Meet the Team ...

 

We asked our Sea Life Surveys Super Guides 3 basic questions to introduce themselves on the website:

1. What did you do over the winter!?
2. Which is your Favourite marine creature?
3. Which 3 words sum up working within the marine environment?

And here are their answers ...!

 

DA BOSS & SKIPPER James (Jimbo) Fairbairns. This will be Jimbo's seventh year as Skipper, as well as running the family business that is Sea Life Surveys with Big Brother Brennen. (And we all know the Seventh wave is the biggest. Love is the Seventh wave, and all that ...). Jimbo says:

1. Had a break and went for an inspiring walk on The Great Wall of China ... (Oh, and won the Best Mull Newcomer trophy, with co-driver Captain Lewy, in our First Ever Mull Rally 2007 – woohoo!)
2. The Fulmar. Just watch them fly and you’ll understand (- see "Jonathan Livingston’s Seagull" by Richard Bach).
3. Awesome, Inspiring, Privilege.

 

SKIPPER Lewis (Captain Lewy) Drysdale. After working his first Sea Life Surveys season as chef-extraordinaire, crew AND guide on Jimbo's live-aboard boat "Wild Free", Lewy bagged his ticket and 2008 will be his fourth season as Super Skipper. The Captain says:

1. Worked on our fleet in Tobermory and Corpach boatyard. (And won the Best Mull Newcomer trophy, with co-driver Jimbo, in our First Ever Mull Rally ...)
2. The "stinky" Minke whale. Just awesome animals.
3. Lots Of Plankton.

 

SLS FOUNDER & still RELIEF SKIPPER, Richard (Popz) Fairbairns. Big Daddy of the family business, Popz and his good lady Judy set the whole thing up some 25 years ago. Just TRY and stop him getting out on the high seas!... Popz says:

1. Played with fish ... Oh yes, and went to Everest! Of course. We would’ve gone up, except we ran out of choccie biscuits ...
2. Risso’s dolphins, for their eccentric social ability.
3. Coffee, MarsBars, and GoodFun! (Ok Popz, since it’s you, we’ll let you get away with that as 3 words ... ).

 

GUIDE Clare Gibson, a fellow Marine Biology / Zoology graduate from Bangor University, Wales, has already shown her shining colours as Full-Time Super Guide last season, and is back to shine on through 2008. ClareG (Yup, we had TWO Clare’s last year ...) says:

1. In the kitchens of The Bellachroy, the oldest pub on Mull, whipping up warming food for locals and visitors (– well worth a visit for their local seafood platters!!)
2. It’s got to the Harbour Porpoise. Not as exciting as Orca, or playful as bottlenose dolphins, I know, but seeing these little guys always makes me smile. They are also our most faithful of Cetaceans, appearing almost every day in any weather, and they can really make a trip when the other wildlife isn’t playing ball!
3. Anticipation, Appreciation, and sun cream (even on a cloudy day!).

 

GUIDE Abby (Abs) Peers also graduated from Bangor University in Marine Biology / Zoology last summer, and came straight to Mull mid-season to be Super Guide. This season she’s started early, glad to be back, organising the office, and generally being fab. Abs says:

1. Spent a few months managing a brand new restaurant back home in Stoke-on-Trent, remembering the times spent on Mull with such wonderful people. (Stoke-on-Trent does make the BEST oatcakes in the world ... And no, not those “biscuit like” things found up here above the border!).
2. Predicatively, I’m going to have to say the Orca. They’ve always been my favourite, since I was about 7 and my parents took me to Sea World. At that age, I wasn’t as bothered as I am now about seeing these animals in such confined spaces, but 15 years and a Marine Biology degree later, I’m glad they took me else I wouldn’t have the passion I do now. After seeing Orca up here in the wild off Mull last year, and being in complete tears, it confirmed my love for these gentle giants and appreciation of their beauty. Although saying that ... Gannets do come a close second!!!
3. Beauty, Respect, Unpredictable.

 

GUIDE Tom (Mr T) Evans will be breaking ALL the SLS records by returning for the THIRD season running this year! And he’s not even a Marine Biologist ... (We love ya, Mr T x). Tom says:

1. Over the winter I continued what will soon culminate in my History degree from Manchester Metropolitan University. History and Sea Life Surveys appear to go well together, for while a dissertation on Nineteenth Century prison reforms doesn’t immediately lend itself to Marine Biology, it was, much like my summer job, a labour of love. Apart from this, unlike my fellow sea-goers, it was a bit of a boring winter awaiting my return to Mull.
2. A difficult one, as they are all equally entertaining, and while my immediate thoughts turn to Atlantic white-sided dolphins, who continue to prove annoyingly elusive, I have to say Risso’s dolphins. I have been lucky enough to see these several times and each time they have managed to supply a magnificent feeling of inadequacy.
3. Luck, Satisfaction and Coffee.

 

GUIDE Rachael Portnall worked for SLS back in 2005, when things were a lot different. She then took some time out, travelled the world, got engaged and decided to come back for another fun-filled season up on Mull. Rachael says:

1. Worked as a Recycling Officer
2. Killer whale (Orca) hands down ...
3. Patience, Inspiring, Exhilarating

 

GUIDE Sarah Dwyer will be new to the SLS crew this year, but is by no means a stranger to the joys of boats and whales ... Sarah says:

1. I worked for Whale Watch Kaikoura over the lovely New Zealand summer this "winter": )
2. Orca – Top Predator, super-intelligent and I have been lucky enough to Kayak with one!
3. Exciting, Enthralling, Enlightening.

 

GUIDE Laura Stokes is also new to the SLS crew this season after spending time in the Southern Hemisphere while we were all braving the cold UK winter! She is also not a stranger to boats or marine life and is looking forward to experiencing her first Mull summer. Laura says:

1. This winter I escaped winter and enjoyed a summer in New Zealand, working as a whale guide off the south east coast. (jammy cow!)
2. No quibbles, it has to be the mighty Orca! The ocean's top predator, super intelligent, incredible loyalty to their own family, the kings and queens of the ocean, yet so often gentle and playful. Love em, but always weary of them. They are the boss!
3. Awe, aderenaline, love!

 

GUIDE Andy Tait has been joining SLS for many seasons now, on and off during his daily jobs in Newcastle. He feels more at home up here on Mull and we always look forward to having him on board, and with his crafty camera and binoculars, Andy can spot a whale miles off!! He is usually a man of many words, but he has proved rather illusive in his answers here, and definitely wins the prize for his "3 word answer" for question number 3!! Andy says:

1. Watch the sea!!
2. Porpies (porpoise).
3. Making people aware of the unbelievable resource we have in the sea that is if it is protected

 

Tim Williams joined Sea Life Surveys back in 2007 as we were preparing for another cold winter. He met Popz while in Cape Verde, and the rest, as they say, is history! You can often find Tim with his trusty tool kit (or paintbrush!) down on the boats. He has recently set out to become a qualified Skipper, so he can get behind the helm and fully appreciate the sea. Tim says:

1. I worked on the boats the whole time, now I need a rest! Roll on October!!
2. Orca what a great dolphin
3. Invigorating, amazing, unreliable

 

Past Crew

 

HEAD GUIDE Erika (Eri Beri) Hearn. Eri sadly left Sea Life Surveys at the beginning of her 5th season here. She worked her dizzy way up to Head Guide from Brennen’s relief crew/guide on whale-watch trips, whilst volunteering at the Hebridean Whale and Dolphin Trust as Minke Whale Project Officer. We managed to get her answers out of her before she left. She will be deeply missed, but will hopefully be back for some relief crewing during the season ... Eri Beri says:

1. Met a lovely Tree Man on Mull, and DIDN’T go to Pakistan ...
2. Oh, see, I can’t even answer my own questions! Not very good at favourites ... (except for Humpbacks, and their songs). Ummm ... Well, Minkes, obviously - all that anticipation and then a climax of big blessing; Fulmar, flying (see "Jonathan Livingston ...") AND Otters – the audacity of them. I LOVE the crunchy way they eat! Sorry x
3. Mystery, Majesty. Marvellous!

 

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