Silvertipworld.com : Meet The Team

Meet the team


Kelvin Murray Professional diver, explorer, presenter and writer

	HSE Diving Contractor HSE Commercial SCUBA Diver PADI IDC Staff Instructor Polar diving specialist Underwater camera operator IMCA Diver Medical Technician IMCA Asst. Life Support Technician HSE First Aid at Work Instructor Guide & naturalist	A world-class diver with twenty-five instructor ratings plus commercial and technical diving qualifications, Kelvin over-wintered in Antarctica as Field Diving Officer for the British Antarctic Survey in 2007. Managing the only scientific diving programme that consistently dives throughout the Antarctic winter allowed Kelvin to participate in several hundred dives in this challenging environment. Expedition diving enables Kelvin to dive all over the world, on every continent and in every ocean. He has explored polar seas to tropical reefs with high definition cameras and ROV technology, and solo-dived locations probably never previously visited. His clients include European and American expedition companies as well as National Geographic photographers, BBC producers and French television presenters whom he advises on equipment, filming / diving techniques and wildlife. Whether hiking through African bush or across Arctic tundra, diving with Chilean fur seals or snorkelling with British Basking sharks, his enthusiasm for nature in all its forms is infectious and educational. Working in collaboration with Dr. Sylvia Earle’s SEAlliance Foundation, he contributes video footage and stills images to the Ocean layer of Google Earth, whilst also sourcing and mentoring other contributors. Kelvin enjoys regularly writing on wildlife and its conservation for magazines and blogs. Prior to working for BAS, Kelvin was Education Officer for the Whale and Dolphin Conservation Society. In addition he is an ardent advocate for sharks and has dived with several species of these much-misunderstood animals. Kelvin has also worked as a marine survival instructor for an internationally renowned training facility, and has extensive first aid, medic and hyperbaric chamber qualifications at responder and instructor level. Kelvin lives in his native Scotland – a place he still insists has some of the best diving and marine life in the world.

Dr. Alistair Simpson Medical & Expedition Consultant

	Practising anaesthetist Remote medicine specialist High altitude medical research Hyperbaric medicine Polar travel specialist Mountaineer and climber	Dr Alistair Simpson is an anaesthetist working in Edinburgh. He has a special interest in medicine in remote environments and is in the final stages on completing a Masters Degree in Remote Healthcare, covering topics including cold injury and diving medicine. He is the co-founder of Apex, a high altitude research charity, and was an organiser of two high altitude medical research expeditions. Alistair has climbed several high altitude peaks, including a solo ascent of Mont Blanc. One of his biggest passions is polar expeditions. He has spent 7 weeks living in the high Arctic as a medic to a team of young explorers and in 2004 completed a successful unsupported ski crossing of the planet’s second largest icecap in Greenland. As Medical Officer for the British Antarctic Survey, he lived and worked in a remote station in Antarctica for 16 months. As part of his work there, he provided medical care to the team of divers and was involved in the use of the recompression chamber. A keen cyclist, Alistair is maintaining his interest in exercise physiology by ongoing research in exercise and body composition.

Derek Donald Health & Safety Consultant

	HSEQ Professional Search & Rescue specialist Marine survival instructor HSE Commercial SCUBA Diver Appointed Diving Supervisor HSE First Aid at Work instructor	Derek Donald is a professional health, safety, environment and quality advisor specialising in marine industries. He is involved in risk assessment, incident/accident investigation, internal audits, legislation implementation and safety training on a daily basis. He is an experienced diver and has been a Diving Supervisor for inland/inshore projects for many years. A senior instructor working alongside Kelvin in the survival training facility, he is extremely knowledgeable regarding helicopter safety, waterborne evacuation, fire and marine safety procedures and practice. An Instructor and Assessor in HSE First Aid at Work, Lifeguard and Lifesaving training, Derek has a long history of educating others. In addition Derek has acquired extensive knowledge, skills and experience from over a decade with the Aberdeen Coastguard Rescue Team, dealing with search and rescue operations, water safety, first aid, casualty evacuation and helicopter operations.

Mark Wass Technical & Diving Consultant

	PSA CCR Explorer Mixed Gas Diver TDI Advanced Trimix Diver PADI Master Instructor IANTD Gas Blender Safety support diver First aid instructor	Mark Wass is a hugely experienced diver with over 15 years experience of leading, teaching and exploring with divers all over the world. Mark is a respected instructor in the diving community and has taught throughout the UK, Turkey and Egypt, achieving the esteemed rank of Master Instructor. Thousands of dives have taken Mark from frozen Norwegian fjords to the tropical reefs of Thailand and Grand Cayman. He has also dived the remote island groups of the Galapagos and the Maldives, plus locations in France, Tanzania and Venezuela. In addition, he is a highly capable technical diver with qualifications from a number of agencies in nitrox, trimix and closed-circuit rebreather diving. This advanced experience has allowed Mark to explore deep shipwrecks and caverns, involving dives to depths exceeding 100 metres. Mark is a member of the Angels Technical Dive Team, which is dedicated to providing safety and support services for freediving events. He supports the British Freediving Team at national and world record attempts, and in international competition.