Ryan Gunning, Jacksonville
A Marine Corps veteran who calls the First Coast home, building community for veterans and first responders on the water.
Home on the First Coast
Ryan Gunning lives in Jacksonville, Florida, a great military town close to the water. A U.S. Marine Corps veteran (2014–2018) and University of Alabama graduate, he spends as much time as he can fishing and diving around the First Coast.
Jacksonville is also where Ryan builds The Calm Seas Project, the nonprofit he founded to get veterans and first responders out on the water together.
The Calm Seas Project in Jacksonville
The Calm Seas Project, Inc. is a 501(c)(3) nonprofit that offers all-expenses-paid fishing and diving excursions for veterans and first responders facing PTSD and mental health struggles. In its first four months it raised more than $40,000.
Next up is a veterans fishing weekend in Jacksonville, November 6–8, 2026, with eight military veterans. Earlier in 2026 the project hosted a Marine Raider Reunion in Pensacola.
To help, give at calmseasproject.org or email ryan@calmseasproject.org.
First Coast Fishing
From the marsh creeks to the St. Johns River, Ryan Gunning writes about fishing around Jacksonville in his First Coast Fishing series: inshore trips, local spots, and days on the water that remind him why he started The Calm Seas Project.
Local veteran involvement
Ryan's community work centers on bringing veterans and first responders back together, rebuilding connections, and reminding them they're never alone. He shares news from the project in The Calm Seas Project News Bulletin.
New on the blog: Ryan Gunning's guide to Veterans Day 2026 in Jacksonville, covering the downtown parade route, where to watch, and other First Coast veteran events.
Photos of Ryan Gunning in Jacksonville
More photos in the Ryan Gunning photo gallery.