In this episode of Speaking Sidemount, brought to you by our sponsor XDEEP, Steve Davis talks with Mark Rowe, a former British Army Royal Engineer who began diving in 1989 and went on to become a leading sidemount and technical instructor.
Mark shares his incredible journey from military service to full-time diving instructor, including his role in developing the Battle Back program, which utilises diving to rehabilitate injured soldiers returning from Iraq and Afghanistan. We explore:
🔹 His early days learning to dive in Sharm el-Sheikh before it became a Red Sea diving mecca
🔹 Building the UK’s largest military dive club and founding Battle Back Diving
🔹 The evolution of sidemount diving and why good instruction matters
🔹 Insights on training, gear setup, and diving safely across multiple systems
🔹 Rebreathers, tech diving, and the future of advanced diving education
Whether you’re a sidemount diver, an instructor, or just passionate about diving history — this is a deep, inspiring conversation you won’t want to miss.
🎧 Listen to or watch the Speaking Sidemount Podcast on YouTube or wherever you get your podcasts.
📘 Grab Steve’s Sidemount Fundamentals eBook → www.sidemountpros.com/store
🌐 Follow Mark Rowe at Rubicon Diving Lanzarote - https://www.rubicondiving.com