Crew Available: Experienced Offshore Fisherman but Newby to Sailing

[Southpass]

I am available to crew for coastal cruising and deliveries on the Texas coast and possibly more distant locales as my girlfriend and I prepare to purchase our own cruising catamaran or trimaran. We live in the "fingers" in Port Isabel and I have two slips behind my house where my canal leads out to the Lower Laguna Madre and the Gulf of Mexico. I am a USCG Captain with 100 Ton Inland Waters/100 Ton Mate Near Coastal Waters license. My girlfriend and I have taken the ASA 101 Keel Boat Course and will be taking the 103 and 104 this month as well as getting our PADI certification. I am retired from a 23 year career in Federal Law Enforcement and executive protection and 8 years in the US Navy. I'm 53 years old and in good physical condition. I was Golden Gloves heavyweight champion in SE Texas and have trained for years in Mixed Martial Arts. I have a current US Passport and a TWIC card. I have owned and maintained several power boats and currently own a 29 Mirage Sportfish single diesel. I grew up on Key Biscayne and have cruised powerboats in the Keys and Bahamas. Between the Navy, where I was an Electronics Technician, and my LE career I did marine electronics installations for Larry Smith Electronics in Palm Beach. I am an avid free diver and spear fisherman as well as an experienced offshore fisherman. I have LOTS of fishing tackle, spear guns and snorkeling gear. I've fished major marlin tournaments in Mexico, Brazil, South Africa and Guam. I lived in Guam, Japan and Spain and have traveled extensively over the years. The list of countries I haven't been to is probably shorter than the ones I have. I say all this so you know that I can handle myself in most situations. I've been in plenty of pinches at sea and will not panic or reach for the EPIRB at the drop of a hat. We intend to gain some sailing experience locally before jumping off on our own. My girlfriend is 45 and also in good shape. She and I are social drinkers and non-smokers. We do like to have fun (the point of all of this) and she is quite a character where I tend to be a little more reserved. She is an excellent, although untrained, cook. She amazes me with some creative meals she comes up with when stocks are low in the refrigerator. I look around Port Isabel and South Padre Island and see lots of boats rotting in their slips and I sometimes wonder what keeps their owners from using them. If it's lack of a crew please don't hesitate to contact us. We don't mind working and we're eager to learn. Our long term plan is to spend winters cruising.
Fair Winds and Following Seas
Steve and Nancy