Our Boat
the story behind MODERN SINBAD....
Some return-visitors to BWD will remember that the dive boat used to have a different name. It’s bad luck to say what that name was, but think “Large catastrophic tidal wave” and “Thailand” and you’ll probably get it. Since one of our long term staff actually was in Thailand for that, and with the new ownership in 2012 looking for a fresh start on a few things, we decided to have an official ceremony to change the name of the “_______” to MODERN SINBAD.
It was not a random choice of name. MODERN SINBAD is a reference to BWD’s Owner, Chris Gauntlett’s great-grandfather, who was an author of sea stories by the name of A.E. Dingle, who wrote under the
pen-name of “Sinbad.” He was allegedly the first person to solo the voyage of New York to Bermuda – unless you count his dog, Trixie. He had packed his family onto a steamer to move to Bermuda and planned to bring the boat over himself. He had poor eyesight, and so he had “bought” his Captain’s license from a shady fellow in a bar 
On the way over he encountered a hurricane, and lost his rigging. Overdue by weeks, he threw his gun
overboard to avoid the temptation of shooting his dog, who was drinking a share of the water. When they were finally ashore, after being picked up and towed in by a US patrol boat (who initially mistook them for a surfaced enemy submarine!) – Trixie came out of the boat a bright shade of red. The dye from the lifejackets had leached out into the bilges, and absorbed into her fur.
Dingle’s boat was called the GAUNTLET. Just a child when her father did the crossing, years later his
daughter, Muriel, married Ernest Gauntlett. It must have been fate. Or maybe she had an attachment to the name. The boat eventually perished in a boat yard in St Georges. The family continues to live in Bermuda.
See more about the story here: Modern Sinbad Royal Gazette & Modern Sinbad Story
So, all in all, we think it’s a pretty good name.
MODERN SINBAD is a purpose built boat, a Newton 36” Dive Special, and is designed to make diving as safe and as easy as possible.