Wade Doak

ABOUT THE AUTHOR

Doak, Wade (1940 – 2019) was a language teacher with a passion for diving when in 1969 he discovered a stash of coins when diving on a shipwreck. Salvaging the treasure allowed him to devote his life to studying and photographing 'the blue planet', and he has published 17 books about the ocean and its inhabitants.

Doak's titles include Beneath New Zealand Seas (1971); Fishes of the New Zealand Region (1972); Sharks and Other Ancestors (1975); Islands of Survival (1976); Dolphin Dolphin (1981); Encounters with Whales and Dolphins (1988); and his diving autobiography, Ocean Planet (1989). His most recent book, I am a Fish (1999), introduces young readers to the various lifestyles of reef fish. Most of these are lavishly illustrated with Doak's own photographs.

With his wife Jan and son Brady - an underwater camera operator - Wade Doak worked on the television natural history series 'Wild South' and 'Deep Blue'. The dramatic visual impact of Wade's films, slides and photographs, coupled with his passionate enthusiasm for his subject, made him a popular speaker and visitor to schools.

Another facet of Doak's enthusiasm for the underwater world was his activism in support of marine conservation initiatives. He was closely involved with the Poor Knights Islands marine reserve, and was often called on for expert comment on marine conservation issues.

MEDIA LINKS AND CLIPS

• Wade Doak's website