A Portsmouth-based navy diver was given a surprise long service medal as he trained underwater.

Acting Petty Officer Andy Coulson received the award at the bottom of a Gibraltar swimming pool.

He was in the middle of a two-week exercise on the island, which included stints at the military outdoor swimming pool, when he found himself in the midst of the impromptu ceremony.

The 34-year-old Scot, who is based at Horsea Island, said: ‘I was not expecting it.

‘I mentioned it in passing several weeks ago that I thought it would be good to receive my medal underwater rather than on the parade ground, but I didn’t expect anyone to act on it.

‘I’d totally forgotten that I mentioned it, but it’s something that will live with me forever – certainly one of the highlights of my 15-year career in the navy.’

As well as a long service medal, the award recognises PO Coulson’s good conduct over the years as well.

His boss, Lieutenant Simon Leightley, the officer in charge Southern Diving Unit 2, said: ‘Andy’s been selected for promotion and will soon embark on his professional qualifying course, so it seemed an appropriate send-off to present his medal “in the office” so to speak. I gave a slightly shorter citation than normal – mostly through bubbles.’

Joining PO Coulson and Lt Leightley underwater for the presentation was Warrant Officer (Diver) Robin Rickard, representing the Southern Diving Group.

He joined the navy at 16 as an Air Engineer Mechanic, but transferred to the diving branch 11 years ago.

WO Rickard said: ‘I have already had a fulfilling career but am looking forward to continuing my progression.’

NATIONWIDE TEAM

The navy divers based at Horsea Island are part of a nationwide team.

The Northern and Southern Diving Groups are responsible for all diving, demolition and explosive ordnance (bomb) disposal carried out by the navy within UK waters.

They are on call 24 hours a day, 365 days a year, and can carry out underwater engineering for the surface and sub-surface fleet on a planned or emergency basis.

The two groups also do bomb disposal duties for the police and coastguard, with Portsmouth’s Unit 2 working from the Humber estuary to Devon.

A NAVY diver who lost a hand and a leg in a Sydney Harbour shark attack is back diving and walking, and says he wants to return to work at the scene of the attack.

Doctors said navy clearance diver Paul de Gelder was lucky to survive the mauling by a 2.7-metre bull shark off Garden Island Naval Base on February 11.

After seven weeks in hospital, Mr de Gelder says he is determined to put the experience behind him.

He is already walking with a prosthetic leg, driving high performance cars and confronting his fears head-on by swimming with sharks at an Manly’s Oceanarium.

The extremely fit 31-year-old appeared comfortable examining graphic medical photographs of his injuries taken just before doctors decided to amputate his leg and hand.

Asked whether he planned on being a Navy clearance diver again, he said: “I do, I’ve never stopped”.

After five years as a clearance diver and working on peacekeeping mission in East Timor, he said his goal was to get back to working exactly where he was before the incident.

“That will be something that I’ll have to do,” he told the Nine Network.

“It’s going to be a tough bridge to cross, but you can’t show weakness.”

Mr de Gelder gave a vivid account of the savage 6.30am (AEDT) attack while visiting the scene north of the Garden Island docks.

“It’s all a little bit nerve-wracking really,” he said.

“I kind-of wish I didn’t come out that day but you can’t change the past. You have to look to the future.”

He said that during equipment testing sharks were “everywhere” off Garden Island and the thought of the predators circling came into his mind “every time”.
“You just put it to the back of your mind and try not to worry about it.

“You have an obligation, a role and a job that you have to get on with so you don’t let the things that scare you stop you from doing that.”

He said sharks were in his mind on the morning the attack.

Mr de Gelder was on the surface when the shark began mauling his leg and hand.

“I was swimming on my back. I had my fins on and a wetsuit on, and I was just checking my direction and when I got halfway back from turning around I got hit in the leg and looked down and there was a big toothy grin.

“‘(It was) grey, white, toothy and beady.

“I’d never seen a shark up close before. To see it like that was not something you expect.

“You look down and there’s a big monster attached to you and your mind goes into panic mode.”

Related

A UNCW research diver has died at the school-run Aquarius underwater laboratory in the Florida Keys while on a mission with Navy divers.

Dewey Smith, 36, was found unconscious Tuesday afternoon on the sea floor while assisting the military divers on a saturation mission, where divers spend multiple days living underwater to acclimate themselves to operating in deep water.

The cause of death isn’t known, although school officials said they are focusing on Smith’s diving equipment and health at the time of the incident.

Smith, who lived in Florida, had been with Aquarius since 2007 and was considered an experienced diver.

Andy Shepard, director of the underwater facility, said this is the first time something like this has happened at Aquarius.

“We have bumps and bruises, stubbed toes and occasionally some decompression sickness, but that’s to be expected when you’re having thousands of dives a year,” he said. “But no one has ever got near something like this before.”

Shepard said the Navy mission, which was in its second day, and all future missions have been suspended until further notice while officials – including UNCW and the local coroner’s office – conduct a review of Tuesday’s death.

Aquarius, which is bolted 63 feet down on the ocean floor 3½ miles off Key Largo, is the world’s only permanently based underwater laboratory.

Owned by the National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration, the 43-foot-long capsule is managed by the University of North Carolina Wilmington and used by a variety of agencies and scientists for training and research projects.

Among the users is NASA, which uses Aquarius to simulate living conditions aboard an isolated spacecraft.

Shepard said Tuesday’s dive was going as planned when Smith signaled to his two fellow divers, dubbed aquanauts, that he was headed back to Aquarius.

A few minutes later he was found unconscious on the ocean bottom.

Shepard said divers, who are all trained as first responders, carried him to Aquarius and began performing basic first aid and CPR.

A Navy doctor soon dove down from the surface to assist, but it was too late.

Smith was pronounced dead at 3:25 p.m.

Shepard said most diving fatalities can be traced to one of three problems – a deviation in the dive mission, an equipment problem or a medical issue with the diver.

“We just don’t know which one it is right now,” he said. “But we don’t think it was something that went wrong with the mission because he was basically just there to observe.”

Smith is survived by his mother and sister.

Dr. Jane Lubchenco, administrator of NOAA and undersecretary of commerce, offered her condolences to Smith’s family, friends and colleagues.

“His many friends at NOAA miss him and we share in the grief that follows his loss,” Lubchenco said in a statement issued Wednesday evening.

The Australian navy diver who has lost his hand after being mauled by a shark in Sydney Harbour yesterday was due to take part in an exchange with the Royal Navy in Britain.

Able Seaman Paul de Gelder, 31, was taking part in a training exercise near the navy base at Garden Island, Sydney, on Wednesday when he was attacked by what is thought to have been a 10ft bull shark.

He was to take part in a three-month exchange with the Royal Navy’s Southern Diving Unit One based at Plymouth.

A spokesperson for the Royal Australian Navy told The Times that the exchange was “designed to improve interoperability between the Royal Navy and Royal Australian Navy”.

Able Seaman de Gelder’s trip is now in doubt as he may not dive with the navy again because of his injuries.

The navy clearance diver’s right hand is believed to have been almost severed by the ferocious attack which also left him with large bites on his thigh.

Able Seaman de Gelder’s family confirmed today that he had lost his right hand above the wrist and may also have to have his right leg amputated.

“However he is in high spirits,” the family said in a statement.

“The family are very appreciative of the excellent medical services provided by the navy for Paul now and into the future and are thankful for the ongoing assistance the navy is providing to the family.”

The attack has prompted a debate in Sydney about the safety of swimming in one of Australia’s most famous waterways.

The government of New South Wales has warned people not to swim in the harbour, where the shark population is believed to have grown in recent years because of regenerated sea life and cleaner waters.

Many of the harbour beaches and pools are protected by shark nets, but Ian Macdonald, the state’s Primary Industries Minister, warned yesterday against swimming in unprotected waters.

“When entering areas like Sydney Harbour, you are entering their [the sharks'] domain,” Mr Macdonald said.

Local fishermen have reported a massive increase in shark sightings in the harbour.

Craig McGill said that he had never seen so many in more than 15 years of being a fishing guide. He added that nobody should rely on the low shark attack statistics when thinking about swimming in the harbour.

“That’s like saying: what are your chances of being hit by a car if you play on a suburban back street versus the highway? It’s the same with sharks,” he said.

Despite this, the Sydney Harbour Swim Classic event, in which more than 850 swimmers are expected to race across the harbour, will still go ahead next month.

Organisers said that Lifeguarding Services Australia provided professional lifeguards, marine safety officers, rescue boats and paramedics to monitor the event, and divers would swim underneath the swimmers to monitor their safety.