Martin Woodward has been a professional diver since 1968, and is still actively diving in the UK and other locations worldwide. He was also involved with the RNLI for a total of 38 years, retiring as Coxswain of the Bembridge, Isle of Wight, lifeboat on reaching the age limit.

Martin’s diving career includes 'deep saturation' diving in the North Sea, oilfields in the Persian Gulf and many other locations worldwide. It has covered all aspects of commercial diving, including multiple shipwreck and salvage projects. He operates a diving vessel based in the Isle of Wight, and previously a second one in the Philippines, involved mainly in historic shipwreck projects and underwater archaeology. He has been involved in many interesting projects such as searching for Glenn Miller's aircraft, Goering's Gold, The Lost City of Atlantis, hijacker D.B Cooper and others. His great love has always been finding shipwrecks, history and artefacts from under the oceans. He is also a 'Challenge Addict' and has done multiple challenges including Mt Kilimanjaro and many cycling challenges including South Africa, Vietnam and Cambodia, Western Australia, John O'Groats to Lands End, 2100 miles cycling unsupported around New Zealand and 1000 miles cycling round Ireland in 2018. He has run several Marathons, long distance runs and other challenges for charity causes. He has some 20 different talks/lectures on a variety of interesting subjects. Martin has been cruise lecturing since 2003.

Martin also set a Maritime Museum and Shipwreck Centre on the Isle of Wight in 1978, which houses thousands of items he recovered from the seabed, along with other maritime and diving exhibits. The museum is still operating to this day.

Click here to visit Martin's websites >> www.martinwoodward.com

Click here to visit Martin's Youtube Channel for more videos >> Martin's Youtube Channel

Lecture Presentations and Talks…. Martin Woodward MBE (Revised list 2023)

('Treasures from the Deep' is available in whatever format suits the cruise schedule/number of talks; One-part, two-part, or three-part). All timed at 45 mins duration. Same applies for RNLI & Mysteries talk.

1. 'Treasures from the Deep’; A long career salvaging numerous shipwrecks worldwide, recovering “sunken treasure” and valuable cargoes from the seabed. (Powerpoint/talk).

2. 'Treasures from the Deep', (Part 2), c1800 to World War 1. Wrecks and treasures from the later eras up to World War 1, with underwater projects in UK and other locations worldwide. (Powerpoint/talk).

3. 'Treasures of the Deep' (Part 3), World War 1 to the present time. Fascinating accounts of more recent wrecks and recoveries over the last 75 years. Including the mystery disappearance of RN Submarine 'Swordfish' in WW2... and Martin's discovery of the wreck in 1983 (Powerpoint) * ('Treasures from the Deep' is also available as a one or two-part talk encompassing condensed versions)

4; 'Deep Sea Diving'; Commercial diving around the world, including deep North Sea 'Saturation Diving', the Middle East oilfields, Vietnam, South America, the Far East and many other locations worldwide . A variety of stories from the early and more dangerous times, up to the present time. (Powerpoint talk including clips of video footage.)

5. 'Operational RNLI' ….(Part 1); Martin served nearly 40 years with the RNLI , and was Coxswain of the Bembridge Lifeboat until reaching the age limit. Gripping stories of wrecks and rescue from the early days up until the present. (Powerpoint/talk/video). Also accompanying DVD documentary to play on ship’s TV if required. (My copyright)

6. 'Operational RNLI' ….(Part 2); As mentioned above, Martin served nearly 40 years with the RNLI ,and was Coxswain of the Bembridge Lifeboat until reaching the age limit. Gripping stories of wrecks and rescues through the ages. (Powerpoint/talk/video). Also accompanying DVD documentary to play on ship’s TV. * (Operational RNLI also available as a one-part talk encompassing condensed version)

7. ' Mysteries'; (Part 1); Some of the more unusual diving projects undertaken by Martin, such as the search for Glenn Miller and his missing plane in the English Channel. The fascinating story, and most probable solution, to the mysterious disappearance of the famous musician in WW2. (Powerpoint presentation, and also an intriguing DVD documentary on the subject for ship’s TV if required).

8. 'Mysteries, Part 2'; More unusual underwater projects undertaken by Martin, including a search for 'The Lost City of Atlantis', the famous US skyjacker 'D.B.Cooper', Francis Drake's coffin, 'Goering's Gold' and other mysteries. (Powerpoint/talk)

9. 'The Salvage of the Century' The incredible story of the recovery of £45 million in gold bars from HMS 'Edinburgh' 800ft down in the Barents Sea in 1981. The deepest open water salvage by divers (Powerpoint).

10. 'Treasures of the Philippines'; Searching for historic shipwrecks in this island paradise. From 'Manila Galleons' carrying fabulous cargoes, to Chinese porcelain wrecks, dolphins and whale sharks. (Powerpoint/talk/DVD/ video...my copyright)

11. 'Mt. Kilimanjaro and New Zealand'; Stories of a double challenge completed by Martin in 2009 for charity. Climbing Kilimanjaro, (the world’s highest free-standing mountain at 5895 metres), then immediately afterwards cycling unsupported over 2100 miles end to end and around New Zealand. (Powerpoint/talk)

12. 'Shipwrecks and Treasures of the Cape Verde Islands'; Martin led diving teams in the Cape Verde Islands in the late 1990s, locating and excavating many shipwrecks of the 1700s and 1800s era. Large amounts of treasure and artefacts were recovered. (Powerpoint presentation).

13. 'The tragic WW1 loss of the SS 'Mendi'. The 'Mendi' was run down by another ship in the English Channel in WW1, with the loss of 646 people. The majority of those lost were black African troops of the South African Native Labour Corps on their way to Le Havre to join allied troops fighting in the trenches. The massive loss of life occurred just off the Isle of Wight and the story lives on to this day. Martin discovered the wreck in 1974 and unravelled the tragic story. (Powerpoint)

14. 'The mysterious disappearance of HM submarine 'Swordfish' in WW2'; HMS Swordfish set off from Gosport on a routine patrol off Brest in November 1940 and disappeared. She was relocated by Martin in 1983 some 250 miles from where she was thought to have been lost, which solved a WW2 mystery. (Powerpoint)

15. 'Diving and delving into Submarine losses in the English Channel'. Looking at submarine wrecks in the English Channel through the ages, from the first all- British submarine HMS A1 to the HMS Swordfish in WW2. (Powerpoint)

16. 'Housing the Treasures'; Martin set up his own Maritime Museum and Shipwreck Centre in 1978 to house all the treasures he recovered from the sea, and this has grown into a huge collection over the years, The museum moved to larger premises in 2006, and has opened yet another new exhibition area, which includes a 'Wreck and Rescue' lifeboat museum. (Powerpoint talk). Museum Tour DVD also available. (My copyright)

17. 'Underwater Photography'; A fascinating insight into the stunningly beautiful marine life under the oceans in various locations worldwide (Powerpoint presentation/talk with video clips)

18. 'The Golden Era'; The early years of the RNLI, when those incredibly brave and hardy crewmen rowed open boats to rescue sailors in distress. (Powerpoint)

19. 'Maritime Mishaps; Modern sinkings and salvage/recovery work around the English Channel area'. Powerpoint presentation/talk. (Powerpoint talk)

20. 'Transatlantic in a light aircraft'; A real adventure trip from UK across the northern Atlantic route via Iceland and Greenland in a small twin-engined aircraft to Canada and the USA, then continuing south to Florida...from there onwards to the Caribbean, Belize, Costa Rica, Guatemala, Panama and Central America. (Powerpoint presentation)

21 'A Double Cycle Challenge'; John O’Groats to Land’s End, followed immediately by cycling across Vietnam and Cambodia'; Proving that you are never too old to go long distance cycling, Martin completed both rides for charity in September and October 2011. (Powerpoint)

22. 'The Trans-Atlantic Slave Trade', including Brazil, the biggest importer of African slaves. Poignant stories of slavery, shipwreck projects off Salvador, Brazil, and recoveries from a 1600s slave ship wrecked in the English Channel. (Powerpoint/talk)

23. 'Cape Horn Sailors'; Including superb early archive film illustrating the incredibly hard life on the square rig ships sailing around Cape Horn and South America. (Archive film and powerpoint/talk)

24. 'Cycling across South Africa through the beautiful Garden Route' A long distance cycle ride from Port Elizabeth to Capetown in 1999 (Powerpoint)

25. 'Ascension Island and St. Helena'. Stories of shipwrecks and local history in these two secluded islands of the South Atlantic. (Powerpoint/talk)

26. Cycling clockwise 1000 miles around Ireland for charity in September 2018. Seeing Ireland in a different way from a bike, along with camping in 'Storm Ali' and other adventures at the time. (Powerpoint)

**Any of the longer three part or two part talks can be condensed into one or two parts 45-60 mins duration if necessary, dependent on the requirements of any particular cruise.
I also have some more spare lectures if needed, and accompanying DVDs for playing on ship’s TV system if required;
'An insight into Bembridge Lifeboat'; (One hour documentary -my copyright). 'Glenn Miller’s Last Flight' (One hour documentary, permission to use from makers, as I was a major participant/contributor). 'Whale Shark watching in the Philippines' (One hour DVD, my copyright). *Our own DVD… 'Walkaround Tour of the Shipwreck Centre and Maritime Museum'… complete video tour and explanations of the stories and items on display. Duration 55 mins. (My copyright).

Guest speaking/lecturing on cruise ships since 2003, with Cunard, P&O, Fred Olsen and SAGA. Approximately 60 cruises completed over this period. 20 different subjects available.

The following recent Cruise History has been recorded for this candidate.