SCUBAHUB
Remembering Helen Hadley
TRIBUTES HAVE BEEN PAID TO HELEN Hadley , assistant skipper of the Orkney liveaboard MV Valhalla , who has died aged 45 after a seizure . Known for her compassion , intelligence and wit , Helen was a hugely popular figure on the UK diving scene ; her death has prompted a widespread outpouring of shock and sympathy for her partner , Hazel Weaver .
Born and raised in Alnwick , Northumberland , Helen studied Environmental Sciences at Northumbria University and developed an interest in diving that led her to the Yorkshire Divers online forum . It was here that she first met Hazel , who invited her to Stromness to work as a deck hand on her 50-ft day boat , Stormdrift . It was the beginning of one of the most celebrated partnerships in British diving , one that would host countless divers in search of the Scapa experience .
Working in the challenging environment of Scapa Flow , Helen ’ s people skills came to the fore . “ She had this gift in her ability to get on with anybody ,” Hazel says . “ If you spent 30 seconds in her company she ’ d make you a friend ; she was able to cross boundaries , cross communities and just chat to people in the most natural way .” Such was her charm , people in Orkney began referring to her as ‘ a local ’ just months after she moved there . Helen became an integral part of the business , first in her role as deckhand and chef , ultimately as ‘ boat mum ’. “ She was an incredibly generous person in terms of her knowledge , her empathy and her love ,” Hazel said .
Working as a team , Helen and Hazel became a much loved part of the Scapa scene . For a while they operated two liveaboards , eventually selling MV Valkyrie [ now MV Honeydew ] to concentrate their efforts on Valhalla . Helen became renowned for her on-board catering , especially her extravagant baking creations , which included a 12-inch high birthday cake . “ She was never more at
" She had this gift in her ability to get on with anybody " home than when she was making people happy ,” Hazel says . “ It ’ s what she lived for and her baking was an expression of that .”
Helen was a highly experienced diver , having progressed from single cylinders in warm water to mystery marks at depths of 80 metres . She twice rescued the lives of divers who were in danger of drowning near the boat , leaping into the water in her deck clothing . One of these rescues resulted in Helen being given BSAC ’ s Alan Broadhurst Award , acknowledging her bravery and use of lifesaving techniques .
She was of course known for her sense of humour , which encapsulated not just her wit and warmth , but also her unique way of looking at the world . “ Helen ’ s sense of humour was completely off the wall ,” Hazel said . “ Just have a scroll over her social media and you ’ ll see the person she was .”
There are perhaps too many examples to choose from , but when she was going through a series of hospital treatments she decided to help the medical staff by having a ‘ stab here ’ tattoo made near her recommended vein . Her Facebook page proudly describes her job as ‘ Hobbit-in-chief at MV Valhalla ’, but it belies her professionalism . She qualified as an RYA Yacht master in 2018 , which meant she could take navigation watch without supervision .
Helen made a point of befriending harbour cats wherever she went . Hazel often worried that she would one day discover Jazz the Pier Cat from Norway somewhere on board Valhalla when they were halfway across the North Sea . But the animal she truly adored was ‘ Dug the boat dog ’, who according to Hazel was the love of Helen ’ s life .
The loss of such a personality will resonate across the diving scene for some time , not least for Hazel , and Helen ’ s other close friend , Fiona Fleming . The final word goes to Hazel : ““ No-one ’ s really gone until they are forgotten , so keep remembering her . Be good to each other and remember Helen .”
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