Calvin Lynch, a daredevil TV cameraman with a passion for speedboats, has died. Mr Lynch was 70.

Rick Richardson, the former chief executive at the Bermuda Broadcasting Company, said Mr Lynch was a meticulous photojournalist who “liked to live dangerously on weekends”.

He said: “Cal was there when I was in charge of news; his concentration was news and sports and he brought a great dedication, energy and commitment to the job every day.

“He was a total team player, who literally bounced in to work. Cal was fun, and brought that camaraderie and atmosphere to the job.”

Mr Richardson said Mr Lynch loved powerboats and motocross as well as racing catamarans.

The veteran newsman added: “He used to go out in these huge catamarans that would get up to amazing speed on Ferry Reach and rise virtually out of the water.”

The racing community was stunned in August 1981 when Ken Dear, one of the island’s top racers, lost his life in a 100mph catamaran accident on Ferry Reach in St George’s.

Mr Richardson said a few years later, colleagues had feared the worst when Mr Lynch was injured in a similar crash on the same stretch of water. He explained: “Cal was thrown out of a catamaran that flipped and went airborne. Many of us thought that was the end of him.”

Mr Richardson said he rushed to the hospital “expecting a downtrodden Cal, and what I found was a smiling Cal concerned about his family”.

He said Mr Lynch was “devoted” to his wife, Angelia Onley-Lynch, as well as their children Calais and Cylah.

Mr Richardson added: “He was an amazing, bubbly man, but if he felt people weren’t measuring up, he let you know.”

Mr Lynch’s TV camera career spanned decades, from the 1970s to the 2000s.

Yesterday, past and present colleagues at Bermuda Broadcasting said Mr Lynch was a pleasure to work with.

Darlene Livingston, Bermuda Broadcasting’s morning news anchor, said Mr Lynch “embraced his job and enjoyed the outdoor side of the work”.

She said: “He was a water sports guy who competed in powerboat racing and the around-the-island races even after he left broadcasting; he later started a new career at Marine and Ports.

“We knew that he had some health challenges. We were very saddened to learn of his passing.”

Jannell Ford, a veteran broadcaster, added Mr Lynch was a “news gatherer and cameraman who took immense pride in his work, which was always to a very high standard”.

Ms Ford said: “He also expected those working with him to perform to a high standard. He was easygoing and always had a big smile on his face.”

She added that Mr Lynch “enjoyed mentoring those of us just entering the industry”.

Ms Ford said: “He was a joy to work with and will be missed.”

Al Seymour, a former broadcaster, said Mr Lynch had been “remarkable in that he never left his smile at home and was full of enthusiasm, no matter the assignment”.

Mr Seymour added: “Apart from being a good cameraman, he was also skilled in editing pieces for the evening news.

“There were times we would get an interview where someone would talk as though they were the only item on the news that night. Cal would look at me afterwards with that smile and say, ‘don’t worry; I know what to do’. I never had to say another word.”

He said: “He was more than a good cameraman. He was a super guy who will be missed and remembered for a great smile that the world needs more of these days.”