In just over two and a half years, Sashen has gone from being terrified of the ocean to becoming Deputy Station Leader at our Gibsons rescue station. So far, he’s logged 172 hours on the water, participated in four rescue missions, and made a lasting impact on his fellow volunteers—all while bringing energy, innovation, and heart to the station.
In his own words.
I’m Sashen Reddy, Advanced Crew and Deputy Station Leader at Station 14 in Gibsons, on the Sunshine Coast of BC. I’ve been a member of RCMSAR for just over two years, and I wanted to share my story because I think it might be… well, “interesting”, and maybe even inspire someone else to join.
Growing up in Durban, South Africa, I vividly remember one sightseeing boat tour off the coast. The four-foot swell felt overwhelming as an extremely seasick young Sashen clung to the side of the boat for dear life while sea spray gently spritzed my face. For years, I avoided anything to do with boats.
It has been with my time at Station 14 that I’ve worked to overcome being terrified of boats and the ocean!
As I got older, I realized I was letting fear dictate my choices, avoiding challenges, and staying within my comfort zone. I reached a point in my life where I decided to deliberately push myself and lean into my fears – and honestly, writing this for you right now is another example! (Super uncomfortable talking about myself.)
In order to genuinely overcome fear inertia, I needed a compelling “why” and a supportive group of people. I was looking for something that felt completely outside my comfort zone, and on searching for opportunities in my community, I chanced upon the RCMSAR website. It was the kind of thing I’d never imagined myself doing, and that’s what made it intriguing.
I remember filling in the “Express Interest” form, and there were two options: “Active Crew” and “Support Crew.” There was a pause as I hovered over those choices. Clicking that “Active Crew” button still felt like a huge step, but the real step came at my first training session.
Arriving at the boathouse was instantly overwhelming. Stepping from the dock into the boathouse, and ultimately from the boathouse deck onto the boat – both gaps of less than a foot – were massive hurdles to overcome! Of course, now I just jump on and off the boat without a second thought, but back then, everything was new and intense. This idea of service, about helping people, about being there for someone in need, was what finally pushed me to take both a figurative and literal leap.
Looking back, I can confidently say that joining RCMSAR has been one of the best decisions I’ve ever made. The journey from hesitant newcomer to an active, engaged crew member has been transformative in ways I never anticipated. The people in this organization are incredible – truly amazing to work with and learn from. Coming in with absolutely no nautical background whatsoever, I expected the journey to be challenging and frustrating. Instead, the welcome, compassion, patience, and passion of everyone around me have been truly special.
And the feeling of actually making a difference, of helping someone in distress and bringing them safely back – that’s incredibly rewarding. I’ve grown so much as a person, learned so many new skills, and gained a ton of confidence. The skills I’ve learned at RCMSAR have helped me in my career and everyday life.
In my career, I’m a Lead Audio Designer for video games. I’ve been lucky enough to work on some amazing Titles – Star Wars, FIFA, Gears, and Minecraft, for some of the biggest publishers in the world Disney, Electronic Arts, Microsoft, Mojang, to name a few. It’s a creative, demanding job, and the flexibility of working remotely actually makes it possible for me to volunteer with RCMSAR.
Beyond just responding to calls, my tech background has also been incredibly useful at Station 14 as I see opportunities to really streamline our processes. Coming from the tech world, efficiency and automation are always top of mind. So, since stepping into the Deputy Station Leader role, I’ve focused on using my skills to enhance station operations – automating sign-up sheets, maintenance logs, tracking, and other administrative tasks.
The aim is to minimize manual work, reduce errors, and free up valuable volunteer time for training and response readiness. Building upon the robust systems and processes already in place, I’m bringing a modern perspective to leverage today’s technology for even greater efficiency and safety at Station 14.
With the successful implementation of these streamlined systems at our station, my vision extends to exploring how these improvements can be adapted and rolled out to benefit other RCMSAR stations, enhancing the overall organization. As Deputy Station Leader, my focus is clear: Do everything within my power to help Station 14 and the wider organization be the best it can be.
Volunteering with RCMSAR has been an incredible journey for me over the last couple of years, from overcoming a major fear to finding real passion and purpose. And maybe, in a way, coming in with no prior maritime experience has actually been an advantage. I hope sharing my story might encourage someone else to take that step and explore volunteering with RCMSAR.
Check out this video to get some insight into Sashen’s day job. And, if his story has inspired you to take that next step, please visit our volunteer page for information, or contact the rescue station nearest you.
Karen, Nick, Hanna and Sashen —ready for anything the ocean throws their way.