Welcome To Airlie Beach!
This is what the sign says as we come over the hill into our mainland paradise. The gateway to diving the Whitsundays and Great Barrier Reef. For me, this is where it all began.
The underwater world is a mystery for those who have never seen…
That was me, back in 2012. Scuba Diving was something i had thought of doing for a number of years and at the time, i was offered 2 career choices. Make big $ in the coal mines or work for free and become a diver… Silly me… I chose the bleak, dirty environment of coal. Never again!
However, this afforded me lots of time off and cash to burn, so i decided to come to The Whitsundays and learn to dive. I participated in my PADI OPEN WATER COURSE.
That was it…. My life changed.
My first breaths underwater changed my life, my perception of the world was altered.
From the first time in the pool to my first Giant stride off the back of the boat into the blue. I was hooked!
It wasn’t until i returned from an overseas trip to Europe, i decided to pack up my belongings and head to Airlie Beach for a life spent in, on and under the water.
Starting out as a deckhand/ hostess on a beautiful boat, i was fortunate to visit many Island destinations including our famed Whitehaven beach and Daydream Island Resort. I was often placed on snorkel watch for our 100+ guests from all over the world. They were here to meet Nemo, get up close and personal with all the large fish life and see the amazing corals below the waterline. Many days i went home from work, wondering, thinking, how do i get to spend all day in the water??
What can i do to see the reef everyday? Spend more time in the water than on it?
Then i remembered, Scuba Diving!!! Why don’t i become an Instructor?
That would be a great way to share with people the really cool stuff we have here in The Whitsundays and on our Great Barrier Reef!
Airlie Beach is just the place to do it!
Halgerda batangas, nudibranch, side view.
The beginning of my adventurous career in Scuba Diving
Deciding to become a PADI Scuba Diving Instructor was the easy part, i spent the next few days after making my decision calling all of the local Dive companies before finally deciding upon Whitsunday Diving Academy.
Upon arranging a meeting with the team here…. my career began!
Over the next couple of years i spent all of my free time diving The Whitsundays and Great Barrier reef, always on the lookout for Nudibranchs, my favourite critter!!
Over time i was fortunate enough to work on overnight Sailing boats. On these trips we offered loads of diving both around the Islands and on The Great Barrier Reef – a popular reef known as Bait Reef and diving great sites such as “The Stepping Stones” ” Manta Drop Off” and “The South east face! here i came face to face with large pelagics, plenty of reef and leopard sharks and often Giant cuttle fish, among the many turtles. Here the massive pinnacles rise up from 20-30m and reach the surface. Glide in and out of them and feel weightless, Go within the dark and mysterious Swim throughs…. Incredible.
A large Cuttlefish swims across a coral reef
While this was a fantastic experience for me mostly guiding experienced and new, fresh out of the box excited to visit the reef Divers, i found that my passion lies in teaching.
Back to teaching!!
I’ve recently returned to the Whitsunday Diving Academy and have had the opportunity to become more involved in the training side of Diving! So rewarding. Seeing people take their first breath underwater like i did, back in 2012….
So much fun!!
I like to see people get excited about the feeling of weightlessness, the joy of seeing beautiful coral and fish life up close for the first time. When people see a creature they have only seen in a David Attenborough Documentary and you can visibly see them smiling with the joy radiating from them when they first break the surface after a dive.
Being a PADI Dive Instructor allows me to experience this most days!
The other days are spent in classrooms and in a dive shop where i assist people to follow their dreams to make diving their career. Guiding divers to the right choices to what fits them best, if they are interested in Night Diving – showing them all of our latest Bio Luminescent Dive Torches and Accessories to make it even more exciting! If they require a mask and snorkel, because they want one that fits their face shape well and in their favourite colour.
All of the Diving Industry excites me, i look forward to jumping out of bed each day to meet the boat, pack up my gear… or simply answer peoples enquiries! Talk to me about Diving!! I LOVE IT!!
Green humphead parrotfish, also known as Bumphead Parrotfish,
