About

Founding Member of Viva la Vida, Explore…

Hey there! I’m Dave, born in Southsea, Portsmouth, UK in the swinging 60s, which makes me a Libran and a proud Baby Boomer.

I went to school in England and scored well on the 11+ exam to get into the Southern Grammar School for Boys. But, I gotta be honest, I didn’t make it to the sixth form or university. Instead, I went to the College of Art and Design and became an illustrator. I even finished up my studies while living in a tent in the Black Mountains of South Wales, working as an outward bounds instructor at PGL Llangorse. Pretty cool, right?

Sure, I’ve had the chance to live and work in some pretty cool places like the UK, South Africa, USA, Switzerland, India, and Botswana. Oh, and I’ve also had a bunch of quick trips to places like the Gulf, Balkan Countries, and Europe for customers liaisons. It’s been quite the adventure!

I’ve always been into doing cool adventurous stuff and exploring new things with organizations that get me moving such as…

• Robert Baden-Powell Scouting, 27th St Patrick’s Group
• Portsmouth Polytechic Climbing and Speleology Société
• Calshot Activity Center
• PGL Activity Centers (Instructor)
• Explorers Trust (Committee Member)
• Wits University Young Explorers (Guardian)
• Empangeni Flying School & Club (Private Pilot)
• Mzingazi Surf Angling Club
• Leg Busters (Founding Member)
• Viva la Vida, Explore (Founding Member)
• Just Sailing and Race your Dreams

So, now I’m getting ready for this awesome Nomadic Lifestyle on board SV Viva la Vida! Gotta set some goals and make a solid plan of action, you know? Let’s make it happen!

Goals

• Circumnavigate the Earth on a Sailing Vessel by both a Northern/Equatorial and Southern Passage.
• Run a successful YouTube Channel and Blog.
• Become proficient in Videography.
• Become an Ocean Yacht Master.

3 Year Plan

At the end of 2021, I made this awesome 3 year plan to live my dream of becoming a Global Nomad and sailing around the world on a mono-hull yacht for as long as my health allows. Can’t wait to start this incredible adventure!

• Year 1 (2022 thru 2023) Competent Crew, International Certificate of Competence and Day Skipper Certification + Navigation, Radio, Marine Diesel and First Aid.
• Year 2 (2023 thru 2024) Coastal and Off-shore Skipper Certification.
• Year 3 (2024 thru 2025) Obtain a +/- 40 ft. sailing yacht, fix it and find a crew (Optional). Yacht Master Ocean Certification. Retirement, ditch the lines and go explore…

Corporate Identity

Naming Conventions

“SV Viva la Vida” is the mighty name of that bad-ass “mono-hull” sailing yacht. SV stands for Sailing Vessel, you know? Check out Ship Prefix Wikipedia for more deets. Cheers! 🌊🛥️

“Viva la Vida, Explore…” is like the coolest name ever for our YouTube Sailing Channel, Facebook Page, and Instagram Account. Rock on! 🤘

The Branding

So, you know how everyone wants to be noticed and be totally unique, right? Well, it’s like this cool combo of Kon-Tiki and Frida Kahlo’s Watermelons that really sets us apart from the crowd. Unique and rad, my friend! 🤙

Kon-Tiki’s face is like the trusty sidekick I’ve been with for over 40 years while hanging out with the cool Explorers Trust crew. Also Thor Heyerdahl rolled with him during his epic Kon-Tiki Expedition back in 1947. Kon-Tiki has seen me through countless adventures, and I owe a lot to that little guy.

Viva la Vida, Watermelons is the final masterpiece by the kickass Mexican artist, Frida Kahlo. She was a total boss babe who painted her own life story. And in this painting, she drops some wisdom on us all – “Live Life“. I’m totally vibing with that message and ready to rock this last great escapade. Let’s do this!

Tattoos

Sure, let’s add some cool tattoos to the mix! How about a badass Viva la Vida, Explore logo with a couple of 5,000 nautical mile swallows flying around? We’ll even have them carrying banners with each 5K completion date. Fun fact: Did you know that the earth’s circumference is around 21,639 nautical miles? That’s like 4.16 swallows! I’ll keep working on this before I head out to get inked. Stay tuned! 🤘

Catch Phrases

Sure thing! Check out these cool catch phrases that go hand in hand with Viva la Vida, Explore…

• Never stop exploring… The North Face motto. Amen! With God by my side, life is always an adventure and a fun exploration into this remarkable place we call earth.
• Would you like an adventure now or shall we have our tea first..? J.M. Barrie, Peter Pan
• The world is not in your books and maps, it’s out there… J. R. R. Tolkien

Banner

The awesome Banner and Logo were made using a free trial of the super cool CorelDRAW Graphics Suite 2023. Enjoy!