Richard Bargas - Director of Marine Operations
Richard Bargas
Richard Bargas is the Director of Marine Operations at My Clean Ocean — a firefighter-paramedic turned maritime leader who brings emergency response, international ocean safety, and yacht-industry experience to the mission.
His three chapters — first responder, maritime educator, and founder of Pacific Icon Yachts — all share the same throughline: building the systems, the training, and the culture that keep people safe on the water and connected to the sea.
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Richard began his professional career as a firefighter paramedic in California, dedicating his life to public service and emergency response. While serving his community, his passion for the ocean only continued to grow stronger. That love ultimately led him to launch his first sportfishing company based out of San Diego, combining his entrepreneurial drive with his deep respect for the ocean and marine lifestyle.
Richard is also a licensed 100-Ton Master Maritime Captain, a certification that reflects years of offshore experience, leadership, navigation expertise, and time spent operating vessels in demanding marine environments. He has logged over 1,000 dives throughout his life and has spent years exploring ocean environments across the globe as a diver, spearfisherman, captain, and expedition leader. Over the years, he has guided spearfishing trips, offshore expeditions, and adventure experiences around the world, working with clients and explorers in some of the most remote and challenging marine environments. His experiences on the water helped shape not only his professional career, but also his deep appreciation for marine conservation, ocean stewardship, and the responsibility that comes with exploring these environments.
Seeking adventure and a greater understanding of the world’s oceans, Richard later spent a year living in Thailand, where he immersed himself in diving, maritime operations, and emergency response systems. During his time abroad, he completed his Divemaster training on the island of Ko Tao, one of the world’s most recognized dive destinations. While there, he also helped contribute to the development of an emergency response system for the island’s diving community — combining his background in emergency medicine with his passion for ocean safety and conservation.
Richard also attended the Galileo Maritime Academy in Phuket, further expanding his maritime education and offshore experience. In addition to his work in Thailand, Richard has participated in multiple international maritime emergency response initiatives and has worked alongside ocean safety organizations abroad. He also assisted in training lifeguards in Jacó, helping support water safety and emergency response preparedness within the local coastal community.
His international experiences exposed him to both the beauty of the ocean and the environmental challenges facing marine ecosystems around the world. Those experiences played a major role in shaping the vision that would later become My .
Today, Richard is the Founder and CEO of Pacific Icon Yachts, an international luxury adventure and yacht brand operating throughout Southern California, Baja California, Hawaii, and Costa Rica. Through Pacific Icon Yachts, Richard has built a company centered around exploration, luxury, adventure, and life on the water — creating experiences that connect people to the ocean through sport fishing, yachting, diving, and offshore exploration. The brand has become known for combining high-end luxury with authentic adventure and ocean lifestyle culture.