Meet the Staff

Michelle
michelle_turtle

Hi, welcome to the Underwater Phantaseas family and the wonderful world of scuba diving. I have been diving for 20 years and love it as much now as when I first got started. I have lived and worked as a scuba instructor in Grand Cayman, St. John, Costa Rica and Curacao. I enjoy the travel part of scuba diving more than anything. My favorite places to dive are the East End of Cayman, Galapagos Islands, Fiji, and Indonesia. My kids love the water too. They have been participating in the Kids SEAL Team program here at UWP and plan to get certified out at the Aurora Reservoir this summer! It is a great family sport. So come on in, meet the gang and join the fun!

Brian and Jill

Hello! We're Brian and Jill, PADI divers since the early 90's, and instructors since 2000. We are your Turks and Caicos Islands experts, having lived and worked on the main island of Providenciales (Provo). Our travels have taken us across the Caribbean and Pacific, diving along the way. Our favorite dive sites to date are Tons of Sponge in the Turks and Caicos Islands, Galapagos, and the wreck of the Yongala in the Great Barrier Reef, Australia.

Ryan

Hi, I'm Ryan, a PADI certified diver since 1999. I have been to some very cool destinations like Grand Cayman, St. Lucia, St. Thomas, Barbados and my favorite so far, Cocos Island. I am always getting excited for my next trip, regardless whether it's the Florida Keys or some tiny island in Indonesia. My favorite fish are sharks, the bigger the better! I am lucky enough to be able to teach and work at the shop full time, sharing my passion for scuba with you. Come in and tell me about your trip, I love to hear where everyone has been. See you soon!

Kim

Hi, my name is Kim. I received my Open Water certification in 2001 after a lifetime dream to scuba dive. I can't remember if it was because I was in love with Mike Nelson (Lloyd Bridges) or if it was the weekly excitement I felt from watching Sea Hunt, but I knew I had to fulfill that dream of someday becoming a scuba diver. I hope I'm testimony to the adage "it's never too late to follow your dreams". My favorite place to dive is any place I can feel weightless and breathe underwater. I will say my next trip, where ever that might be, is definitely my favorite right now. Some places and things I want to see are: The Great Barrier Reef, The Red Sea, sunken tall ships in the Great Lakes, Whale Sharks, Hammer Heads and Cuttlefish to name a few. Most importantly, I can't wait to see you and talk diving. So come in to the shop and introduce yourself and let me help you . . . follow your diving dreams.

Adam

Hi, my name is Adam, and I started scuba diving in 1995. I found that my absolute passion for scuba diving is what propelled me into becoming a PADI instructor in 2005. Ever since then I have had a great privilege in not only teaching scuba, but also sharing my passion with others. I have had the opportunity to scuba dive in some great locations like the Hawaiian Islands, Bonaire, Florida Keys, and Cozumel. There are still many destinations on my bucket list like all over Micronesia to name a few. I’m always excited to work with new students, so I hope to see you in the future…

Leslie

Hi, I'm Leslie. I became addicted to scuba diving in 1994 and was certified as an instructor in 1996. Now I'm a PADI staff instructor with 13 specialty ratings, but I still love helping inspire new divers. I've been fortunate to dive in a variety of environments including the Galapagos, Bora Bora, British Columbia, China, the Galapagos, and the Caribbean. If sun, salt water, and fancy fish appeal to you, come explore diving with us!

David

Hi I'm David. I have been with Underwater Phantaseas from just about the beginning. I am a PADI Master Instructor and I enjoy teaching all levels of divers. My favorite course, however, is Rescue Diver. It really boosts a divers self confidence level and that makes the overall dive experience more fun a lot safer. Some of my favorite diving, believe it or not, is in cold water. I love diving British Columbia due to the bio diversity found there. Lots of whales and Octopi! I am an Inspiration Closed Circuit and Drager Rebreather diver as well as a Rebreather instructor at the dive center.

Lindy

Hello! My name is Lindy and I have been diving since 1965. In other words, Jacques Cousteau and I go way back! In 1999, I decided that I would like to teach people how to enjoy the sport that I have grown to love over the years. I became an instructor with Underwater Phantaseas in 2002. Scuba Diving for me is more than just a hobby. Scuba is the way that I relax and get away from the hectic world of my career, residential real estate. Hopefully we will meet up in a class or two at the dive center. Enjoy the sport and happy diving!

Charlie

My name is Charlie, I'm a PADI Dive Instructor, having been Open-Water Certified since 1988. I've progressed from snorkeling as a child, to enjoying the incredible underwater sea life through Scuba Diving. It is this undersea world that I wish to share with everyone. My hope is that you'll enjoy it as much as I've enjoyed bringing it's life to you.

Mike

Hi, I'm Mike! I was lucky enough to finish my instructor rating in June of 2002! Diving is a great diversion for me and it shows in my teaching style. I like nothing better than to get out of the rat race for and evening and teach diving!

Mike
Hi! I'm Mike, a PADI Master Scuba Diver Trainer. I've been certified since 1983 and have been teaching at Underwater Phantaseas since 2004. I have dived a variety of locations and conditions, from the warm waters of the Caribbean, to the cool waters of the Pacific, to the cold waters of Alaska. Every site is different, with its own variety of critters and conditions, and I love it all. One of the things I especially enjoy is sharing this incredible experience with others through teaching, and watching and helping as students develop their skills.

Mark
Hello there, I'm Mark, and I've been diving since December of 1998. On a family vacation to Cozumel, Mexico for the holidays, the rest of my diving family dragged me kicking and screaming into the water for a Discover Scuba Dive experience, and I've never looked back.

I did 4 dives that week, and was just astounded at how peaceful the underwater experience is. I went through my Open Water course in January of 1999, the Advanced Open Water course in February, the Rescue Diver course in May, the Divemaster course over the summer and the Instructor course from January to March of 2000, all with Underwater Phantaseas. Over the course of that year I made 5 trips back to Cozumel, made some excellent friends on the island, and logged more than 100 dives. I absolutely fell in love with scuba diving, and to this day I'd rather be underwater working with students or pleasure diving than doing anything else.

Julie

In 1996 my husband talked me into taking a scuba class. Little did I know how profoundly changed my life would become. I never dreamed I would love this sport so much! I am now a Master Scuba Diver Trainer with 11 specialties and a Handicapped Scuba Instructor. I have two children who love to dive just as much as I do!

Suzanne
ScubaSuz (61K)

Hi! My name is Suzanne! I became a certified diver over a decade ago. I liked it so much that I became an instructor. There is nothing more exhilarating than being underwater with the vibrant corals and diverse marine life. Sharing dive experiences with others is what makes teaching so much fun. Diving with family and friends are memories that last a lifetime. Stop in the shop and I bet you won’t be able to leave without catching the dive bug.

John
Hello! I'm John. I became a PADI Diver in 1988 while attending college at the University of Mississippi (Ole Miss).

I spent most of my time there, diving North Florida fresh water springs and the nearby area of Panama City FL, but dreaming of more exotic locales. My career with General Motors moved me to Colorado shortly after, where I found a great population of divers and the wonderful folks here at Underwater Phantaseas. I earned my instructor rating in January 2007 (Burr!) and launched my second career. My more recent travels have been Hawaii, Hawaii, and oh yea, Hawaii. Brian reminds me of my need to diversify my log book…So I must be heading somewhere soon. Look forward to seeing you in class, whether it's an introduction to the wonderful world of SCUBA or continuing your education and ratings to take full advantage of your next adventure! See you soon!

Michael

Michael is passionate about two areas in life: sailing and scuba diving. Combining sailing with scuba diving first in 1988 has been the perfect mix. Michael has over 30,000 blue water sailing miles under his keel and he is also a U.S. Coast Guard-licensed boat captain. He has captained vessels from the Mediterranean to all over the Atlantic to the Caribbean Sea. He has dived the Leeward and Windward islands extensively. He currently holds a PADI Master Scuba Diver Trainer instructor level of certification. His favorite place to dive is anywhere he can skipper the boat, drop the hook, and jump off the back to visit what is under the water's surface.

Mark

Hi, my name is Mark. I am a PADI Master Scuba Diver Trainer (MSDT) who loves adventure travel. I have been diving in Hawaii, Cozumel, Australia, Honduras, Belize, Fiji, Galapagos, Turks & Caicos, Palau, Indonesia, Cayman Islands, and Mozambique. Which is my favorite? All of the above! I have a passion for teaching and introducing new divers to the underwater world as well as inspiring experienced divers to expand their knowledge and skills to become better and safer divers. I am also an Emergency First Response (EFR) Instructor and a PADI Specialty Instructor for 18 different PADI specialty courses. I hope to see you in the classroom or pool at UWP, at Aurora Reservoir, or over at Homestead Crater very soon!

Jim
Hi, I'm Jim and have been affiliated with the dive shop since May, 2004, and hold 12 Specialty certifications.

I'm an EFR and DAN first aid instructor and received my Open Water Instructor certification in May, 2009. As divers, we get to see and experience amazing encounters, things I look forward to passing along to my students. I have had the pleasure of sharing these great experiences with other divers on trips taken to Turks and Caicos, the Cayman Islands, Belize, Bonaire, Curacao, Cozumel, Roatan and the Bahamas. My greatest joy is watching students master their skills and enjoy the diving experience.

Annette
Hi, my name is Annette. I am a PADI Open Water Scuba and Emergency First Responder Instructor. Growing up in Denmark surrounded by the dark cold waters of the Nordic Sea, it never tempted me to go diving.

Although, I’ve always enjoyed all kinds of water sports, it took a vacation bareboat sailing and snorkeling in the British Virgin Islands to change my view. Stunned by the incredible visibility and the inviting warm turquoise blue water, I decided to get scuba certified to take a closer look at the amazing underwater world. My life has never been the same! It’s a passion and a thrill each and every time that I wish to share with all of you! It’s great family fun! It’ll take you to places you didn’t know existed! It’ll change your life forever as it did mine! And you know what; the funny thing is that you’ll find me all summer long with student divers at Aurora Reservoir even though the water might not seem as inviting as the Caribbean; it‘s diving!

Rad

Became a diver in 2002, Instructor in 2006. MSDT in 2007. 44 Years Old. Sheesh!! Single, never married, No kids!! Born & Raised in Colorado. Lived abroad 1 year in American Samoa. Was a high school Business Teacher for 10 years. Working in the Business world now as an Accountant for 5 years.

Doug
Hi! My name is Doug. A friend and I started talking about becoming divers right after we graduated from high school. 25 years later, I finally took the plunge.

d_townsend (8K)

After my first couple of dive trips to Hawaii and Cozumel, diving with the sea turtles and along the walls, my life was transformed. Within one year of becoming certified, I completed 15 specialty courses and achieved the Master Scuba Diver rating. I then decided I wanted to share the magic of the underwater world with as many people as possible and began working on my instructor ratings. I currently hold the Master Instructor rating, along with instructor ratings for 22 PADI specialties, Emergency First Response programs and the entire line of DAN programs. In addition to Hawaii and Cozumel, diving has taken me to the Bahamas, Belize, Bora Bora, Curacao, the Florida Keys, Roatan, Utila, St Croix, and diving with the ice flows in the Arctic Ocean. Diving has opened up the world for me and my family, although my wife readily admits she enjoys the warm waters of Bora Bora over the cold water of the Arctic! Open up your world and transform YOUR life. Come join us and let’s go diving!

Tom
Hi, I'm Tom! I became certified in 1998 and diving has been my passion since. Experiencing the underwater world has truly changed my life.
tom_nichols (8K)

Divers get to experience things others can only dream about! As an Emergency First Response (EFR) and SCUBA instructor I have the pleasure of watching others build the confidence and skills to join me on my next dive. My favorite place to dive is anywhere I get to swim with a sea turtle... I love those guys! Whether it's slipping into a dry suit for a cold water dive in British Columbia or gliding weightlessly along a reef in Cozumel you'll find me diving as often as I can. I believe diving has something to offer to everyone and I hope you'll stop in and give us the opportunity to share our passion! See you soon!

Dave Stephens
Welcome to Underwater Phantaseas, your Dive Center for all scuba activities.

First diving in Vũng Tàu South Viet Nam. Today a PADI Master Scuba Diver Trainer enjoying travel opportunities Underwater Phantaseas offers world wide. Favorites? The Galapagos, Palau, Truk Lagoon, Indonesia, Malaysia/Sipadan, Papua New Guinea, Bligh Waters of Fiji, Australia's Osprey Reef, Socorro Islands. Favorite class to teach? Rescue. Divers of all levels see great improvement in overall skills and confidence in a short time. As webmaster of this site your comments are welcome.