Henry first heard about UKSA while studying for his GCSEs during lockdown. At the time, he had no plans for the future and felt adrift; lost, low in confidence, and without a clear passion.
His upbringing had been far from straightforward. With a Portuguese mum and English dad, and five siblings, his family moved often between England and Portugal. Frequent relocations meant it was hard to keep lasting friendships, and periods of serious debt at home added to the strain. After struggling in mainstream school, Henry was homeschooled for three years, leaving him feeling isolated and unsure of his place in the world.
Before UKSA, he had some exposure to the water through Sea Cadets, earning his RYA youth sailing and windsurfing qualifications and spending a week offshore on the TMS Jack Petchy. But it wasn’t until UKSA that he began to see a future for himself in the maritime industry.
