My Other Life with Peter Justason

PM360 recently spoke to Peter Justason, Director, eMarketing at Purdue Pharma, about his passion for boating.

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PM360: Peter, we hear that you own a boat. Tell us about that.

In 2010, to celebrate our 25th wedding anniversary, my wife, Donna, and I decided to buy a 27-foot Formula Power Cruiser to go boating on the Long Island Sound. Since then we have made many trips up and down the sound with family, friends and co-workers enjoying the experience.

How did you get involved in boating?

Donna and I enjoy boating—it gave us the opportunity to do an activity together, meet new friends and do something I have always wanted to do. My grandfather and great-grandfather were sea captains in Canada—running lumber and softwood down to Boston and bringing manufactured goods back to New Brunswick. It was on those boats that my father, as a little boy, was washed overboard and was saved by my uncle who actually drowned after saving my father. I bear his name as my middle name and have never forgotten that story.

So how did you gain the courage for boating after finding out what happened to your father and uncle?

My father was very young at the time and I never met my uncle. It didn’t take any courage to buy the boat and get under way since I wanted to do this for a long time.

Wow, that’s incredible. So, how does it feel to be out there in the water?

There is a certain feeling that’s very hard to describe as you are underway—with the wind in your hair, the smell of the salt water, the beautiful views along the sound and sharing that with family and friends. We also enjoy the “life at the dock” where we have met new friends with different interests. Those friends allow me to focus on something other than what I do from day to day.

Did you have to get a special license? Were you mentored by anyone?

There have been several people that helped us including our Sales & Marketing VP, who is in the Coast Guard Reserve. He provided the classroom training that my son and I took together in order to get our state-issued Personal Watercraft Operations boating certificates. As for mentors, my VP, Tommy, Andy, Pete, Jim and Mike, as well as others at my marina, have been a great source of knowledge and companionship.

How has your involvement evolved over the years?

Neither Donna nor I ever owned a boat before, so over the years we learned the rules of the sea, went out with other captains and learned more and more about our boat. My dock mates have been great with teaching me the ways of the sea and how to properly run a boat to be safe and have the most fun. This has been a good voyage.

What else do you enjoy besides boating?

I enjoy cooking, playing Texas Hold’em and being a grandfather to seven. At some point, I would like visit some restaurants and return to writing my food blog. I want people who read my posts to be hungry afterward.

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