Face to Face with Jeff Goodman: Joel Cooper-Dykes, Abyss Scuba School

Published 4 weeks agoon September 17, 2026

In this exclusive video for Scubaverse.com, Jeff Goodman sits down with Joel Cooper-Dykes, Managing Director of Abyss Scuba School.

Joel’s diving journey began at the age of twelve, when his father first introduced him to the underwater world. From tropical reefs to rugged coastlines explored during childhood travels, those early adventures sparked a passion that would ultimately become a lifelong career.

Before founding Abyss Scuba School, Joel served for sixteen years in the Royal Navy. His career included multiple operational tours with the Commando Helicopter Force, alongside a wide range of other naval postings. He deployed to Iraq, Libya and Lebanon, undertook Search and Rescue duties in the Falkland Islands and the Antarctic, and participated in counter-narcotics and anti-trafficking operations across the Indian Ocean and North Atlantic.

These experiences developed Joel’s leadership, resilience and technical expertise, as well as his ability to remain calm and make sound decisions under pressure, qualities he now brings to the daily operation of a busy dive centre and its growing Independent Alternative Provision.

With thousands of dives to his name, Joel is a PADI Master Scuba Diver Trainer and the Managing Director of Abyss Scuba School. Although still actively involved in training, his primary focus is leading the organisation and ensuring its diving courses, youth programmes and alternative-provision activities are delivered safely, inclusively and to the highest possible standards.

Joel is particularly passionate about using scuba diving to help children and young people who may struggle within traditional education. Through Abyss Scuba School’s Independent Alternative Provision, diving becomes far more than a recreational activity: it provides a powerful environment in which young people can build confidence, develop practical and social skills, regulate their emotions and experience genuine achievement.

One of Joel’s most memorable dives was a 74-metre descent off the Isle of Skye, where he encountered and spent time interacting with a curious seal, a lasting reminder that some of the world’s most extraordinary underwater experiences can be found right here in UK waters.

Find out more at www.abyss-scuba.co.uk.

Jeff Goodman

Jeff is a multiple award winning, freelance TV cameraman/film maker and author. Having made both terrestrial and marine films, it is the world's oceans and their conservation that hold his passion with over 10.000 dives in his career. Having filmed for international television companies around the world and author of two books on underwater filming, Jeff is Author/Programme Specialist for the 'Underwater Action Camera' course for the RAID training agency. Jeff has experienced the rapid advances in technology for diving as well as camera equipment and has also experienced much of our planet’s marine life, witnessing, first hand, many of the changes that have occurred to the wildlife and environment during that time. Jeff runs bespoke underwater video and editing workshops for the complete beginner up to the budding professional.