Meet 1/C Gabriel Calouro from Orleans, Massachusetts! He is just five months away from earning his degree in Marine Transportation from Massachusetts Maritime Academy.
Gabriel attended Orleans Elementary School, Nauset Regional Middle School, and Nauset Regional High School.
Gabriel first sailed with his family in Bristol, Rhode Island at the age of three and drove a Grady White for the first time at the age of seven. He taught sailing the summer before his freshman year of high school, navigated the Erie Canal on a house barge and started rowing crew.
The following summer he worked at a ship tracking company. He decided that there were more fun things to do in the summer than working at a desk so he sat for his launch license the spring of his junior year of high school and bought a neighbor’s skiff so he could boat to the backside of Nauset Brach.
In the summers he drove launch for Ryder’s Cove, upgraded his license the following year and worked at Stage Harbor Marine in Chatham before leaving for Orientation at Massachusetts Maritime Academy.
The water has always played a big part in his life with rowing and surfing as some of his favorite activities.
Gabriel’s dad, Moses Calouro, graduated from MMA in 1991.
Mathew sends a warm welcome to the students from Cape Cod participating in the Follow The Voyage – Share The Experience Program especially his two former schools; Orleans Elementary School and Nauset Regional Middle School. Matthew also welcomes followers from Rhode Island where he enjoyed his first sailing trip. Having navigated the Erie Canal, Matthew sends a high-five to students who have visited, studied, or read about this historic canal that runs from eat to west between the Hudson River and Lake Erie.
Not many people can say that they've navigated the Erie Canal on a house barge. Young Gabriel, however, was able to add that to his resume at a young age.
Check out this video to learn some fun facts about the Erie Canal!