During my military service with the engineering corps, they were looking for a diver. It sounded like something I’d enjoy, so I signed up. After a short training course, I got to work. One of my first assignments was inspecting riverbanks in ‘enemy territory’ for hidden traps.

Later, I joined the Rotterdam-based diving company Smit as a commercial diver. I handled all sorts of jobs, from underwater repairs on container ships to retrieving cars from the water. It’s a role that requires both excellent diving skills and solid technical expertise.

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These days, I’m self-employed and work for a company that specializes in maritime services. There are only four or five such companies worldwide, which means my job takes me all over the globe. Recently I was in Uruguay, Antwerp, the South of France, Dubai, and Oman, wherever the work is needed. I love the travel; it’s a great way to see the world.

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Underwater welding, such as sealing cracks, is part of what I do. And if a container ship can’t afford the downtime to enter dry dock for a propeller repair, we’ll fix it right there underwater. It’s fantastic work.