The Sanibel & Captiva Islands Chamber of Commerce dedicated its 2017 Visitor’s Guide cover to the memory of Paul McCarthy, owner of Captiva Cruises and longtime Chamber member. The cover photo of Lady Chadwick, the Captiva Cruises flagship vessel, was unveiled Tuesday, Oct. 11 during the monthly business luncheon at the Captiva Island Yacht Club, where McCarthy was also a member.
“He left us with a rich and full legacy of stewardship and eco-tourism embodied in Captiva Cruises, whose goal will continue to respect and appreciate the natural beauty of Southwest Florida,” the Visitor’s Guide dedication states. “In 2013, the Chamber honored Paul as Business Person of the Year. He had a generous spirit, a zest for life and shared his laughter and passion with everyone who touched his life. Paul will be missed by all of us.”
McCarthy, a Boston native, passed away Aug. 24 at the age of 63. He practiced law in Chicago prior to discovering the tour boat business. He started Captiva Cruises in 1986 and made the island his full-time home in the early 1990s. McCarthy partnered with organizations like the Sanibel Captiva Conservation Foundation to bring a high-quality environmental message to his Captiva Cruises passengers.
McCarthy’s family from Boston, along with Captiva Cruises staff members Jenny Rando and Brad Junghans, were in attendance for the unveiling. The Visitor’s Guide will be available late January and can be found at the Chamber Visitor’s Center, 1159 Causeway Rd. The Chamber distributes 125,000 copies of the Visitor’s Guide annually.