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Born 1958 in Cape Town, South Africa to a German mother and Scottish father.
Sailed to the UK in 1966 on the Union Castle steamer.
Ever since that voyage I have had a love for the sea.
As a teenager I worked on Scottish fishing trawlers during my summer holidays.
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Completing my education at Aiglon College, Switzerland, and with no intention of studying further, I hitchhiked to the South of France and for three days banged on every yacht gang plank until I was given a job.
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I started yachting as a deck hand / steward then moved to engineer and 1st mate.
Eventually I did study hard and passed my RYA commercial yacht-master offshore certificate and worked as a charter yacht captain for 6 years in the Mediterranean and the North Sea. We provided five-star accommodation for exclusive customers and their families. Through these charters I got a deep insight into the difficulties and struggles of the super rich. As the proverb says: -
"Better is a bowl of vegetables and peace than a house full of riches and strife."
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In 1982 following the Camp David agreement between Israel and Egypt I moved on to operating a diving vessel in the Red Sea. We provided accommodation, food and five diving tanks a day on a 110-foot motor vessel for scuba divers from all over the world. For three years I organised and ran voyages to the most remote and untouched coral reefs in the Gulf of Suez and Gulf of Aqaba. Finding sharks, manta rays, turtles and moray eels was a promise to our customers. A land of austere beauty mirrored by an undersea world of stunning technicolor life.
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While working in the Red Sea, climbing and sleeping on Mount Sinai where Moses received the ten commandments, walking through Jerusalem and meditating on the Mount of Olives I gradually became convinced of the reality of Jesus the carpenter, the Son of God, and all that He accomplished for me in His life, death and resurrection. This led to my deep Christian conversion and subsequent involvement with Youth with a Mission. I loved the organisation and the adventures it offered both inwardly and outwardly.
In 1994 Ceinwen and I were married and settled in Snowdonia, North Wales. In 2007 we were blessed with a beautiful daughter called Maria Grace.
In 2001 my wife Ceinwen and I took charge of a 60-foot sailing ketch lent to YWAM by a lovely Christian couple in New Zealand. With a YWAM team on board we sailed 4500 nautical miles from NZ to Tonga – Samoa – Fiji – Tonga and back to NZ. All the time sharing our hearts and hands with remote island communities. The yacht was called the Shekhinah which means The Glory.
In 2006 I was invited by Capt. Brian Sloan to fly to Sweden and look over the Next Wave with a view to her becoming YWAM England’s maritime ministry. In 2007 the vessel was purchased and Discipleship Training Schools and outreach voyages were organised around the UK, Morocco and the Mediterranean.
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For ten years I have helped run the vessel and sailed her to Sweden, England, Portugal, Spain, Ibiza, Malta, Italy, Sicily, Greece, Turkey, Cyprus and Israel. Wonderful voyages with amazing people on a beautiful Sea.
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The ship is now providing a base, help and support for the refugee work on Lesvos, Greece. While thus engaged we are also carrying out a two-year refit of the vessel. Everything that needed replacing has been replaced. Everything we could paint we have painted. Every area that needed cleaning we have cleaned. we have made many great friends on the island. It is a special place.
In 2018 we plan to start running schools of seamanship, refugee discipleship schools, blue water discipleship schools, outreach voyages and much, much more. So, if you have a love for the sea and a love for Jesus (or are seeking to know more about him) come and join our team in Lesvos and on board Next Wave, or a bit of both.
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We also try to host an annual refit month around March where we prepare the vessel for the next season. This month has been blessed and supported by the most amazing team of carpenters, plumbers, electricians, painters, engineers and willing hands. Often in their 50 & 60’s with years of wisdom and skill behind them. They come to keep the adventure of life alive and vibrant. They and their supporters have blessed the socks off me and the boat, time and again.
When not volunteering on Next Wave we live in a converted old chapel in the Welsh Mountains.
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Ceinwen my wife runs our holiday cottage business
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She also manages The Carpenters Loft AirBNB
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I run a carpentry business constructing bespoke furniture
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Maria goes to the local school and keeps us young every day!
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We also support our local church/fellowship and village groups.
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