some new music, search Spotify, iTunes or YouTube for “Julius Dacasin.”

Most of us don’t get to where we are without the help of others, and Dacasin wants to give a special nod to his cousin Martin Nguyen. “If it wasn’t for him helping me get a job at Blue & Gold, then I most likely wouldn’t be doing what I’m doing now,” he said. “Also, a shoutout to my son, Jayden, for giving me the motivation to become a captain.”

Dacasin has some favorite aspects of life on the water. “Seeing the sunset over the Golden Gate Bridge is always a beautiful sight,” he said, also noting the Bay Bridge’s light show in the evening. Dacasin has yet to captain a boat far out to sea, but it’s something he plans to do some day in the future.

Dacasin also highly recommends the ferry as a mode of transportation. “Just hop on the boat and relax,” he said. Let Dacasin and his crew take care of the rest.