David Geary

I have always loved the water and especially sea, starting off as a Lifeguard and moving onto be a RYA Instructor primarily teaching young people starting off in sailing and power boating. As life became busier I began to lose touch with the sea. Having served over 10 years in the Territorial Army, upon resigning in 2016, I had more time on my hands and was also looking for a challenge to be part of a team and also give back to the local community. When I saw the RNLI was looking for new Crew, it seemed a perfect opportunity - I applied and I haven't looked back. The training has been intense but amazing - I'll never forget been deliberately capsized at RNLI Headquarters Training Centre in Poole, and having to right the boat, or my first time out on a rescue being in charge of casualty care. The experiences have been both daunting and exhilarating, and the camaraderie and laughs among the team fantastic. It's a cliche to say, but RNLI Jersey is like a family: the 'better half' has joined the guild as a fundraiser, and our little boy loves pointing out every orange boat he sees saying 'Daddy's boat!'