I've been more than a little preoccupied in the last few years. I have never shied away from the honesty of mental health, along with reminding myself to stop being so critical of myself and what I stand for.

What's been happening? Well, after working with Dolphin Watch UK for some time, they sadly closed and I took a decision to set up a project called Sea-Life Conservation Tours. Performing a similar function as Dolphin Watch, my focus was to improve the standards of sea tourism and to create ocean ambassadors. This led to meeting some amazing people who have passion and determination that was a serious honour to be around. SCT ran for pretty much four years, and in that time we had many people from different countries join us on board. People who research, people who want to learn, families, friends, and other conservationists.

A crazy and wonderful time.

Rocking the boat?

I decided to bring SCT to a close in 2024 for a few reasons. One of which was the impact on my health. I knew things were getting to a point where I had to make a decision, when I simply didn’t look forward to developing another season of trips. Coupled with some unsavoury actions on Facebook from other parties, I really had to step away.

I could have handed the whole project off to someone else, but felt that even though there were people who I trusted and would have felt safe handing it to, I would never have really felt closure! It’s a bit like being addicted to sugar. You can stop, but at every turn there is temptation to jump in with both feet again.

Be proud of what you do and who you work with even when you have to pay the bills!

As a part crossover with SCT, I had the chance and opportunity to join a company that fits very much with what I stand for. With economic pressures and the lack of money, I applied to join NHBS Ltd which is a conservation company that retails “Everything Nature”. The company sells over 35,000 nature books along with equipment for conservation and is widely known as the industry standard for this. Even though it’s online it is nothing like Amazon!! You can buy everything from a bat box through to thermal scopes, Harp Traps, plankton nets, books on every animal possible, research, and so much more. Go take a look! NHBS celebrates forty years of helping nature in 2025 as well. No small achievement in itself.

In the same way as with SCT, I have found myself working with people who have an absolute passion for nature. Not just that, they are some of the most wonderful and interesting people. I really cannot believe how lucky I am.

2025

So what of the future? I believe we should all hold the things that we love and have a passion for close to us. Just because you may be working or need down time, passions make up who we are. I wear mine on my sleeve at all times these days - part of the reason I received some challenging communications on Facebook (which I’m no longer logging into).

Recharging my batteries has taken a little while. I have plans that run alongside my work. Photography, filming, writing, and shouting like so many others about what the world needs to be like. I’m married to a woman I both admire and love immensely. Cate has more talent in her little finger than I have in every fibre of my body. She’s an author, activist, editor, a literary giant in waiting.

2025 is going to be a year reintroducing “me”, my work, and more importantly trying to help others I have met in the last few years to give them more of a platform for their passions and work. The first step you may have noticed is that I have closed a whole bunch of pages on this website as they need to be refreshed.

It’s time to get going again … I’m back …