Rich Walker
Here’s a summary of Rich Walker’s projects and roles in which he has had the privilege to be involved. Rich Walker’s career as a diving instructor has taken him to an amazing and diverse list of locations, and it just seems to be expanding every year. The thing that means most to him, apart from diving on some significant and fascinating projects, is the amazing people that he has met. Their passion for their own projects are a constant source of inspiration, and Rich hopes that he continues to walk on this amazing path.
Rich Walker’s Diving Project Involvement
Project Tiger: Organiser
Rich Walker set up this project to survey and documentation project to commemorate the loss of life on two WW2 landing ships. It ran for around 5 years, involving divers from the UK, Poland, Germany and Hungary.
https://www.facebook.com/ProjectTiger1944/
http://gueprojecttiger.blogspot.com
Mars: Project Diver 2015-16
Rich was honoured to join the Mars project for the past two years. He is involved with archeological survey work on a 450 year-old wooden battleship.
http://news.nationalgeographic.com/news/2014/07/140707-mars-shipwreck-warship-baltic-sea-archaeology-science/
Karst Odyssey: Exploration Diver 2009.
This project, run by Renato Raseta, was to explore the Balkan caves, specifically in Bosnia & Herzegovina. Lots of line was laid and surveys completed.
https://www.facebook.com/Karst-Odyssey-178148433493/
Ghost fishing UK: Coordinator, 2015 – present
Rich Walker is setting up and coordinating a UK based Ghost Fishing effort with a number of groups in the UK . In cooperation with Pascal van Erp, a project was set up in Scapa Flow to recover and recycle lost pots and creels. This will run again in 2016.
http://www.ghostfishing.org/photos/scapa-flow/
http://www.bigscapacleanup.co.uk
Ghost Fishing: Project Diver, Argo, Croatia. 2014
Rich was part of the team recovering a large fishing net from the wreck of the Argo.
http://www.ghostfishing.org/photos/adriatic-sea/
Thresher Shark Research and Conservation Project (TSRCP): Training Advisor, Malapascua, Philippines. 2008
Rich advised and trained TSRCP project divers to be more effective with their underwater survey work. The project aims to document and protect the Thresher shark cleaning stations on Monad Shoal.
https://www.facebook.com/ThresherSharkResearchAndConversationProject/
http://www.threshersharkproject.org/TSRCP/Home.html
Project Baseline: Project Diver – South Wales Caves
Christine Grosart and Rich Walker set this project up a few years back in the Porth Yr Ogof caves, South Wales. They have been working on line maintenance, survey station installation and environmental data collection .
https://www.facebook.com/PorthYrOgof/
Project Baseline: Project Diver – Portland Harbour Wrecks Project
Rich set this project up to get recreational divers interested in project work. Marcus, Jayme and Rebecca do a great job of managing the activities now. They had a great result when they managed to identify properly the landing craft in the harbor.
https://www.facebook.com/groups/609500159110195/
Herault Cave Diving Expedition: Exploration Diver
Rich and his partner Christine have been heading down to the Herault region of France for the past few years. They have extended a few caves, notably the Fourmi Perdreau, which took several years of effort. They continue to work with the local caving club, the CLPA, to follow up diving leads whenever they find them.
http://www.plongeesout.com/sites/roussilon-pyrenees/herault/fourmi%20perdreau.htm
http://heraultcavediving.blogspot.com
http://speleoclpa.free.fr
Project Morpheus: Exploration diver, Licanka, Croatia.
After some effort in previous years by Christine, Rich joined this project. In June 2016, they extended Frank Vasseur’s line, laid back in 1992. Christine laid the line, and Rich took the survey, We extended the line and the survey by 50m at a depth of 42m.
http://www.plongeesout.com/sites/monde/croatie/licanka.htm
Diving Industry Activities
GUE Quality Control panel member 2005-2010
GUE Director of Technical Training 2010 – 2015
GUE Board of Advisors: Member 2016
GUE-EUF liaison lead
GUE lead for recognition of GUE certifications by BSAC
Diving Certifications
GUE Tech 2, Cave 2 diver.
CDG Qualified Diver, Derbyshire Section.
GUE CCR instructor
GUE Instructor Evaluator to Tech 2 level.