As a ferryboat passenger it is easy to enjoy the majestic views of the Bay, a nice cup of coffee from the bar, even a conversation with a fellow rider on the way to your destination.
Captain Sly Hunter at the helm of the Encinal on the Alameda/Oakland ferry run to San Francisco in the early morning hours. Photo by Matt Larson
By Matt Larson
Published: November, 2011
As a ferryboat passenger it is easy to enjoy the majestic views of the Bay, a nice cup of coffee from the bar, even a conversation with a fellow rider on the way to your destination. People come and go, but there’s always one constant every time you board the ferry—the captain leading the way.
This new column asks, "Who’s at the helm?" This month, we look into the life of Captain Sly Hunter, currently commanding the early morning shift on San Francisco Bay Ferry’s Alameda/Oakland run.
Hunter’s original love was sports. Over 20 years ago, after breaking basketball records playing for Diablo Valley College, he got a basketball scholarship to St. Mary’s College and earned a business degree. During his fifth and final semester, the coaches asked him to do something a little different—football. "When I played football I was still on a basketball scholarship, which is really rare," Hunter explained. "At the time they asked me to play, my brother [Patrick Hunter] was in the NFL, so they thought they were getting a good football player." And they were right. "We went 10-0. I’m actually in the St. Mary’s Hall of Fame for football."
He first began working as a deckhand while attending St. Mary’s. "The Blue & Gold Fleet’s old general manager was a booster at St. Mary’s," he said. "My summer job was decking on these boats."
Upon graduation Hunter was still working for the Blue & Gold Fleet, but also found a job at a financial institution. "I decided to give it a shot," he said. "I was kind of doing two things at once." But the financial world wasn’t for him; Hunter left his office job to go get his captain’s license.
"I made my mind up," he said. "And it was a decision; this is something that I wanted to do. I went for it and it worked out." Over two decades later, Hunter is the senior captain for the Blue & Gold Fleet. "I just fell in love with it."
Now a father of five and a grandfather of one, Hunter has been a ferry captain for 23 years. Working in the early mornings has allowed him to keep several careers going along the way. "I worked three jobs for 15 years or so," he said. He was a basketball coach at local high schools and junior colleges for 18 years, and has now been a part-time union representative of Masters, Mates and Pilots for the past 12 years. "I oversee the captains on all of the ferries, I deal with contract issues, discipline, even negotiate labor contracts." Eventually Hunter may become a full-time union rep, but for now he’s happy at the helm.
"There’s no better view to me than being on the boat, up in the wheelhouse, heading toward the Golden Gate with a blue sky," said Hunter. Having grown up in San Francisco, he’s learned to really appreciate the Bay. "My wife and I went to France and the Eiffel Tower was a big deal to me. I’m sure to the French it’s like the Golden Gate Bridge is to us. I realized how important San Francisco is on a world scale."
During the week, bedtime for Hunter is about 7 p.m. Fortunately, he’s a morning person. "I’m up at 3:03 everyday, Monday through Friday," he said. Why 3:03? "Because three o’clock is just too damn early."
Humor is a big part of Hunter’s outlook on life. "Even though this is a tough time, I think it’s really important to have a sense of humor," he said. "If I don’t laugh throughout my day, then we have some serious problems. The last thing I need to be is stressed out."
Now that you’ve met Captain Hunter, we hope you’ll look at your next ferry cruise a little differently. Be sure to give him a friendly wave next time you see him, and look for future issues of Bay Crossings to find out who else is at the helm.
