Gavin Russell

Gavin Russell - originator, editor, collector"A picture by Wintz of a French seaside village was always on the wall in my childhood. It instilled within me an endless desire to get to the beautiful sea, with the boats visible in the distance, and to be one of those people messing about in them. For years I remained thwarted and envious.In 1957 I finally made it by being taken for my National Service into the Royal Navy. with enormous luck I ended up on their experimental diving ship, HMS...See more

Gavin Russell - originator, editor, collector"A picture by Wintz of a French seaside village was always on the wall in my childhood. It instilled within me an endless desire to get to the beautiful sea, with the boats visible in the distance, and to be one of those people messing about in them. For years I remained thwarted and envious.In 1957 I finally made it by being taken for my National Service into the Royal Navy. with enormous luck I ended up on their experimental diving ship, HMS Kingfisher, where beyond my wildest dreams I tended the deep (tin-hat) divers as a shallow water diver, descending in a bell to 400 feet and training with them in the pot.Later, with this background, I formed a successful small coastal diving company with a pal; so, keeping on (and in) my love; the sea.Now I am retired and living in a country estate among 40 or so ex-seafarers - and their memories! The inspiration was irresistible so I had to collect the stories, either written by them or relayed to me for tidying up.I am lucky to have tapped into such a rich seam - you might think so too" See less