Meet The 2DiVE4 Team

Steve Hills

Age and occupation?
44, 2DiVE4 Owner & Director
Where and when did you do your first dive?
Rhodes, 1992. Was on a 'boys holiday' and decided to take the plunge. Still have the original photos with all the old kit on.... Shocking! If you want to see them I 'may' show you... For a fee!
Why did you learn to dive?
Something I always wanted to do. Wish I would've started earlier
What diving qualifications have you attained?
PADI Staff Instructor, TDI Trimix Instructor, SDI Solo Diving Instructor, EFR Instructor, DAN O2 Instructor, Inspiration CCR Rebreather Diver & Advanced Trimix Diver
What diving qualifications are you looking to obtain? -
Interested in taking the cave diving route.
How many dives have you completed in the UK?
1,800+
Where is your favourite UK dive destination?
Scapa Flow. Fantastic wreck diving. The best in the world! Any wreck diving off the South Coast. Diving with the playful seals in the Farne Islands.
How many dives have you completed overseas?
500+
Where is your favourite overseas dive destination?
Blue Hole, Dahab, Red Sea. Very deep, but the best view ever from the bottom looking up! The Deep South Red Sea for the beautiful reefs. Diving between the Eurasian and American continental plates of the Earth in Silfra, Iceland...... Truly awesome.
Where would be your ‘dream’ place to dive and why?
Galapagos Islands for the sheer diversity of marine life. Truk Lagoon for the wrecks. HMS Victoria, Lebanon
What’s your most embarrassing moment while diving?
How long have you got!

Ali Wood

Age and occupation?
40+ 2DiVE4 Co-owner & Director
Where and when did you do your first dive?
Bequia in the Grenadines – loved, loved, loved it.....
Why did you learn to dive?
The underwater world had always fascinated me and diving in Bequia only fuelled that. However, being transferred to Geneva and subsequently Brussels curtailed my onward progression. Once back in the UK, I joined a local BSAC club and became a Sports Diver before crossing over to PADI and completing Rescue, Divemaster, Instructor and then Staff Instructor. I still remember my first dive and I still LOVE diving!
What diving qualifications have you attained?
PADI IDC Staff Instructor, HSE Emergency First Response Instructor Trainer, O2 Instructor, HSE First Aid at Work Instructor.
What diving qualifications are you looking to obtain?
Course Director.
How many dives have you completed in the UK?
350+
Where is your favourite UK dive destination?
Tobermory on the Isle of Mull (scallops Yum!), Farne Islands in Northumberland (seals Ahh!) and Stoney Cove, Leicester (students Yea!)
How many dives have you completed overseas?
Umm...stopped counting a while ago – sorry!
Where is your favourite overseas dive destination?
Maldives, West Coast Australia and of course the Red Sea (especially St John’s – it’s fabulous)
Where would be your ‘dream’ place to dive and why?
Galapagos. The diversity of the marine life must be amazing and I really hope to get there one day.
What’s your most embarrassing moment while diving?
Not long qualified & still a very green Sports Diver, we were on a liveaboard around the island of Elba, Italy. The guide on the boat briefing the dive informed us that a large glass ‘bell’ had been sunk as a natural habitat and was the subject of intense secret scientific study. He, however, had special dispensation to take divers to this undisclosed location and we should count ourselves very lucky. The ‘bell’ was very fragile and he would inform us when we were near by using a ‘ringing bell’ signal. We were to outstretch our hands so that if we did make contact, only our fingers would touch the glass and we should endeavour to keep a respectable distance so as to not damage the ‘bell’ or scare the marine life within.... Yep, I believed every word he said and, not only that, I thought I touched it!

Dan McMillan

Age and occupation?
31, Management Consultant
Where and when did you do your first dive?
Capernwray - cant remember exactly - but I think it was about 2001
Why did you learn to dive?
A friend of mine was doing his PADI Divemaster Course in Liverpool. I was working up in Warrington a lot with work, and instead of getting drunk in the hotel bar as normal, he invited me to do a try dive. The try dive was in a grotting swimming pool, which was part of a school. It had more rubbish in it than a land fill site and the changing rooms had more water in it than the swimming pool - thank your lucky stars we have John Warner!
What diving qualifications have you attained?
Er...PADI Open Water Course, PADI Advanced Open Water Course, PADI Rescue Diver Course, PADI Divemaster Course, PADI Instructor Course, Speciality Instructor in Multi-Level Diving, PADI Dry Suit Course, PADI Deep Diver Course, PADI Wreck Diver Course, PADI Enriched AirCourse.
What diving qualifications are you looking to obtain? -
Not really sure - I enjoy diving, so I am looking to just do more of that...being an instructor is a bit of a buzz...you see people arrive all nervous and end up being really confident, good divers...so more of that is a good thing.
How many dives have you completed in the UK?
Over the 250+ mark, although (naughtly) I stopped logging them...so can't give you an exact number
Where is your favourite UK dive destination?
I really like Wales - they have some fantastic diving there, trefor pier is a fav...it is very sallow (circa 5m) but it is teaming with life..and if you are lucky you can take a bag with you, collect fishing hooks and sell them back to the guys fishing off the pier..
How many dives have you completed overseas?
Over the 150 mark I think...
Where is your favourite overseas dive destination?
You cant beat Egypt for price, the diving or the time on the plane...although the dive I remember the most was on honey moon, in Bora Bora - I was about 5 meters away from a pregnant lemon shark and tiger shark in a full feeding frenzy....not afraid to say that I was scared - but an awesome experience
Where would be your ‘dream’ place to dive and why?
For me I have two extremes...I would like to do Ice diving - the quality of the water is brilliant; and I would also love to do the Maldives..something I haven't yet managed...lets add to the list.
What’s your most embarrassing moment while diving?
Female student fainting on me whilst teaching an Open Water Course. From now on known for my impact on female students.

Laura Greene

Age and occupation?
Where and when did you do your first dive?
Malta, 1995
Why did you learn to dive?
Ex boyfriend invited me on a holiday
What diving qualifications have you attained?
PADI Staff Instructor, Instructor for 14 Specialities, SDI Instructor (Inc Solo Diver), EFR Instructor Trainer, DAN O2 Instructor, Full Cave and Trimix Diver
What diving qualifications are you looking to obtain? -
Maybe rebreather when I can afford one
How many dives have you completed in the UK?
300 ish I think
Where is your favourite UK dive destination?
Farnes or Scapa
How many dives have you completed overseas?
1000+
Where is your favourite overseas dive destination?
Sipadan
Where would be your ‘dream’ place to dive and why?
Truk – has just about everything. (Caves in Mexico come a close second – but already dived there)
What’s your most embarrassing moment while diving?

Fiona Baker

Age and occupation?
43, Construction Project Manager
Where and when did you do your first dive?
Dominican Republic, 2003
Why did you learn to dive?
Just took a sudden fancy to it on holiday
What diving qualifications have you attained?
Open Water Scuba Instructor
What diving qualifications are you looking to obtain?
How many dives have you completed in the UK?
Not nearly enough!
Where is your favourite UK dive destination?
Only dived at Stoney Cove and GildenburghWater so far, so no favourite yet
How many dives have you completed overseas?
90+
Where is your favourite overseas dive destination?
Both Mexico & Cuba were fantastic for marine life & quiet dive sites!
Where would be your ‘dream’ place to dive and why?
Not sure about "dream" places, but definitely on the radar are the cenotes in Mexico, Blue Hole in Belize & ice diving
What’s your most embarrassing moment while diving?
Not sure I have any - unless mistaking a tourist sub thing for a shark counts?

Bobbie Marley

Age and occupation?
40+ Executive
Where and when did you do your first dive?
Try Dive at Hoddesdon Pool 2008
Why did you learn to dive?
It had never occurred to me to try it until I had spent a Christmas Cruising around the Great Barrier Reef “The best job in the World” Hamilton Island in Australia; there were divers on board who had fantastic stories of what they had seen – all I could do was snorkel with envy at the surface.
What diving qualifications have you attained?
Open Water Scuba Instructor, Specialty Instructor, SDI Solo Diver, PADI Master Scuba Diver, PADI Rescue Diver, PADI Wreck Diver, PADI Deep Diver, PADI Enriched Air, PADI Dry Suit, PADI Navigation PADI Advanced Open Water, PADI Open Water, TecRec Trimix Gas Blender
What diving qualifications are you looking to obtain?
Staff Instructor, Ice, Altitude diving. TDI Technical Diving qualifications
How many dives have you completed in the UK?
130+
Where is your favourite UK dive destination?
There is such a choice -diving with the seals in the Farne Islands; Shore entry/exit in Swannage –never to be forgotten could not stand up for laughing; Boat diving in Portland; Brighton; seeing the Carp at Gildy; breaking through the ice at Stoney Cove...naming one is impossible..
How many dives have you completed overseas?
25+ not as many as I would like...there will be more!
Where is your favourite overseas dive destination?
Wherever the private Catamaran I was on in Turkey takes me next time. I did my first night dive at midnight from it, it was just amazing. There are also some great places in the Northern Red Sea and Mexico.
Where would be your ‘dream’ place to dive and why?
I am still trying to find it – I would love to go back to Hamilton Island and take it from there.
What’s your most embarrassing moment while diving?
“moment” that means only one ummm I have a choice ummm errrmmm - as a Rescue Diver on an AOW course forgetting not once but twice on the same day to put my regs in when descending??? I know I know...

David Ford

Age and occupation?
39, Mobile Network Consultant
Where and when did you do your first dive?
Devon, 1981
Why did you learn to dive?
There was a BSAC club at school
What diving qualifications have you attained?
PADI Rescue Diver Course, PADI Enriched Air Specialty Course, PADI Equipment Specialist, PADI Digital Photography Course
What diving qualifications are you looking to obtain?
Adv Trimix CCR
How many dives have you completed in the UK?
200+
Where is your favourite UK dive destination?
Anywhere in the UK
How many dives have you completed overseas? -
Where is your favourite overseas dive destination?
None
Where would be your ‘dream’ place to dive and why?
Wooky Hole
What’s your most embarrassing moment while diving?
Suffering from sea sickness

Jim Fuller

Age and occupation?
44, Sales Director
Where and when did you do your first dive?
Egypt, 2001
Why did you learn to dive?
Looked like a fun thing to do whilst on a beach holiday
What diving qualifications have you attained?
Currently (still) doing DM course
What diving qualifications are you looking to obtain?
Some Tech diving stuff
How many dives have you completed in the UK?
Around 30 or so
Where is your favourite UK dive destination?
Is there such a thing
How many dives have you completed overseas?
350+
Where is your favourite overseas dive destination?
Komodo
Where would be your ‘dream’ place to dive and why?
Scapa Flow and Coron Bay, like Truk but better viz
What’s your most embarrassing moment while diving?
My Mum told me never to embarrass myself........

Paul Wheelhouse

Age and occupation?
44, but younger than Steve Hills! 2DiVE4 Tea Boy!
Where and when did you do your first dive?
Kemer, Turkey, Summer 2010
Why did you learn to dive?
Thought I would look like James Bond in scuba gear. It worked, I do look 81!
What diving qualifications have you attained?
Open Water, Advanced Open Water, EFR, Rescue Diver, MSD, Enriched Air, Dry Suit, PPB, Navigation, SMB, Wreck, Deep, Boat, EFR Instructor
What diving qualifications are you looking to obtain?
Divemaster, Ice Dive and maybe some tech stuff!
How many dives have you completed in the UK?
60+
Where is your favourite UK dive destination?
Farne Islands for the seals and Porthkerris
How many dives have you completed overseas?
20+
Where is your favourite overseas dive destination?
Taba, Red Sea so far. But Deep South Red Sea, Iceland and Maldives booked next year!
Where would be your ‘dream’ place to dive and why?
Caribbean or Micronesia. They just look amazing!
What’s your most embarrassing moment while diving?
So far jumping in Gildenburgh Water with my dry suit pee zip open

Andrea Harrison

Age and occupation?
43, Consultant
Where and when did you do your first dive?
Halkadiki, 2005 on holiday to Greece
Why did you learn to dive?
Loved the sea and was brought up on Jaqcues Cousteau documentaries, wanted to explore the seas for myself.
What diving qualifications have you attained?
Currently on PADI Divemaster Internship, DAN O2 Provider
What diving qualifications are you looking to obtain?
Divemaster and eventually Instructor
How many dives have you completed in the UK?
22
Where is your favourite UK dive destination?
Only dived Gildy, Newhaven , off Eastbourne, and Cornwall - so far Cornwall tops with a John Dory on the end of my nose! With Farne Island in October this may change.
How many dives have you completed overseas?
142
Where is your favourite overseas dive destination?
Greece, Malta & Gozo, Egypt Red sea, Jordan Red Sea, Lanzarote & Fertuventura
Where would be your ‘dream’ place to dive and why?
Galapogos, remoteness, diversity and sheer volume of marine life
What’s your most embarrassing moment while diving?
First holiday with boyfriend (AOW) on first ever dive together, looking to me as the experienced one, and at 10m ,5 mins into check dive my cylinder blows..he thinks I am testing him with a drill! But comes up trumps giving me his Octo so we abort the dive and safely, slowly ascend. A couple of days later I get into a rib without my fins, one of the egyptian deck hands speaks to me and I don't realise until he physically gives me my fins...doh! my excuse what do you expect at 7.00am in the morning!

John English

Age and occupation?
50+, 2DiVE4 Co-owner & Director
Where and when did you do your first dive?
Malta, 1987
Why did you learn to dive?
I had always been fascinated by the idea of diving. After my 1st Try-Dive I was hooked. I have always regretted not starting sooner.
What diving qualifications have you attained?
PADI IDC Staff Instructor & 12 Instructor Specialties, EFR Instructor, DSAT Trimix Gas Blender Instructor. TDI Advanced Nitrox; Decompression Procedures & Inspiration CCR Advanced Trimix Diver. Numerous equipment manufacturer service qualifications
What diving qualifications are you looking to obtain?
PADI Master Instructor, DSAT Tec Deep Instructor, TDI Advanced Wreck
How many dives have you completed in the UK?
300+
Where is your favourite UK dive destination?
I don’t know, but it will be a wreck site. We have world-class wrecks around the UK. There aren’t enough lifetimes to dive them all!
How many dives have you completed overseas?
2000 +
Where is your favourite overseas dive destination?
Malta, in particular the wreck of ‘Le Polynesien’ a relatively intact WW1 armed liner lying at 70 metres.
Where would be your ‘dream’ place to dive and why?
I have a huge list of places I would love to dive, but here is a sample:
The Blue Hole at Dahab for the spectacular topography.
The Sea of Cortez, Baja for the awesome sea life.
RMS Britannic, near the Greek Island of Kea – the wreck of Titanic’s sister ship, lies at 160 metres. The ultimate wreck dive?
What’s your most embarrassing moment while diving?
A small sample….of many.
- Whilst an eager Trainee Divemaster I was assisting on a night dive and emphatically insisted that two errant divers I found rejoin and stay with our group. Upon surfacing they turned out to be an Instructor & customer from another dive school.
- Unwittingly leading a group of boy student divers through a nude underwater photo shoot and then trying to get them to leave the area.
- Losing two compasses on one dive.

Laura Pretlove

Age and occupation?
27, Accountant
Where and when did you do your first dive?
Sardinia, 2002
Why did you learn to dive?
Persuaded by an ex boyfriend. Always wanted to do it though
What diving qualifications have you attained?
PADI OWSI Instructor, TDI Advanced Nitrox & Decompression Procedures Diver
What diving qualifications are you looking to obtain?
PADI Staff Instructor
How many dives have you completed in the UK?
250
Where is your favourite UK dive destination?
Not really into UK pleasure diving but like teaching at Stoney Cove
How many dives have you completed overseas?
50
Where is your favourite overseas dive destination?
Red Sea
Where would be your ‘dream’ place to dive and why?
Cayman Islands
What’s your most embarrassing moment while diving?
Haven't had any

Nikki Boost

Age and occupation?
35, 2DiVE4 co-owner
Where and when did you do your first dive?
Lakeside, Essex. 1999
Why did you learn to dive?
A friend badgered me into trying it
What diving qualifications have you attained?
PADI Staff Instructor, EFR Instructor & DAN O2 Instructor
What diving qualifications are you looking to obtain?
PADI Course Director
How many dives have you completed in the UK?
Hmmmm lost count
Where is your favourite UK dive destination?
Farne Islands
How many dives have you completed overseas?
300+
Where is your favourite overseas dive destination?
Maldives
Where would be your ‘dream’ place to dive and why?
Into my bath where it's nice and warm
What’s your most embarrassing moment while diving?
In a race to compete with the boys I jumped off a boat to start my snorkel swim stamina test during my instructor training course and hit the water with a sydden realisation that I had no fins on!!!

John Colbert

Age and occupation?
42. Licenced Aircraft Engineer
Where and when did you do your first dive?
Kenya, 2009
Why did you learn to dive?
Always fancied giving it a go. Unfortunately took me ages to get round to doing it!
What diving qualifications have you attained?
Open Water Scuba Instructor, PADI MSD, Divemaster, TDI Trimix, TecRec Trimix Gas Blender
What diving qualifications are you looking to obtain?
TDI Instructor
How many dives have you completed in the UK?
110
Where is your favourite UK dive destination?
Difficult... Farnes for the seal interaction, but wreck diving at Plymouth takes some beating.
How many dives have you completed overseas?
28, all in Kenya and Red Sea, but have Malta coming up
Where is your favourite overseas dive destination?
Red Sea!
Where would be your ‘dream’ place to dive and why?
I love wreck diving and always fancied diving with hammerheads. So wherever they're found together that's where I'm going!
What’s your most embarrassing moment while diving?
Not too many fortunately, but they usually involve SMB's!

Ken O'Connor

Age and occupation?
50, Network Management Architect
Where and when did you do your first dive?
Rhodes, 1992 - Loved it although my ears went 'Splat'
Why did you learn to dive?
Always did it when on hols (try dives etc) and wanted to learn to do it properly.
What diving qualifications have you attained?
Open Water Scuba Instructor, Specialty Instructor (10 Specialties), MSD / PADI Divemaster , TDI Adv Nitrox & Decompression Procedures, TecRec Trimix Gas Blender
What diving qualifications are you looking to obtain?
PADI Staff Instructor, TDI Trimix
How many dives have you completed in the UK?
100+
Where is your favourite UK dive destination?
Scapa Flow
How many dives have you completed overseas?
20 (Red Sea) - but since 1992 I've done about a dozen try dives in Cyprus/Turkey etc
Where is your favourite overseas dive destination?
Red Sea - Straits of Tiran
Where would be your ‘dream’ place to dive and why?
Anywhere exotic and unusual (Galapagos springs to mind)
What’s your most embarrassing moment while diving?
Turning up for a pool session for Dive Master in my Dry Suit and thermals.....ha

Andy Bishop

Age and occupation?
34, Electrician
Where and when did you do your first dive?
2007, Hoddesdon Try Dive with 2DiVE4
Why did you learn to dive?
I always enjoyed snorkelling and photography and thought many times, “I want to go down there to have a look around!”. My biggest regret has been, I did not learn years earlier.
What diving qualifications have you attained?
PADI Master Scuba Diver, PADI Rescue Diver, PADI Enriched Air Speciality, PADI Diver Propulsion Vehicle Speciality, PADI Underwater Photographer Speciality, PADI Emergency Oxygen Provider, PADI Dry Suit Diver, TecRec Trimix Gas Blender.
What diving qualifications are you looking to obtain?
Currently on PADI Divemaster Internship.
TDI Advanced Nitrox and Decompression Theory.
How many dives have you completed in the UK?
25
Where is your favourite UK dive destination?
How many dives have you completed overseas?
50+
Where is your favourite overseas dive destination?
Red Sea is always a favourite also diving Roatan, Honduras.
But Still many places to see..
Where would be your ‘dream’ place to dive and why?
Palau or Galapagos Islands for the diversity of marine life.
What’s your most embarrassing moment while diving?
Ah.. left my mask on shore when going out on a boat dive.. luckily my friend had a spare...ooops

Geoff Wood

Age and occupation?
22, Emergency Medical Technician for Essex Ambulance Service
Where and when did you do your first dive?
Dunmow Pool, 2006
Why did you learn to dive?
To conquer the fear of water
What diving qualifications have you attained?
PADI Rescue Diver, PADI Divemaster, TDI Adv Nitrox & Decompression Procedures, TDI Trimix
What diving qualifications are you looking to obtain?
TDI Advanced Trimix
How many dives have you completed in the UK?
60
Where is your favourite UK dive destination?
Stoney Cove
How many dives have you completed overseas?
60+
Where is your favourite overseas dive destination?
Red Sea Liveaboard
Where would be your ‘dream’ place to dive and why?
Scapa Flow & Maldives
What’s your most embarrassing moment while diving?
There have been so many! probably falling from top to bottom of a ladder on a liveabord landing smack bang in the middle of the dive briefing!! Not good.

Ian Buchan

Age and occupation?
Retired
Where and when did you do your first dive?
Gildenburgh Water 2004
Why did you learn to dive?
Fancied it after snorkeling in the Carribean
What diving qualifications have you attained?
MSD / Currently on PADI Divemaster Course
What diving qualifications are you looking to obtain?
Divemaster
How many dives have you completed in the UK?
Around 80
Where is your favourite UK dive destination?
Farne Islands
How many dives have you completed overseas?
20
Where is your favourite overseas dive destination?
Red Sea
Where would be your ‘dream’ place to dive and why?
I don't know enough about dive sites to know yet
What’s your most embarrassing moment while diving?
None that I'm willing to admit

Mat Henderson

Age and occupation?
32, Sales & Marketing Director, Teeone Ltd
Where and when did you do your first dive?
Thailand 2004
Why did you learn to dive?
Stumbled out of a bar and the dive shop was open, it’s a bit of a haze after that.
What diving qualifications have you attained?
PADI Open Water, PADI Advanced Open Water, PADI Rescue Diver, PADI Wreck Diver, PADI Deep Diver, PADI Enriched Air, PADI Equipment Specialty, PADI Divemaster
What diving qualifications are you looking to obtain?
TDI Trimix
How many dives have you completed in the UK?
150+
Where is your favourite UK dive destination?
Scapa Flow
How many dives have you completed overseas?
50+
Where is your favourite overseas dive destination?
Moorea, French Polynesia
Where would be your ‘dream’ place to dive and why?
Truck Lagoon – it’s like Scappa but in warm clear water.
What’s your most embarrassing moment while diving?
One too many Bakewell tarts resulted in a bottom exposure whilst kitting up on a UK dive boat

Kevin Phillips

Age and occupation?
40, Signs, Displays, Graphics and Print
Where and when did you do your first dive?
Marsa Shoni Kabir, Marsa Alam
Why did you learn to dive?
I was 10 years old, my dad bought me my first Mask, Snorkel and fins, in Majorca. With great Viz warm water lots of fish I was hooked. Always wanted to be a diver, but back then, the only local dive club/School being a BSAC club that wasn't advertising to instruct divers I never learned. I became a self taught Free Diver, got good at it too. Then I saw a travel program on Sky about Sharm el Sheik and Red Sea diving. It was my dad, again, who said to me, 'you've wanted to do that most of your life, go and do it' . So I did, Bitten by the bug. It's eaten me lol.
What diving qualifications have you attained?
TDI Advanced Nitrox & Decompression Procedures. Currently on PADI Divemaster Course
What diving qualifications are you looking to obtain?
Finishing Divemaster, Trimix. Closed Circuit Rebreather
How many dives have you completed in the UK?
150+
Where is your favourite UK dive destination?
Haven't made my mind up yet
How many dives have you completed overseas?
120+
Where is your favourite overseas dive destination?
St Johns was great and also Yolanda... Both Red Sea
Where would be your ‘dream’ place to dive and why?
Gildenburgh lol. Would have to be an Ice dive. I just want to see how good the viz really is.
What’s your most embarrassing moment while diving?
It's just too rude to say

Scuba

'Scuba' is our black labrador shop dog and is the cutest member of the 2DiVE4 team. He has already become the centre of attention at our Stansted Dive Centre and has all our team members and customers alike drooling over him (he also returns the compliment by dribbling over them!).

Scuba is Mr Accident Prone! Since he has been with us he has constantly been in in the vets with a variety of problems mainly caused by him eating things he shouldn't and general tomfoolery.

If you are are at Stoney Cove or Gildenburgh Water and see Scuba there, be careful! He has been known to pick up the odd mask and computer that's been laying about!

If you're passing then pop in to say hi to him but be prepared to stay a while as he is so infectious. Where did we get the name from???........ Beats me!

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