Name:
Chad Griebenow

Job:
Senior Mate

Age:
41

Romantic Status:
Single

Where are you from?
Stewartville, Minnesota

How long have you been in Key West?
10 years. After a few years in the Tampa area, the winters got too cold, so I just kept moving south.

How long have you worked at Fury?
6 years. I answered the first— and only— "Crew Wanted" ad ever placed in the Key West Citizen.


Who is your favorite Key West role model?
Hunter S. Thompson. Most people don’t realize that he spent time here during the late 70s, early 80s. Like many authors, he was trying to capture the spirit of his idol Hemingway and write the great novel of his career. I think he embodies the crazy, "gonzo" spirit of Key West at that time.

What do you want to be when you grow up?
Fortunately, I’m a secret member of the Lost Boys, and like Peter Pan, I'll never grow up.

Old Town or New Town?
Old Town. You get a real taste of Victorian and Greek revival architecture in a tropical setting. I once lived in an Old Town house that was built in 1876, complete with ghosts and all!

What’s your favorite restaurant?
Blue Heaven. It captures the Key West spirit and serves excellent food. It’s very popular with tourists and locals, and the lobster eggs Benedict is, indeed, heavenly.

What do you actually do at work all day?
As an unofficial "senior" mate, I try to leave the heavy lifting to the new recruits. Seriously though, as a 2,000+ Fury trip veteran, scuba instructor, and 16-year world traveler, I work to make sure every trip runs smoothly for our guests and crew.

What’s the best thing about your job?
This is a tough question as everyone constantly says, "You have the best job!" For me, it’s actually not the obvious, like sun, boat, snorkeling, and sunsets. It’s working with our crew every day, from the owner, Mr. Saunders, to our manager Marius, to the captains and the mates. It’s a great group of people.


What’s the last item you bought at the Fury Surf Shack?
Flip flops— blew them out and then stepped on a pop top.

What’s your favorite watering hole?
The outside bar at Don’s Place after 2am.
 

What’s your favorite Fantasy Fest costume you’ve worn?
My Mad Scientist costume is still my favorite. The huge Pyrex Erlenmeyer flask is a cool way to drink a cocktail.
What’s your most prized possession?
I have a small Buddha statue that I got at Angkor Wat, Cambodia that was personally blessed by the Dalai Lama, in Dharamsala, India on my first visit in 1996.
When’s bedtime?
As soon as possible. I’m officially old now. I like to take naps in the hammock.
What’s your means of transportation?
A $25 ex-rental bike beach cruiser. After losing thousands of dollars on high-end mountain bikes that were stolen, I’ve found something that even the homeless won't steal.

 

What’s a typical day off?
In a hammock in the back yard, reading a real book— not a Kindle or a Nook— with a good microbrew, followed by a dip in the pool, and a nap. Repeat.
What’s your ideal day off?
In the beginning of summer, I went home to Newport News to see my family and friends.
What was your last vacation?
Back to the old stomping grounds of Cambodia and Vietnam this past fall. I’ve also been going to Burning Man the past few years. It’s like Key West, but bigger and crazier, if that's possible.

What makes someone a Conch?
A Conch is someone who loves this city and loves sharing it with all of our wonderful guests. Conchs can be people who have moved here from other places, and like me, genuinely enjoy life and working in paradise.