Born and raised in the UK, my career has been as colourful and varied as a bestselling adventure novel. My fascination with diving, shipwrecks, and the enigmatic depths of the ocean led me from a Commercial Dive School in Fort William, Scotland, to far-flung corners of the globe, enough to make any seasoned traveller’s bucket list turn green with envy.
Throughout my career, I’ve planted roots in Singapore, Malaysia, Indonesia, and Azerbaijan, with professional assignments extending to Thailand, Vietnam, China, Papua New Guinea, Dubai, Saudi Arabia, the Philippines, and West Africa. A highlight was a historical treasure salvage operation in Malaysia, where we rescued invaluable cargo from the 1817 shipwreck of the Diana, threatened by impending local dredging operations. These salvaged items later went under the hammer at Christie’s in Amsterdam, fetching over $3 million in 1995.
In the realm of Saturation Diving, I spent weeks at a time living in hyperbaric chambers at depths exceeding 200 meters, inhaling a mixture of Helium and Oxygen. From there, I transitioned into management roles within the commercial diving sphere, overseeing multiple saturation diving systems and mixed gas surface diving systems during a seven-year stint as a Diving Base Manager in Batam.
Upon my return to England, I was involved in the construction of the Rampion Offshore Wind Farm off Brighton, along with various other offshore wind farm projects dotted around Europe. Yet, yearning for stability and closeness to my family, I embarked on a new journey in the Rooms business within Brighton’s bustling HMO community.
Diving continues to play a central role in my life, complemented by my love for boating and squash. Golf, a sport where I wouldn’t quite claim mastery, has still provided unforgettable moments, such as a four-year tenure as tournament director for the Batam International Charity Golf Tournament, raising close to a million dollars. Beef Rendang also piques my interest, and having read Alex’s bio, I’m keen to savour this reputedly exceptional dish! (While I’m not exactly holding out for an invitation, I believe it’s worth a try.)
While diving may be my most conspicuous talent, I also have a knack for performing cool card tricks and spinning a good yarn (though my wife might debate the quality of my jokes). In addition, I hold a commercially endorsed Yachtmaster Offshore, and I’m sailing full speed ahead to becoming an MCA Master 200.
Should Lady Luck grace me with a lottery win, I’d channel my passion for diving into a fresh venture. My ambition? Build a specialist diving and survey boat equipped with the cutting-edge multi-beam sonar imagery systems. I aspire to create 3D images of all the shipwrecks along the coast, thereby shedding light on their historical stories. I’d also back Ghost Fishing UK, a charity committed to clearing dangerous ghost nets from our seas. And if the coffers aren’t quite empty? A dive boat to explore the uncharted waters of Raja Ampat, Indonesia, sounds pretty tempting – and everyone’s invited (assuming I secure that lottery win, of course)!
My life straddles the UK and the breathtaking landscapes of Indonesia. I treasure the time spent with my extended family, particularly in the remote parts of Bali and Sulawesi. With three wonderful children and a supportive wife, family time is beyond value. To unwind, I immerse myself in well-crafted Terry Pratchett novels, relishing their wit, imagination, and charm.
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