About the Crew

The crew here at Big Blue Charters of Newburyport have years of experience. Retired captain Tom Sawyer now first mate has been fishing on the ocean since 1973, Tom first started fishing out of a small center console boat for striped Bass on the Merrimack River and surrounding waters. After owning several boats, he finally found the one that fits him the best. Which is now the Ida Mary.  Tom has fished and caught just about every species inshore and off  shore around the Merrimack River. Tom brings a true love to the sport of fishing and is passionate about bringing others out to experience this love of the ocean and fishing he has.

I met Tom in a boat yard where we kept our boats, he was cleaning up the Ida Mary and making her shine. After several mins of talking to Tom I knew we would be good friends, As we both shared the same passion for fishing and the love for the ocean.  A few years back Tom came to me and asked if I’d like to purchase his beloved Ida Mary named after his mother. I didn’t have to think long about that decision.  A few months later I was the new owner of this beautiful Downeast boat. I kept the name of the boat after his mother because anyone one classy enough to have brought up such a great person was worthy of being on this boat.  

  My love for fishing  started back when I was old enough to hold a fishing rod.  My father used to take me fishing a lot over the summer when we would go up to my grandparents house on Lake Winnipesaukee.  We would catch  small  mouth bass and later  I moved onto fly fishing  for  salmon  and  trout.  My passion for the ocean started back  in 2005, when i started  surfcasting off  Plum  Island For striped bass.  Later after  purchasing  my  first  boat, I learned  all  the  little  spots  around  PI that hold big fish.  I  could  travel a lot easier to these spot on my  boat,  and  spent  less  time  getting in and out of my car along the beaches.  

In 2010 I purchased the Second Chance  a  28ft  Topaz  sport  fishing  boat.  This  was  a  great  boat,  I  took  up  Tuna  fishing  in  this  boat  and  quickly fell in love with  offshore  fishing for Giant Bluefin Tuna,  and  ground  fishing for Haddock,  and  other  ground  fish  on  Jefferys  Ledge.  

As  a  commercial  pilot  for  over  20  years,  I  understand  the  importance  of  saftey  and  good  communication between  crew  members and my passengers.  I  have  my  USCG  50  Ton  Masters  License,  I’m  a  member  of  the  Northeast Charterboat  Captains  association,  and trained  in  CPR  and  First Aid.  The  Ida  Mary  has  all  the  latest  saftey  Items  with  an  up  todate dockside  inspection from the US Coast  Guard.