From an early age, Johnny had a love of boats and the sea. His first home was in Green Turtle Cay, Abaco, where his dad was stationed as a Commissioner.  It was common for his mom to get a call saying Johnny was down at the dock around the boats.

His school years were spent in Nassau, and he spent weekends in the boat spearing fish and crawfish with his uncle. He spent summers in Spanish Wells fishing with his grandfather.

After high school, he returned to the family home in Spanish Wells to begin a career in crawfishing and eventually captained his own boat.