Interviews with Local Dive Experts

The Cayman Islands are home to a wealth of dive expertise, from seasoned Instructors and Course Directors to Master and Staff Instructors. Each brings unique skills and insights, enriching the dive community and making the Cayman Islands a prime learning environment for divers at every level.

In this blog, we dive into the experiences and perspectives of these experts, exploring what makes them passionate about their work and their different perspectives.

I have asked them 5 questions.

• Your journey to becoming a Dive Master/instructor in the Cayman Islands?

Emily Brown ( Instructor - 800+ dives):  "Been diving since 2013 in grand cayman and once i graduated college i went to get my dive master, fell in love with teaching and working as a diver so i got my instructors 2 weeks after i finished my DM"

Pierre (Instructor - 6000+ dives): "12 years ago, I started from 0 to become a divermaster in Greece. Not long after, I upgraded to instructor and found a work in the Maldives (literally diving heaven). Since that year I have never stop travelling and work as a diving instructor. That adventure brought me to more than 6 different countries and I'm now here in Cayman island for more than 2 years."

Chris Kuan (Instructor  - 10000+ dives): " Did my OW when I was 16, did my advanced 2 years later. Did rescue when I was in uni at stoney cove (cold). Finished uni and did a 3 months DM internship in Tenerife. Started working in a scuba equipment store in London. 3 years later did my IDC in utila, stayed for 8 months (ran out of money). I worked with Andy in the scuba store in London and he moved to cayman with his wife and I got the job at Tortuga as they recommended me".

•   The biggest challenge for someone new to diving?

Emily Brown ( Instructor - 800+ dives): "overcoming fears if they have any like claustrophobia or not being in control of something specifically mask skills"

AJ (DiveMaster - 200+ dives): "Fear of unknown, fear of preconceived notions around diving-people think diving is dangerous , fear of sharks/marine life. Also another aspect will be the prices, it's a very expensive hobby"

Pierre (Instructor - 6000+ dives): "The biggest challenge if definitively to overcome own fears. I often say for beginners 50% is mindset, 50% is on the instructor."

Chris Kuan (Instructor  - 10000+ dives): "Biggest physical challenge for a newbie is just adjusting to being underwater, once you are underwater your body is telling you it’s wrong and you shouldn’t be there, most people are good at ignoring that instinct but some people can’t."

• What do you think would be the biggest challenge for the next generation of divers?

Emily Brown ( Instructor - 800+ dives):  "The expectations are high due to social media, so a lot of new divers might be disappointed in the reality of some diving locations"

AJ (DiveMaster - 200+ dives): "Sadly global warming - degradation of the ocean, extinction of species, the price again too expensive compare to sports that are more accessible"

Pierre (Instructor - 6000+ dives): "Unfortunately, maybe find fish. It is time for the world to open their eyes on the ocean situation. It is critical and I feel lucky everyday to still have the chance to work in that environment."

Chris Kuan (Instructor  - 10000+ dives): "The biggest challenge for the next generation could possibly be accepting the condition of the reefs. Climate change and pollution etc, the reefs are not as healthy as they were 10 years ago. But I guess they can’t miss what they haven’t seen. But becoming a scuba diver would hopefully inspire people to be a little more conscious of it and make them want to do better".

•  What do you think sets diving apart from other sports?

Emily Brown ( Instructor - 800+ dives): "Being able to see the beauty of nature first hand"

AJ (DiveMaster - 200+ dives): "Diving is above all being self conscious but also being respectful of nature, it's a world of exploration it's a way to realise how insignificant human being are in this world 🤭"

Pierre (Instructor - 6000+ dives): "Pfff... It is way more than a sport, than a hobbie or even a job, it is a lifestyle and each dive literally take you to another world, another dimension. A place that many people will never have the chance to discover."

Chris Kuan (Instructor  - 10000+ dives): "Sadly scuba isn’t really a sport as there is no competitive aspect to it unlike free diving. But what sets it apart for me and I think a lot of other people is that it really brings you into the present moment, you don’t or can’t think about other things while you are surrounded by fish or watching a turtle go about its day. Which is why you might have heard some people describe it as their happy place, which you can’t really understand until you try it for yourself".

• Your favourite dive in Cayman and your Favourite Dive ever?

Emily Brown ( Instructor - 800+ dives): "Fish Tank, East End GC 😂,  and then Georgia Aquarium, Atlanta, Georgia

AJ (DiveMaster - 200+ dives): "My favourite place is Moofushi Maldives, diving with a wall of 400 sharks, in the Cayman Ironshore gardens"

Pierre (Instructor - 6000+ dives): "With more than 6000 dives it is hard to pick, but I would say anywhere with sharks or silver sides in Cayman, iron shore garden or pat's wall or the maze. And in the world, M.A.L.D.I.V.E S!!!!!  mantas whale sharks schools of sharks crossing channels in the current !!! 

I miss it so much"

Chris Kuan (Instructor  - 10000+ dives): "Favourite dive in cayman was in a drift on the north side between split rock (deep) to fish tank (shallow). We bumped into a juvenile logger head turtle that floated with us most of the way. Favourite dive(s) are ones where I feel I have a special interaction with something like the time I worked in Oz as a photographer and met this cuttlefish, it was at the same dive site same place every time. It seemed to recognise me after awhile, people would get their picture with it. And toward the end it seem to let me watch it lay its eggs into the reef. That was nice."