SPEAKERS

Mark Ryan

After learning to dive in 1986 in Melbourne, Mark became an Instructor in 1995. His technical diving career started in 1990, when as an active club member Mark arranged decompression dives on sites like the Euro & Piggott in Melbourne's Shipwreck Graveyard.

With around 3,500 dives logged, Mark is a TDI Instructor to Advanced Trimix, SDI Open Water Instructor and PADI Master Scuba Diver Trainer. Mark has trained hundreds of technical diving students in his ongoing teaching career.

His diving interests are in deep wreck diving and wreck exploration. Mark is a founding member of Southern Ocean Exploration, a group credited with a number of new deep wreck discoveries off the coast of Victorian and NSW. Mark was instrumental in the discoveries of TSS Kanowna, TSS Cumberland, SS Queensland, Don Diego, Brunette and SS Alert.

Mark is currently the Vice President of the Maritime Archaeological Association of Victoria and a member of Australasian Institute for Maritime Archaeology and the Historical Diving Society. He has received awards from both The Heritage Council and the Victorian Government acknowledging his substantial contribution to the maritime heritage of Victoria.

Mark's website is: www.southernoceanexploration.com