Born and raised in Bermuda, Capt. James demonstrated a passion for the ocean from a very early age, with his first offshore venture at the ripe old age of six.

In 1984 he cut his angling teeth working with local legend Capt. Andrew Card aboard the ‘Reel Action’ , fishing commercially for Wahoo and Tuna (as well as catching his first Blue Marlin).  Throughout the ‘80s and ‘90s, James continued to sharpen his skills in local waters, while also traveling extensively gaining valuable experience fishing with some of the best Captains in many of the world's premier fishing destinations including the Bahamas, Florida, Caribbean, Costa Rica, Kenya, Oregon Inlet, NC, Mexico's Yucatan Peninsula and Australia's Great Barrier Reef.

Finally settling back home in Bermuda in the late ‘90s, James spent six years as the mate for Captain Allen DeSilva of Mako Charters. As a mate  James was an instrumental player in some notable feats, including: Bermuda's first Grander Blue Marlin tagged and released (estimated at 1100+ lbs) and setting the record for most Blue Marlin caught in a season with 57 Blues in 2003. Having proven his talent in the cockpit, Capt. James fulfilled his dream of running his own boat with the arrival of his brand new vessel Wound Up in June 2006.