…with Andy and Miriam Goddard, from Andark Diving & Watersports, which is celebrating 50 years in 2026.
AAS: Andark is celebrating its 50th year, so can you take us back to how it all began?
Andy: It all started back in 1976 when I was working as a commercial diver in the North Sea. In those days, satellite navigation was not advanced enough to get us to precise underwater locations, so we had to operate out of the back of small submersibles.
Because space and weight were incredibly limited inside the submersibles, we could not use the heavy heated suit equipment you would normally find on a rig. The divers were getting dangerously cold, so I came up with a solution: a compact, backpack-mounted diver heating system. That single innovation to keep us warm in the deep sea is exactly how Andark began.
AAS: The diver heating system developed by Andark featured on BBC’s Tomorrow’s World. What have been the biggest technological changes in the sector over the last half a century?
Andy: The North Sea oil rush of the 1970s fuelled the industry’s biggest technological leaps, transforming both commercial and sport diving:
Commercial: The game-changer was 1980s gas reclaim systems. Deep divers use expensive helium-oxygen mixes; these systems captured exhaled gas, cleaned it on the surface and pumped it back down, saving a fortune. Underwater heating and deep submersibles also advanced massively.
Sport: It is a complete revolution. Modern divers take for granted gear that did not exist when I started – like buoyancy jackets (BCDs), modern regulators and wrist-worn dive computers that replaced manual calculations.
It is a completely different world from 50 years ago.
AAS: Which moments are Andark most proud of/stand out from the past 50 years?
Andy: It is hard to choose from so many memories, but a few key moments really stand out. First is our evolution into diver training; watching hesitant students successfully begin their underwater journeys brings immense satisfaction.
The other highlights are our physical milestones: building our bespoke swimming pool, opening the new retail shop and, more recently, developing our open-water lake. Though built for diving, the lake has evolved into a massive hub for open-water swimmers and the wider community.
AAS: Can you tell us about more Andark Lake, which remains at the heart of Andark?
Andy: The lake was born out of necessity. In 2007, the military reclaimed the facility at Port Solent that we used for training, leaving us without a local inland dive site and forcing three-hour travel times for instructors and students.
Since we owned the land around our indoor training pool and shop, we decided to build our own lake. It created a safe, convenient and controlled environment for students to transition seamlessly from indoor pool training to open-water courses.
At nearly the size of two Olympic pools, the lake features training platforms at 1.5 and 4m, a maximum depth of 7m and various underwater features to keep divers engaged.
Miriam: Built in 2012/2013 as a purpose-built diving facility, Andark Lake has since evolved into a vibrant community hub – a shift accelerated during Covid when open-water swimming took off. Today, the lake supports our own dive courses, as well as external dive schools, paddleboarders and swimmers alike. With classrooms hosting yoga, art and antenatal classes and corporate events, alongside our new ice baths and wood-fired sauna, the lake is genuinely the heart of everything we do.
AAS: A variety of watersports are offered at Andark Lake; which is the most popular and how has that changed over time?
Andy: I would be lying if I said I foresaw the rise of open-water swimming. We built the lake for dive training, but swimmers are now our biggest, fastest-growing customer base. They choose us for three main reasons:
Health Benefits: More people than ever are embracing the physical and mental boosts of cold-water swimming.
Safety & Cleanliness: Unlike nearby rivers and seas, our lake is fed by a deep borehole, constantly monitored for cleanliness and free from currents, swell or boat traffic.
Top-Tier Amenities: We have built a true hub here, complete with great changing rooms, an on-site café, a wood-fired sauna and cold-plunge baths. It is a fantastic destination for everyone.
Miriam: Without a doubt, open-water and cold-water swimming have become the most popular activities at the lake. The sport has evolved incredibly over the last few years and is still gaining momentum. People really connect with the health benefits, as well as the chance to immerse themselves in nature. As I mentioned, the pandemic was a huge catalyst for this – everyone wanted to get outdoors and find a sense of freedom. Our community has expanded so much recently, and the swimming crowd has been a massive part of that success.
AAS: Andark began as a family business – is it still family run?
Andy: Andark is still very much a family business. My youngest daughter, Miriam, has taken over as managing director, and I am right there supporting her. It is incredibly rewarding to keep that legacy going. We are even welcoming the next generation – my 14-year-old grandson has just started working a few hours with us. Family remains at the absolute heart of everything we do.
Miriam: Yes, we are still proudly a family-run business. My parents founded the company – my dad brought the commercial diving expertise and my mum brought the passion for sailing. I have since stepped into the leadership role. While my mum has retired from the business, my dad is still very much involved, though he has stepped back from much of the day-to-day. Moving the business forward is my responsibility now, and I am incredibly excited about where we can take it in the future.
AAS: Where do you see Andark in another 50 years’ time?
Andy: Hopefully still here! But where we go next is really down to Miriam. It will undoubtedly look different, and I hope it does – a business must evolve to survive. When I started Andark, I never imagined drifting from dive training into selling yachting gear, building a pool and digging a lake. Because we have always grown by adapting, I can’t predict the next 50 years. But as long as we keep innovating under Miriam’s leadership, Andark has a very bright future
Miriam: Looking ahead, reaching a 100-year milestone would be incredible. My immediate goal is to build on our community feel, creating an ultimate watersports hub where people can swim, paddleboard or learn to dive.
Retail-wise, we are expanding online – since your website is your shop window now – while maintaining our physical store. For specialised gear like wetsuits, you simply can’t beat seeing the kit in person and getting the right fit. Technology and AI are moving fast, and while you cannot catch every wave, we are committed to constantly evolving to improve our customer service every year – and every week.
AAS: Will you be at this year’s Southampton International Boat Show?
Andy/Miriam: Yes, absolutely – we are really looking forward to it! We will be bringing a full range of our top watersports and yachting equipment and clothing brands for visitors to browse, try and bag a deal, alongside our popular ‘try dive’ pool, giving show-goers as young as eight the chance to get in the water and be inspired by the world below the surface.
Outside the stand, we will also be taking to the Boating Academy stage for a live Q&A session hosted by Shelley Jory-Leigh – the British and World Record-breaking champion powerboat racer and sports broadcaster. We would love for you to come along, hear a bit more of our story and ask any questions you have!
