Starting "Oceans Matter"

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"There is something within every human being that dislikes boundaries that is longing to become boundless. Human nature is such that we always yearn to be something more than what we are right now. No matter how much we achieve we still want to be something more"  

 
When I was younger...
I'm originally from Agnes Park, Crumlin, Dublin which was the Viking world’s largest city.  I was born in James Street hospital which is across from the James Gate at the Guinness factory.  I attended  Scoil Úna Naofa on the Armagh Road.  I have 2 brothers and 2 sisters as well as 55 first cousins.  So Christmas holidays in Dublin were always such a great time bouncing around from house to house parties.
I grew up in a close family that was always connected to the water. although my mother has always been terrified of the water.  My mother was born at Hogan Place and moved to Saul Road in Crumlin.  My Dad was born in Temple Bar and lived on So Frederick Street just off Trinity College. It was the 1930's and all city children went to the Westland Row school in the city center.
My summers were always spent swimming and boating with my Dad or sailing with cousins and Uncle Sean in and around places like Howth, Dalkey in and around Dublin bay. We even had a few holidays at Butlins.
As a young man, My Dad was a great swimmer and a Poolbeg Yacht club "Oarsman", and as the lead oarsman was nicknamed "Stroke".  That was the way they were making a living bring the ships into the docks where my mothers father and brothers worked as they were referred to as the  "Dublin Dockers".  My father attended the London School of Engineering and eventually became a marine engineer as a merchant marine where in the 1960's he had amazing cultural experiences traveling the Gulf of Oman, and the Arabian Sea as the engineer on various tankers.  
He bought my brother and I our first boat when I was only 12.  It was a 21ft red Owens double hull with an 250 Evinrude outboard.  We would take it out on the Great South Bay.  Usually our biggest challenge was getting $5.00 for gas so we could take the boat to Zacks bay near Jones beach and make it back before it was dark.  We were towed up the Seaford canal plenty of evenings by the coast guard. They actually did that back in those days.

When Jaws came out in 1975 my friends and I went to see it every Friday night at the Pequa theater.  That fear kept me out of the water for a long time, and it wasn't until 1993 that I started diving to overcome my fear of sharks.  I was immediately thrilled to be able to enter another dimension of the universe as a scuba diver. There was so much to see and share as an underwater explorer.

In 1995 I started the Oceans Matter® project sharing my underwater photos and adventures with anyone who was willing to listen to my message about the need for conservation.  I was encouraged by friends and neighbors to share and exhibit my underwater photographs, films and paintings.

Since I started, I have explored more than 50 countries and spent over 3,000 hours underwater.
 The Oceans Matter® project still continues. In 2013 I founded the Marine Education Foundation to expand and continue sharing experiences, educating, creating awareness and encouraging conservation.

"deepening the connection between people and nature"

At several of the "Oceans Matter® " exhibits and lectures guests asked I would ever take guests along with me to share my experiences.  Eventually
In an effort to raise money for the foundation; we set up Oceans Matter ® Eco-friendly expeditions where donors to the Marine Education Foundation can experience an expedition guided by me. Travel for Charity Eco-tours include travel and  swimming with Manatees, Whale Sharks and Humpback Whales.  All donations are tax deducible.  The Marine Education Foundation is a registered 501(c)3 Non-Profit Organization.


I share these experiences, because "I truly believe that if people understand they will care, and if they care they will help, and if we help we can save them all".


...that is my inspiration.