About The Desert Belle
Saguaro Lake Sightseeing Cruises, Arizona

Meet Captain Richard Bonney

Dick was born in Philadelphia and raised in its suburbs. At the age of 14 he joined the Sea Scouts and has been boating ever since.
After high school he spent two years at Spring Garden Automotive Institute in Philadelphia.

Upon completion of his education he joined the U.S. Coast Guard and was sent to school for gas and diesel marine engine repair. He spent two years on the Northwind, an ice breaker, based in Seattle. The next two years were spent at Captain of the Port, Portland, Or. While there he did vessel inspections, drug interdiction and search and rescue.

Dick spent another twenty two years as a reservist at search and rescue stations on the east and west coasts. He has been involved in many search and rescue missions. On one particularly dangerous rescue mission he was awarded a Congressional Commendation for his participation in the rescue of eleven people and recovery of two.

Four years of his time in the Coast Guard reserves was spent at the National Motor Life Boat School in Ilwaco, Wa. as a small boat engineering instructor. While at the school he became one of only two engineering reservists to be qualified as a Heavy Weather coxswain.

During his twenty six years in the Coast Guard he advanced to the rate of Warrant Officer.

In his regular life Dick was a truck, diesel and transport refrigeration mechanic.

After retiring he moved to Long Beach, Wa. He then volunteered at Long Beach Ambulance as a first responder on the ambulance crew. Dick spent two years there.

Dick loved boating so much he purchased a cabin cruiser and cruised the Columbia and Willamette rivers and did allot of fishing for salmon and sturgeon.

He was married to Colleen in 1987 and has a son and daughter by a previous marriage.

Dick says" Because of my Coast Guard experience safety is my number one priority". He also says, "Next to the Coast Guard, piloting the Desert Belle has been my favorite job".

Meet Captain Forrest Martin

Captain Forrest Martin is a native of California.  Born in Torrance in 1945 and raised on airbases throughout the United States.  His father was a pilot in the Army Air Corp. Forrest attended Fresno State College and graduated with a degree in Liberal Arts.  By then, he had received his private pilot’s license with multi-engine, instrument and commercial ratings pursing a career in aviation.

Forrest moved to the Central Coast of California in 1978 and began the pursuit of his life long interest……sailing!  He acquired his first 18’ boat in 1982 and over the years his wife and son learned to love the sea.  The family lived on and cruised their 43' Hans Christian Cutter and 65’ Ketch for a number of years. Their last boat was a 71’ Ketch chartered in the British Virgin Islands. 

Forrest and his wife, Frances, moved to Arizona in May, 2009 to be close to their son and 2 grandchildren. He left a position as Captain of the 72’ Papagallo II, Morro Bay, California.  He performed over 50 marriages on the boat.  In addition, Forrest was Captain of the Tiger’s Folly II paddle wheel dinner boat and the Chablis, also a dinner boat, both in the Morro Bay harbor.    

Forrest and Frances have been married since 1971. They have 3 children, Brandon, Deanna, and Lynn and 3 grandchildren, Eric, Estienne and Forrest III. Now both retired, Forrest likes to keep busy on boats and Frances as an escrow consultant.