At the Bermuda Institute for Ocean Sciences (BIOS) (formerly the Bermuda Biological Station for Research) presidents and directors have come and gone, as have scientists, research vessels and even the facility's name, but there's been one constant over the years, maintenance supervisor Wilfred 'Butch' Stovell.

Mr. Stovell has been working at BIOS for 46 years, and is the longest standing staff member at the Ferry Reach, St. George's based facility.

He started working at BIOS at the tender age of 16, helping his father as a carpenter's helper. "Since then I have worked with mostly every department," said Mr. Stovell. "My father was a carpenter and he worked there for 12 years. I have him beat by quite a few years."

Early on, Mr. Stovell decided he wouldn't limit himself to carpentry.

"When I first went out there I said I would make my own career," he said.

Through BIOS, Mr. Stovell developed a deep interest in marine life, and has often gone along on expeditions around the Island, piloting boats and diving with the scientists.

He has seen BIOS grow and evolve into the internationally respected organisation it is today.

"It was much smaller when I started than it is now," said Mr. Stovell, "but it has grown a lot since then. In the old days it was mostly summer programmes. In the winter we had time to clean up and get ready for the next summer."

Mr. Stovell has made lasting friendships with many staff members, students and scientists who have come through BIOS.

"I enjoy the people and the work that is there," he said. "I have enjoyed working in different fields. I wasn't doing the same thing all the time.

A couple of years ago he decided to get a diving certificate. He then promptly stopped diving.

"I didn't feel like doing it again," he said. "I have been diving all around the Island. I liked diving off of Spittal Pond in the breakers. It was in close and it wasn't out too far. You pick your days in terms of roughness."

Although he sticks closer to home these days, he still has very busy days. He usually arrives at BIOS at 7.30 a.m. and doesn't leave until around 5.30 p.m. He is also frequently called on in his off hours for everything from an empty water tank to someone being locked out of their room.

"I only have a small staff of five," he said. "Mostly I work on maintenance for everyone, whatever they need. I learned carpentry from my father. I was 14 years old when he started teaching, but I didn't go out to the station until I was 16. I'm not a master carpenter, but I can do just about any carpentry work that is required."

He has often made special items for departing BIOS friends including a cedar chest for one scientist who left the Island, and wooden plaques for others.

"I get a real satisfaction when I finish a piece, but I never liked working with cedar," he said. "It is a hard wood, and I don't like the smell. I like working with pine."

One of the highlights of Mr. Stovell's career was helping to bring the research vessel Culver from Woodshole, Massachusetts to Bermuda. "I went with the Culver in the early 1980s when they brought it across the ocean from Woodshole," said Mr. Stovell. "It was a 30-foot boat. She caught fire after about two years. It was the hardest thing to watch her sit and burn. They had the fire trucks there and everything. It was quite awhile ago."

Another highlight was helping one scientist to retrieve lost traps off the South Shore, which was no simple undertaking.

"He lost a set of traps, so he bought down a big ship from Woodshole and I had the opportunity of going out there and trying to dredge the traps up," said Mr. Stovell. "That was very exciting."

During his long career, he has amassed quite a collection of letters and photographs thanking him for his work and help at BIOS.

Among them is a tear-stained letter from a student named Michael from Rocky Hill High School in Rocky Hill, Connecticut. The letter is a note of apology.

"I accidentally broke a seawater pipe in the wet lab of the bio station," Michael wrote to Mr. Stovell. "I am so sorry for the incident and I sincerely hope that a single student from Rocky Hill High School will not prevent other students being considered from future endeavours."

Mr. Stovell said he has often preferred working with younger students like Michael, than the older college age students who come through.

"I have gotten maybe hundreds of letters from students over the years," he said, "thanking me."

Mr. Stovell wants to stay on at BIOS until he has an even 50 years of work at the facility under his belt, which will be in another four years.