After pursuing a career of over thirty years in education working as a Higher Education Lecturer, for Plymouth University, I decided to take early retirement and pursue a life long ambition to work on a ‘Commercial Fishing Boat’. Consequently, I underwent the following training;
- Safety Awareness
- Sea Survival
- Fire Fighting
- First Aid
- Bridge Watchkeeping
- Engine room Watchkeeping
- Intermediate Stability Awareness
- Stability Awareness for Experienced Fishermen
- Advanced Stability Awareness
- GMDSS Short Range Certificate
- VHF Radio Operator
After completing the above qualifications, I qualified for and currently hold a licence to Skipper an ‘Under 16.5 Fishing Vessel (unrestricted)’.
In 2022, I joined ‘Crew Seekers’ and sailed with a number of different skipper and yachts, sailing around the coasts of Great Britain and Ireland, including the Channel Islands. In addition I underwent a six week return trip from Chatham on the east coast of England to Stockholm in Sweden, calling off at a variety of different ports in Germany, Gotland, Christian Island and Denmark.
Audio Interview with David while in Southampton back in May 2024.
