Dave Walters, USA
My
name's Dave and I'm from Cleveland, Ohio. I'm currently a freshman at
Binghamton University in New York. I started diving a few years back on
a family vacation and I've been diving every chance I've gotten since.
Having basically done the same thing every summer of my life, and not
wanting to find another useless summer job Its time to do something new
and maybe I'll even find a career out of it.
Hobbies: I'm really into sports, I play club lacrosse at school but I'll play anything that comes up. I like to ski over the winter, listen to music, go out with friends and obviously diving when I get a chance.
Diving Experience:
Advanced Open Water with around 20 dives
Thomas
Meany, Ireland
Nicolas Lakoff, Canada
I
have been diving since I was 19 but up until five years ago I was a once a
year or once every two years diver. Since 2005 I have been on 2 to 3 diving
trips a year and doing as many dives as could be done safely and
comfortably. As I got more confident and proficient in my diving, the idea
of becoming a dive instructor started forming itself in the back of my mind.
I have been a massage therapist for the last 13 years and for the last 8
years I owned and operated massage therapy clinics in Montreal, Canada. The
reality of having a large business prevented me from seriously entertaining
the idea of becoming a dive instructor but it never really went away.
Recently I sold my interests in the massage therapy company I founded in
2003 and now I am finally realizing my dream and looking forward to a
successful career in the scuba diving industry.
Hobbies: Underwater photography, cinema, music, writing, health and fitness.
Dive
experience:
Open water diver with 189 logged dives in Canada, Dominican Republic and
Cuba. The bulk of my dives are in Cuba, including the very exclusive
Jardines de la Reina National Marine park, the largest marine reserve in the
Caribbean.
Ian Glascock, USA
For
as long is I can remember the ocean and the life within it has
fascinated me. Visiting the island of Guanaja, Honduras and
Heron Island on the Great Barrier Reef when I was a child
inspired me even more. I got scuba certified as soon as I could.
I have had the to opportunity to dive all over the world, but
one of the most amazing scuba experiences was in Baja two
summers ago. After spending two years in Ohio, at Kenyon
College, I transferred to University of SF--closer to home, the
Bay Area, and closer to the ocean. I am studying Environmental
Science, but am also passionate about keeping up with
international current events. I am very much looking forward to
spending time with people who are as enthusiastic about scuba
diving and the ocean as I am.
Hobbies: International Travel, Photography, Scuba Diving, and Drawing
Dive Experiences: PADI Rescue Diver with about 70 logged
Matt
Sullins, USA
Growing up, half of the books on my bookshelves were about the ocean and the creatures beneath the surface. Sharks have been my main focus but I enjoy learning about and observing all other creatures of the ocean. Having always had a passion for all things water related, living and working at the water’s edge will fulfill a lifelong dream. This internship will be the first step towards a career in the dive industry.
Hobbies: Competitive swimming, tennis,
following all sports and anything involving water and sun.
Alissa Rickborn
After living as a diving scientist on Bonaire last year, I fell in love with the Caribbean and diving every day. My experience on Bonaire helped me realize that becoming a dive instructor and teaching people about marine environments is what I want to do with my life.
Hobbies: At home my hobbies include training for swim competitions, yoga, and cycling!
Dive Experience: PADI Rescue Diver with 66 dives
Brandon Owen
After graduating from Texas State University in December of 2008 with a degree in business (worst possible timing), I didn’t quite make it out of San Marcos, Texas. I’ve been managing a local coffee shop ever since in order to meet my main objective: not moving back to Houston for obvious reasons. I have been an open water diver since I was 12 and have always dreamed of becoming a professional diver. I can’t wait to start.
Hobbies: I love pretty much any outdoor activity. My favorites are SCUBA diving, snowboarding, skydiving, and mountain biking. I enjoy reading pretty much anything and practically worship the band Radiohead. I also love to travel. I am fortunate enough to have been all over America, the Caribbean, Europe, and a little bit of Canada.
Dive Experience:
Open Water Diver with around 35 dives (not all logged) in Grand Cayman,
Akumal, Cozumel, and Jamaica
Miram Gleiber, USA
Miram
is in her senior year at The College of William and Mary, completing a
B.Sc. in Biology and Environmental Science with a particularly interest
in Marine Biology. She has always loved water sports/activities, was
scuba certified by the age of 12 and has been diving as much as possible
ever since! Miram plans to attend graduate school studying marine
biology in the next few years, but is first taking a year off to step
back, have fantastic adventures, travel to amazing locations and pursue
some of her life goals… including becoming a DM!
Hobbies: Swimming, sailing, scuba diving, traveling, adventures, photography… pretty much anything outdoors, in the water and sun.
Diving Experience: Rescue Diver
with 57 logged dives, including Australia, Galapagos, Florida Keys, and
Bahamas.
Lyle Stanton, Australia
Originally from Australia, I spent the last 15
years abroad: 7 years in the United States and the 8 years in Switzerland.
I'm currently taking a sabatical from my career as a business/IT consultant
to travel through Central and South America while also doing as much diving
as possible. Having grown up on one of Sydney's beautiful surf beaches I
love the ocean and all water sports but scuba diving for me is the ultimate
and best combination of exploration, sport, ocean-life and meditation. I
was originally certified while living in South Beach, Miami in 2004 and was
addicted from the first dive. Other activities that make me happy include
travel, reading, cooking, and music.
Alex Stimac, USA
I
am entering into the field of teaching and part of my career
goal has always been to spend my summers as a divemaster or
instructor. I just finished school in December, so the next
logical step is to get divemaster certified. Diving has
been in my family since before I was born, and has been a
passion of mine since I began at age 12.
Hobbies: I think my background in biology will certainly be helpful as a tool for me to explain marine life to customers. I also love travelling, meeting people, and spending time in the sun.
Dive Experience: PADI
Rescue Diver with over 100 dives
Elizabeth
Steen , USA
Erika Fadden, USA
I’m graduating from Clemson University in May with my degree in Recreation and Tourism Management. So clearly, the next step is for me to get my "Masters”. I am interested in this internship purely out of necessity to advance in my career. The fact that I love the ocean, am infatuated with fish, and want to live on an island the rest of my life really has little to do with it.
Hobbies: yoga, running, riding horses, traveling, kayaking, baking, wakeboarding, snowboarding, trying to surf, racing hermit crabs, laying in hammocks, star gazing and drinking coffee
Dive Experience: Started my open water
this past summer… finished in October and have been on 2 dives
since…all in the Florida Keys and West Palm
Lizzy
Padhi, USA
I am a sophomore Elementary Education and Wildlife major at Texas A&M. I started diving when I was 16 and fell in love with the ocean and everything in it. Ever since I took my first breath underwater, I have wanted to pursue a career in diving and this summer will be the perfect way to start that.
Hobbies: playing sports, being goofy, going on adventures!
Dive Experience: advanced open water with about 70 dives
Ray Dustin, USA
Working
in a steel mill for the last 6 years has been a well paying job but
the work is not what I want to do for the rest of my life. So I'm
hoping to gain enough experience at Subway Watersports in Roatan to
become a scuba instructor. I hope to find work somewhere warm and
just stay .
Hobbies: I enjoy travelling and experiencing new people. I like doing anything outside and near the water as long as the weather is warm.
Dive experience:
I have only started diving a few months ago and am open water
certified with about 5 logged dives.
Sarah
Quigley, USA
I
recently finished up my undergrad at Columbia College Chicago with a
BA in Arts Management and a minor in black world studies. I was
brought up in Michigan and have been in and on the water since
before I could walk. I have lived in Chicago for the past four
years working in the music industry and I recently returned from
four months of walking around the mountains in Utah. I love
teaching people cool new things which is why I want to become a dive
instructor. I am also obsessed with music and music history and
have recently fallen in love with climbing rocks (it's getting
serious).
A
few years ago I discovered SCUBA and have enjoyed it so much that I
would like to make becoming a Divemaster one more fork in the road
for me, a fork that will allow me to continue on to becoming an
Instructor. I will be starting my third semester in Spanish at
university and hope to be able to incorporate a second language into
my ultimate goal of being able to dive on a daily basis in the warm
waters of the Caribbean or Pacific, introduce others to the
captivating world of SCUBA and, perhaps even earn a little money
doing so.