Meet the Captains of Circle Line

Michael Duffy

Michael Duffy has been with Circle Line for more than 50 years, making him the company's longest-running employee. He started in the early 1970s as a ticket office ambassador, then moved up to deckhand, then captain. Today he oversees all boat and crew scheduling.

Duffy has more stories about Circle Line's history than almost anyone else on staff, especially from the company's heyday in the 1980s. He also came up with the idea for the BEAST speedboat in the late 1990s and ran it himself for its first ten seasons.

Kenneth Corcoran

Captain Ken was born in Washington Heights and raised in Inwood. He's been with Circle Line since 1983, starting on the pier as a line catcher before working up through deckhand and mate to captain. He's also spent time running fuel tankers in the harbor, but Circle Line is where he's stayed.

Working here is a family tradition for Ken. Three uncles and nine cousins worked at Circle Line before him, going back to 1956, and he's the last of the family still with the company. "It's the people that make this job special," he says. "I love meeting guests from around the world and putting a smile on their faces."

He has a hard time picking a favorite landmark, but the Statue of Liberty means the most to him. It was the first thing his mother saw when she immigrated from Ireland. He also has personal ties to Hamilton Heights, where his father grew up, and Inwood, where he grew up himself.

His advice for visitors: "Be systematic. Explore the city by sections, uptown, downtown, east side, west side. Take it all in. You can rest when you get home."

Asked what a perfect day in New York would look like, Ken says he'd start with a Circle Line cruise, head to Central Park, grab a bite at the Grand Central Oyster Bar, take in the view from the Top of the Summit, catch a Broadway show, dance a little, and end the night on a Harbor Lights Cruise, his favorite time to sail.

Joseph Volini

Captain Joe grew up in Brooklyn and has spent almost 40 years on the water, 26 of them as a Circle Line captain. He started as a line catcher, then moved through deckhand, oiler, and mate before earning his captain's license.

Being a captain runs in his family. His father was a longtime Circle Line captain, and Joe still thinks of him as his biggest inspiration. "My father always inspired me. He was a good captain, and I'm proud to follow in his footsteps," he says.

He's worked other jobs over the years, but Circle Line has always felt like home. His favorite part of the cruise is simple: "The Statue, of course. It never gets old." His tip for visitors is to see the city from the water and from the top of a skyscraper.

On a day off, Joe likes visiting One World Trade Center, catching a Broadway show, and cruising on the Harbor Lights, which is also his favorite sailing time. "You get to see the city in the day and the night. It's the best of both worlds," he says.

Gabriel Zambrano

Captain Gabe has been part of Circle Line for over 32 years. He was born in Cali, Colombia, and raised in Irvington, New Jersey. Before finding his way onto the water in 1994, he worked as a plant operator for an oil company. He now lives in Toms River and is one of the most experienced captains on staff.

He says his favorite part of the job is sharing the city with first-time visitors, especially watching them see the Statue of Liberty for the first time. "There are a lot of buildings in this city, but there's nothing like watching someone see the statue for the first time. I always try to give them a little extra time there."

Gabe's daughter is autistic, and it's part of why he makes a point of inviting kids with special needs into the wheelhouse to steer the boat or take a photo at the helm. "It's the most rewarding part of what I do," he says.

His advice for guests is simple. "Too many people forget to smile. I like to help them remember."

James Olsen

Captain James has been sailing New York's waterways with Circle Line since 1993. He was born in Brooklyn and raised in Denville, New Jersey, and got his start in 1979 as a deckhand on tugboats. He earned his first license in 1986 and worked up to mate and then captain before leaving tugboats behind for Circle Line, where he's stayed for more than 30 years.

He lives with his wife of 38 years on a tree farm in Boonton Township, where they cut, split, and sell firewood. He's a father of four and grandfather of four, and says he values family, fresh air, and life on the land as much as life on the water.

The Statue of Liberty is still his favorite landmark, and he says the best part of the job is connecting with passengers and crew. His tip for visitors: plan ahead, and give yourself enough time and budget to actually take in the city.

Off the clock, he might be biking around Manhattan, walking the High Line, or at the Museum of Natural History. For those booking a cruise, he recommends going in the morning, when it's less crowded.

Ümit Yolcu

Captain Emit grew up in Sheepshead Bay, Brooklyn, and has three seasons in at Circle Line so far. Before becoming a captain, he worked his way from deckhand to mate at several ferry and tour boat companies. He's known for staying calm at the helm and knowing the harbor well.

His favorite landmark to pass is the Statue of Liberty at sunset. He says the golden-hour light on the water never gets old. For visitors, his tip is to get outside Manhattan, especially to South Brooklyn, Coney Island, and Stillwell Park, for a more local experience.

What drew him to Circle Line was the professionalism of the marine crew, something he says still motivates him. Off the water, he's American-Turkish and plays competitive 9-ball. On a day off, you'd likely find him on a cruise around Manhattan or up at the Edge for the view.

Richard Sadler

Captain Richard Sadler grew up on City Island in the Bronx and has spent his whole life around boats. He's worked as a third mate in the Merchant Marine, an able-bodied seaman on tugboats, a sailing coach, an inventor, and crew for New York Water Taxi.

He joined Circle Line in the spring of 2016 and has become known for his skill at the helm and his love of the harbor. He especially enjoys watching passengers see the Statue of Liberty for the first time.

"It's a solid, trusted company, a New York tradition for 80 years," he says. "Very highly respected throughout the harbor." He also points to the camaraderie among captains and crew, many of whom feel like family.

Outside of Circle Line, Richard has sailed with Ted Turner on the yacht Courageous during the 1977 America's Cup and climbed the Great Pyramid of Giza three times while working in merchant shipping. He's also a professional photographer working on launching a harbor photography site.

His advice for first-timers: plan your day, but stay open to changing it based on what locals tell you. For a full day in the city, he suggests starting with breakfast at Ellen's Stardust Diner, heading up to Top of the Rock for the skyline, exploring a museum or two, and ending on Circle Line's Harbor Lights cruise. "There's nothing like seeing New York lit up at night from the water," he says.

Anthony Nolasco

Captain Anthony started with Circle Line at 18 as a fill-in deckhand. What began as a part-time gig turned into six days a week, and over the past decade he's worked every position on board, from deckhand to first mate to captain.

He grew up in Jersey City and now lives in New Brunswick. His family has deep ties to the maritime world. His brother sailed cargo ships internationally, and his mother worked in the industry too, and they encouraged him to find a career on the water that still let him come home each night.

He earned his 100-ton captain's license from Maritime Professional Training in Florida and trained closely with Circle Line's port engineers and senior captains, including Captain Kenny Corcoran and Captain Gabriel Zambrano.

For Anthony, the most rewarding part of the job is knowing he built his career from the ground up. He's responsible for the safety of more than 600 passengers on a given trip, and says his time in every crew role gives him a different kind of respect for the team he leads now.

He's especially looking forward to being at the wheel for the Fourth of July fireworks, when every ship in the harbor sounds its horn at once.

Kereem Abraham

Captain Kereem was born in Trinidad and Tobago and moved to the U.S. at 12, growing up in Brooklyn and Queens. He still lives in Brooklyn, in Crown Heights.

He's been a Port Captain with Circle Line for three years, though his time with the company goes back further. He started as an engineering intern, then worked up from deckhand to senior deckhand before becoming captain. He's also captained boats for New York Water Taxi, Circle Line Downtown's Shark and Zephyr, New York Waterway, Statue Cruises' Little Lady, Top View Cruises, and several private charters around the harbor.

One of his favorite views is the Manhattan and Brooklyn waterfront. He started in the industry in 2005 and has watched the skyline and piers change a lot since then.

His tip for visitors is to get outside Manhattan and see what each borough has to offer. He says he was drawn to the industry early on by the professionalism of Circle Line's captains, and now enjoys creating that same impression for guests, especially when he brings them into the wheelhouse.

Asked about a perfect day in New York, he'd walk across the Brooklyn Bridge, get barbecue at Hometown in Red Hook, visit Little Island, ride the Staten Island Ferry, and spend time in DUMBO. He says nighttime cruises are the most magical, when the water is calm and the skyline lights up.