Andy White skipper skin deep

Andy White Skipper Skin Deep

Andy skippers Skin Deep about half the season and shares the load with Owner Ian Taylor. Andy is a seasoned diver himself and is qualified to use mixed gases so when he's shotting a wreck for you he's a little more switched on to what's happening down below than your average skipper.

Andy White was born in Poole in Feb 1966, apart from a short spell in the Sea Cadets a career at sea was not on the cards. Early in 1998 after a divorce thoughts were turned to a hobby that might give fulfilment to a growing sense of adventure. Keith Forward of Forward diving in Poole was the unfortunate victim and had the pleasure of putting this ham fisted builder through his PADI Open Slaughter course. Things did improve and courses up to trimix level followed involving Phil Short & Nigel Band of Aquasplash amongst others and so followed an obsession that took Andy around the country and abroad and through several credit cards and overdrafts and a great many dive shops. Deep wreck diving seemed to be the ultimate in adventure until after a chance conversation with Phil Short there followed in quick order a cave diving course, and the beginning of another avenue in diving. Much of Andy’s wreck diving began to centre around Weymouth and one boat in particular Ian Taylor’s Skin Deep, along with Margaret and Cathy this seemed to be one of the most professional outfits Andy had experienced to date, trips all along the English Channel followed and a growing respect and friendship developed between diver and Skipper, interrupted on occasion by some over long bottom times and other interesting diving practices that Ian being the skipper of note that he is managed to deal with.

Mid season of 2004 Andy & Ian discussed the possibility of a career change which would involve Andy taking on some of the charter work involving Skin Deep and so a deal was made, crewing for Ian was the first step along with the pursuit of the required qualifications for the job Things were going quite well and at a pace that suited Andy until Ian calmly announced he wanted to go diving, the two set out and the wreck was shotted and Ian disappeared down the line. Andy was alone on Skin Deep and began to understand the responsibility the job entailed.

Any other thoughts were interrupted by the appearance a lift bag, armed with a boat hook and a 10m catamaran Andy set about recovering said lift bag, only to see it disappear underneath the boat, not as easy as it looked, praying with baited breath Andy heaved a sigh of relief to see the reappearance and consequent recovery of Ian’s hard work and one bell was safely on the deck. Certs were gained and winter weekends were the first foray into the word of dive chartering, in time offshore trips were also achieved with success apart form one or two bad days which caused disappointment all round but all divers involved have given their support and understanding through good times and bad. Any now looks forward to carrying on with Skin Deep and striving to maintain and improve the reputation of the boat and its skipper.

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