I started at sea as a child racing dinghy at club level until I became Captain for the school team. Although I never planned a career at sea after University and a spell working for the RNLI in Poole I found myself dock walking in the south of France.
I was lucky to secure some day work on a couple of sailing yachts for a few months until I was offered a permanent position on SY EOS where I spent the next 5 years. During this time we completed a circumnavigation and i dedicated much of my own time to study, after having some great mentors aboard in particular the Captain, I signed off EOS as an OOW.
Being involved from the outset in such a demanding and ever-evolving project has challenged me in every way possible. All my professional skills, knowledge and personal attributes have been put to the test and pressured to develop and evolve.
I hope that as I have developed, my team around me have too as I have always consciously tried to share what I have learnt and continue learning from those around me, both above and below. I push my department to be the best they can be as individuals and strive for excellence as one. I believe this is one of the key factors in make our long running project the success it has been.
Racing dinghys now seems a long distant memory as I prepare to become a Master Mariner yet the challenge, excitement and sense of community that started me racing then, keep my in yachting now, as I look forward to taking command on a large yacht the coming years
