Our Crew
We have a great team of passionate dive professionals with well over 10 000 dives and close to 2000 certified students between us you are in good hands!
James
James our English Gentleman is our PADI Course Director and runs our tertiary programme. He has been diving for over 19 years and has spent the last 5 years as an instructor at Dive Zone Tauranga and has certified over 900 students.
As a marine Biologist he loves observing the marine life and seeing how they interact.
Fortunately for him his favourite local dive site the Rena on the Astrolabe Reef is teaming with marine life for him to enjoy.
Dave
Skipper Dave is a sea dog who has been around boats and the ocean all his life, a sail maker and yacht rigger by trade , he is now living the dream as our Skipper and Boat Manager.
You are in safe hands when out of the boat with Dave and he has a knack for finding sheltered dive sites and is pretty good at whipping up a warm brew for you to enjoy after your dive.
Daves Favourite local dive site is Rook wall out at Mayor Island because of the varied topography, array of fish life and soft corals.
Tony
As a recreational diver for nearly 20 years the lure of owning his own business attracted him to purchase Dive Zone Tauranga in October 2017. Tony loves the fact that no two dives are the same and is passionate about creating opportunities for others, young and old to enjoy the underwater world and appreciate our beautiful oceans and coastlines.
Although he would much rather be out diving and exploring the swim throughs at his favorite local dive site, Okaparu Reef you will usually find Tony in the shop or his office buried under a pile of paper work.
Liz
Liz started diving in 2003 after completing her Open Water course in the Red Sea, how ever family and work commitments put a stop to Liz’s diving for many years and now that she owns a dive shop she still doesn’t get to dive much.
Liz loves the chance to get out to Mayor Island occasionally and her favourite local dive is The Taioma, but her absolute favourite is tropical diving.
With a background in management and marketing you will usually find Liz behind the scenes, although occasionally we let her out to serve in the shop.
Covid
Covid – Covi for short, joined the team after the 2020 lock down, he is our staff and student wellbeing dog and is always ready to give anyone a cuddle or distract them with a game of fetch or tug of war.
When he is not "at work" his favorite pass time is chasing the ball and swimming at Papamoa beach, he is .also an expert at digging up his backyard at home!