Nathan Hale Bridger, Captain

As the chief designer of the seaQuest, Captain Bridger was a model officer of the U.S. Navy. However, after the death of his son, Robert, he left the military, promising his wife he would never go back. After his wife died, he disappeared to a secluded island, where he spent his days in retirement working on communication skills with his pet dolphin, Darwin.

Being lured back into the Navy by Admiral Noyce, a friend of his for over 35 years, Bridger finally accepted the position of captain aboard the fully-functional seaQuest DSV in 2018. As Captain, he worked to bring his dream of combining science, research, and exploration with military peacekeeping interests. He became a stand-in father figure for Lucas. Finally, after coming to terms with his wife's death, he had some romantic interests in, first, Dr. Kristin Westphalen and, later, Dr. Wendy Smith. After the seaQuest and her crew were returned from Hyperion, he left the military for the final time. Having found his grandchild on the island to which he returned, he hoped that in time he could locate Robert and reunite them.