Jo Cox is currently the Harbour Master in Chichester, but her route to reach Chichester was far from conventional. Jo grew up in the Midlands, with her childhood sailing involving racing toppers and lasers around local lakes and reservoirs. Jo left school at 16 and started an engineering apprenticeship with Land Rover. During her training, Jo was bitten by the sail training bug and spent her holidays offshore sailing, with night school classes taken for yacht master coastal, and winter weekends used for practical RYA courses. Whilst sailing on tall ships she learned about the Merchant Navy and began looking for opportunities for a career at sea.  

In 2000 she took the plunge and secured a Merchant Navy deck officer cadetship, sponsored by Maritime London.  Jo progressed through the ranks with the British Antarctic Survey, securing her unlimited Master Mariners Certificate of Competency in 2011. Between 2012 and 2014 Jo swapped research ships for life on a research station on the remote sub–Antarctic Island of South Georgia undertaking the role of Government Officer. In 2014 Jo returned to sea, securing her first command onboard the Royal Research Ship Discovery.  

After 18 years of working away, Jo put down roots on the South Coast and moved from deep sea to cross Solent ferries, whilst looking for a shore-based role. This led her back to the South Atlantic as Falklands Harbour Master, before her return to the UK and her current role in Chichester in 2023.