It’s fair to say Ray Woolley isn’t afraid to dive deep into life, or into the ocean. The 95-year-old World War II veteran beat his own record in early September by diving 40.6 meters to explore a cargo ship wreck off the coast of Cyprus.
He spent 44 minutes down there, which bests his previous record of 41 minutes at 38.1 meters at 94 years old. He still carries all of his equipment unaided.
“We did it…I feel great. It’s lovely to break my record again and I hope if I can keep fit I will break it again next year with all of you,” Woolley told Reuters after the dive.
Originally from northwest England, Woolley, who now lives in Cyprus, has been diving for 58 years and, in part, he does it to motivate others — no matter their age — to get moving.
“The attention is rather nice at my age; I’m doing something that I enjoy and people see I’m doing something a little different from what’s ‘normal,’” he told Wirral Globe after Life Begins at 90, a film he was featured in, was released.
“If I can inspire just one person to get up out of their chair and do something, then that’s great.”
Ray Woolley and his son, Ken. Photo: Ken Woolley
Woolley was a member of the Royal Navy and Special Boat Service Special Force 281. After serving, he was trained as a radio engineer and worked for the British Foreign office.
For nearly his entire life, he’s been drawn to water. He learned how to swim at five years old, and now 90 years later, he’s even been know to swim or do aqua aerobics two to three times a day during the warmermonths.
“When I’m a bit stiff, I just get in my pool and everything loosens up again,” he told Scuba Diver Magazine.
Woolley often dives with his 66-year-old son, Ken.
“Perhaps scuba diving is the key to longevity,” the younger Woolley told DissMercury. “Along with pool training and in-water exercising where the body is effectively weightless, scuba diving is an effective way of maintaining fitness.”
And with a regimen like that, perhaps we will see Woolley dive deep again next year at 96 years old.
