Adam was brought up in the countryside of Essex, England. He began sailing at the age of nine and by 12 was already working on the local river.
By the age of 16, he had a small fishing boat and was working on boatyards, taking tourists to see local seal colonies and helping out on the local lifeboat.
Adam later joined the British Armed Forces and was posted in Northern Ireland and elsewhere in the UK. He also served in Kenya as a boat operator. In 2002 Adam joined the police and spent several years on a specialist unit working across the UK with his search dog, Charley.
Since Adam was young, he dreamed of working in the Antarctic like his uncle, who had worked there in the late 1980s. In 2014 Adam left the police to work as a boating officer for the British Antarctic Survey at King Edward Point, South Georgia, where he spent just over a year.
Adam studied at Middlesex University and often gives lectures on history. In 2017 he was elected as a Fellow of the Royal Geographical Society while working as a guide and consultant.
In 2020 Adam began working fulltime for Oceanwide Expeditions as their field operations manager. He holds a commercial masters certificate and instructs in several marine disciplines. Adam enjoys diving, climbing, kayaking, and other outdoor activities.