Born and bred (mostly) in Melbourne, I worked in various industries for 15 years, including training and working as a cook for 5 years, before joining the Metropolitan Ambulance Service in 1991.

I met my wife Leanne in 1994 when she was working as a nurse at the Alfred Hospital emergency department.

My first interest in sailing was back in 1984 when a friend took me out sailing in a hobbicat (I think), when we were passing through Victor Harbour on a motorcycle tour of SA.

I was fascinated by how the wind was pulling us through the water. After a few outings on Port Philip Bay on various vessels, it wasn’t until the mid 1990s I impetuously bought a Matilda trailer sailer. This was a project which never came to fruition, but in the early 2000s I joined the Rhyll Yacht Club and started sailing smaller boats. I found that a Mirror dinghy seemed to be right up my alley.

After nearly 19 years as a paramedic in Melbourne and just recently finishing 10 years as an intensive care officer, I have become more and more interested in overseas aid work.
Sailing to Vanuatu and helping in this year’s mission is a chance for me to combine these two interests.