Patrick Harris, New York Boat Captain: 'I'm The Happiest Man On The Planet' (VIDEO)

WATCH: New York Executive Turned Boat Captain Says He's 'The Happiest Man On The Planet'

"I recently turned 60 years old, and I'm the happiest man on the planet."

These are the words of Patrick Harris, better known among friends as "Captain Pat," a Manhattan executive-turned-boat captain who's been conducting tours of New York Harbor for 24 summers aboard his restored 1920s sailing vessel Ventura, CNNMoney is reporting.

Harris says he quit his corporate Park Avenue job on a whim before deciding to buy his boat: "It didn't take very long until I gradually had a sense of dissatisfaction with working inside of a building." Now, as he provides tours to New Yorkers, he couldn't be happier. "I never realized how good of a life it was going to be," he said. "...I never realized the sense of satisfaction I was going to get out of it...I don't think I could ever be happier than I am now."

This year, Captain Pat received a special honor from U.S. Secretary of Transportation Norman Y. Mineta for his work in aiding 9-11 victims in the aftermath of the 2001 tragedy.

Watch CNN's interview with Harris below:

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