Sam loved the ocean. Swimming in it; sailing on it in everything from yachts to warships, and later in life, in container ships; or studying how it was governed. He was in his element when talking about the sea. Sam and I were married for close to sixty years and the one thing that stood out during that time was his passion for the sea.
In our early years, I would join him in some of these nautical experiences. Sailing (and sometimes running aground…) on Brisbane’s Moreton Bay and Port Moresby Harbour was followed by perhaps our biggest adventure, a voyage from Hobart to Fremantle in a sixty-foot ketch. We have also been lucky enough to be able to take the family on charter yacht holidays on the Mediterranean Sea. I never saw him happier than when he was on these trips. Even in the days before he died, we were in a charter yacht which he was driving like a destroyer as he chased the elusive schools of tuna. I always observed how comfortable he was on the ocean. The family felt safe with him.
This physical contact with the sea was complemented by his enduring academic interest in how the oceans were used, and sometimes abused, and how the maritime commons were governed. This manifested itself in numerous journal articles, book chapters and complete volumes, along with participation in many fora around the world. Over the years his contributions led him to develop an enormous network of colleagues, many of whom became dear friends to both of us.
I am truly honoured by this network which has come together to embrace Sam’s favourite subjects. He lived and breathed these topics. The common strands are of course oceans governance and maritime security with focus on the Law of the Sea Convention and environmental protection. However, Sam also had a keen interest in how countries could cooperate in the maritime environment, particularly in the Indian Ocean and his old stomping grounds in the Southwest Pacific Ocean. The book is a superb acknowledgement of his academic achievements, even though he often thought of himself as a fraud due to working alongside such accomplished academics. He would be extremely proud to see the list of notable contributors.
This list is very long, and I am afraid I cannot individually thank and acknowledge everyone. However, I must mention Stuart Kaye and the staff at the Australian National Centre for Ocean Resources & Security (ancors). I have a fond memory of our final visit to Wollongong in 2019 when we were reunited with old friends and colleagues from over the years to celebrate the 25th anniversary of the maritime course Sam established in 1994. I must also
Finally, I am deeply appreciative of the efforts of John Bradford and the team at the S. Rajaratnam School of International Studies (rsis). Sam loved his time in Singapore. I joined him on occasion and could see what a positive influence he had on both staff and students. I know this book was John’s initiative and I can’t thank him enough for his time in coordinating the authors and its publication.
On behalf of all Sam’s family, I thank everybody who has contributed to the book. In his words, Sam would be extremely chuffed.
Lois Bateman