Nationality: South African

I embrace the joy in every moment and like to think of myself as an eternal optimist. I’m always up for a new adventure and remind myself that you learn something new every single day. I started diving in 2016 and got hooked on the mesmerizing underwater world, not long after that, I became a diving professional!

Diving qualifications:  PADI OWSI

Favorite dive site in UAE: New Reef

Favorite type of diving: Night Diving

Interesting fact: I have a passion for yoga.

Favorite food: Pasta and Popcorn.

Dreams about: So many wonderful things

Nationality: Filipino

She was an IT professional in the medical industry in the Philippines when she decided to fly to Dubai, not just to travel but also to try out different jobs and new roles. With the help of Dive Garage, she is excited to experience more marine life while learning everything about scuba diving.

Diving qualifications: Working on her Open Water Course

Favorite dive site in UAE: Dive Garage pool

Favorite type of diving: Aquariums

Interesting fact: Collects miniature things.

Favorite food: In UAE- Kunafa. In whole life- Shrimp Tempura

Dreams about: Travel to space, particularly to the Moon.

Nationality: Filipino

Back in 2004, I started working on a golf course, in the shop and I also played and join in on the tournament. For the last 6 years, I worked in Dubai as a security guard. I like a challenging profession, so I looked for a new job to help me grow and learn new things that were both interesting and challenging. Then came an opportunity in Dive Garage. I searched the shop, and regardless of what I know about diving, I had no idea about diving gear, but I do have experience in retail shops. So my new passion started!

Diving qualifications: Open Water Diver

Favorite dive site in UAE: Martini Wall

Favorite type of diving: Night and Deep

Interesting fact: Loves singing whilst cooking

Favorite food: Anything cooked by my mother

Dreams about: to be in the snow

Nationality: South African

He is a young passionate diver who only started diving in November 2019. He fell in love with the underwater world and in 6 months he become an OWSI.

Diving qualifications: PADI OWSI

Favorite dive site in UAE: Hole in the Wall

Favorite type of diving: Night Diving

Interesting fact: His bones are not as strong as they look, thus he has obtained the nickname “Forest Gump”

Favorite food: Braaibroodjies

Dreams about: Sailing around the world with a compressor to go diving at anytime

Nationality: South African

Did his IDC in Zanzibar in 2014, travelled to different countries before he decided to move to UAE. If he is not diving you will find him in Dive Garage, involved in his new found passion servicing equipment.

Diving qualifications: PADI IDC Instructor

Favorite dive site in UAE: New Reef

Favorite type of diving: Reef Hook Diving

Interesting fact: Loves playing with FirePois

Favorite food: Braaibroodjies

Dreams about: Clear warm tropical waters

Nationality: Sri Lanka

Manoj has been here in the UAE since the year 2012, spent most of his time in Al Ain, and moved to Fujairah when he joined us here in Divers Down. He started his IDC in April 2020 and got certified as a PADI instructor in April 2021. He is also a trained and certified boat driver. Always has a smile on his face!

Diving qualifications: PADI Open Water Scuba Instructor

Favorite dive site in UAE: New Reef

Favorite type of diving: Deep Diving

Interesting fact: Loves riding a motorbike.

Favorite food: Spicy Fish Curry

Dreams about: Diving in Egypt, and the Philippines

Nationality: Filipino

She flew to UAE with the desire of exploring a new world and learning something new. Her brother, who was already working in the diving industry in Dubai, introduced her to this new environment. Now Ann loves that everyday she will interact with different people from different countries and different backgrounds. She feels like she travels the world just by working here.

Diving qualifications: Open Water Diver

Favorite dive site in UAE: Dive Garage Pool

Favorite type of diving: Quite shallow

Interesting fact: Can cook anything

Favorite food: Spaghetti

Dreams about: Seeing the Northern Lights

Nationality: Filipino

Having maintained some of the largest marine aquariums in KSA, he moved to Dubai and carried on with the aquarium theme – but now taking pictures in them! Now you will find him in Dive Garage most of the time, although he also helps out in Fujairah, always smiling and more than happy to help.

Diving qualifications: PADI Divemaster

Favorite dive site in UAE: Aquariums

Favorite type of diving: Photography

Interesting fact: Thinks his singing sounds good

Favorite food: Beans and eggs

Dreams about: Appearing on X Factor

Nationality: South African

Cecil had 22 years of service in the military before deciding to take up a more lifestyle orientated vocation. He brings with him, 7 years of experience working with several dive centres in the UAE, and in Musandam. He loves diving and teaching but his real passion is working with future dive professionals and developing them into enthusiastic competent dive professionals.

Diving qualifications: PADI Course Director

Favorite dive site in UAE: New Reef

Favorite type of diving: Wreck Diving

Interesting fact: Just loves his melted cheese toasted bread for lunch

Favorite food: Braai

Dreams about: Blue skies, coconut palms, white beaches and clear warm tropical seas

Nationality: Filipino

Allan has been here in the UAE for 17 years, he was working in Dubai for a european car spare parts company as an export checker before joining us at Divers Down. A quiet, shy guy, but always tries his best in assisting our divers in the equipment room and giving the equipment that they need. Now you know who to bribe to get the best gear when renting! He cooks amazing filipino dishes for the peeps at home and spends time with his family in Dubai when he gets a chance. We also hope that he will finish his Open Water course soon.

Diving qualifications: Undergoing PADI Open Water Certification

Favorite dive site in UAE: To be decided….

Favorite type of diving: On his bed, near the refrigerator

Interesting fact: Great cook

Favorite food: Asian Food

Dreams about: Body surfing big waves

Nationality: Filipino

He started his career here in the UAE in 2017 as a cleaner at a dive center in Fujairah. A few months later, he took his open water certification there, and that’s when his interest in the ocean started. He was also the one in charge of the equipment in the kit room and eventually made his way up to being a divemaster for five years and a licensed boat captain at the same time. And then he had the opportunity to move to a better company, which is Divers Down. Currently, he is one of our amazing divemasters and boat captains.

Diving qualifications: PADI Divemaster

Favorite dive site in UAE: New Reef

Favorite type of diving: Deep diving

Interesting fact: Love’s playing musical instruments

Favorite food: Inbaliktad. Filipino dish, specifically in my home town

Dreams about: Learning freediving

Nationality: Filipino

Reggie, also known as “Reggie Magic” for his ability to fix almost anything, runs our Dive Lab. He worked as a boat captain and mechanic in the Philippines before coming over to work in the UAE. He has since worked his way up to PADI Rescue Diver, and enjoys the occasional pleasure dive in the quieter mid week days.

Diving qualifications: PADI Rescue Diver

Favorite dive site in UAE: The mooring lines

Favorite type of diving: Underwater welding

Interesting fact: Is a very good chef

Favorite food: Smelly, pickled fish

Dreams about: The hairdresser

Nationality: Filipino

She was forced to enroll in an Open Water Diver Course in the year 2010, but anxious in deep water as she considers herself as a terrible swimmer. Just like the quote says “Conquer your fear and you can conquer the World”, she turned her fearfulness into passion and in a matter of a year of diving, she became a Scuba Diving Instructor. Due to her ear sensitivity, she chooses to work at the office and stay dry and keep up to diving in her spare time. Thankfully, Divers Down has open doors and here we are! Part of her advocacy in life is to influence the next generation to protect the environment for conservation.

Diving qualifications: PADI Open Water Scuba Instructor

Favorite dive site in UAE: Inchcape 1

Favorite type of diving: Macro and Muck Diving

Interesting fact: Enjoys long motorbike rides in green scenic areas

Favorite food: Spicy Ramen noodles with Kimchi

Dreams about: Driving around the Philippines with her kids to show them the Indigenous area how rich the culture is and for them to be grateful in life.

Nationality: Filipino

Jowe Silao arrived in UAE in 2001 and he started to work as a boat captain. It did not take long for Jowe to realize his big passion for the underwater world. He took his first diving license and immediately decided to progress in the PADI world. He then moved to Dibba where he became a PADI Divemaster, then he joined Divers Down where you will see him some days on the boat and some other days swimming underwater to spot the best marine life to show you.

Diving qualifications: PADI Dive Master

Favorite dive site in UAE: Car Cemetery

Favorite type of diving: Looking for something unique

Interesting fact: Climbed Kilimanjaro 

Favorite food: Street Food

Dreams about: Having long hair

Nationality: Italian

Her passion for diving was so big that she quit her job in the international commerce field to pursue a diving career. Michela is a PADI Course Director who has traveled enough around the world to decide it is now time to settle down and choose Divers Down as her “home”. You will find her bouncing around happy, but remember she is a little ferocious diving instructor. Don’t let her smile fool you!

Diving qualifications: PADI Course Director

Favorite dive site in UAE: Dibba Rock

Favorite type of diving: Conservation projects

Interesting fact: Loves Yorkshire pudding

Favorite food: English sausages…which is very strange for an Italian

Dreams about: Getting a sun tan

Nationality: English

Dave has been working in the diving industry for the last 30+ years. With his various roles, he has been lucky enough to travel and dive in, many different countries. A Course Director, Tec Trimix Instructor Trainer and a CCR Instructor Trainer – he still loves to get wet, given half a chance!

Diving qualifications: PADI Course Director, Tec & CCR Instructor Trainer

Favorite dive site in UAE: Innes

Favorite type of diving: CCR

Interesting fact: Is much older than he looks

Favorite food: A big Ribeye steak

Dreams about: Playing golf

Nationality: Undecided

He has been passionate about diving since a young age and realised a dream of becoming a PADI Instructor a few years ago. Since then, as well as diving here in the UAE, he has dived the caves of Florida, has qualified as a CCR diver and has done his Bubblemaker. Unfortunately, his “proper job” keeps him from diving as much as he would like.

Diving qualifications: PADI Instructor

Favorite dive site in UAE: The pool in the Miramar

Favorite type of diving: Anything dry

Interesting fact: Recently got married

Favorite food: Any of the nuts produced by Aldouri

Dreams about: Cars and bikes….but only the very fast ones