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Meet The Crew!
The crew on board the SEA EXPERIENCE harbors quite a mix of knowledge but they all share
one thing in common, the love for the sea. Each of the crew members are experienced
scuba divers and you may get to see one of them hop into the water with their gear on
to add to the excitement! They all enjoy sharing their time on the water with the passengers
and pointing out things of interest. All the crew work for tips and if you so desire,
gratuities are greatly appreciated. So without further ado, let's introduce the crew!
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Bill Cole
Captain Bill has been running dive/snorkel vessels for 28 years and is one of the most experienced boat
captain's in South Florida. Bill started diving on his honeymoon in Grand Cayman in 1977 and it's been
hard to keep him out of the water ever since. Completing scuba instructor training in 1979, Bill began
teaching diving at the University of Georgia. In 1988, Bill brought the first glass bottom boat to Fort
Lauderdale that ran daily charter. He had spent the previous year training the fish on a shallow reef
that he named "Fort Lauderdale Twin Ledges". To this day the fish come to greet the boat when it
arrives at the site. Bill became a PADI Course Director in 1993, this is the highest instructor rating
attainable with the Professional Association of Diving Instructors (PADI). He has trained thousands of
instructors who are now employed around the world. In 1993, Bill was among the first group of elite
divers awarded the Platinum Pro 5000 certification by SSI (Scuba Schools International). Divers in this
group have over 5000 SCUBA dives. Bill loves taking passengers out for tours to the coral reef whether
it is in the water or just pointing out things of interest through the boat's glass bottom windows.
Favorite Local Dive Site - Loves revisiting Willies Way which he helped find and name.
Favorite Local Restraunt - You can find him at Subway almost every day for a bite to eat.
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Pam Bradley
Originally from Colorado, Pam grew up watching Jacques Cousteau on TV and dreaming about being underwater. She became Open Water certified in 1993 and has been permanently hooked on diving ever since! In 1998 Pam became a PADI Instructor and later moved to the Commonwealth of Dominica in the West Indies to work as an Instructor and dive guide. In 2002 Pam moved to Florida where she owned a dive center in the north-east area of the state. She became a PADI Course Director in 2007 and since then has had the pleasure of training new PADI Instructors and has achieved the highest Course Director rating of Platinum. Each candidate that attends her IDC's receives individual guidance and her personal commitment to providing the highest quality "real world" training.
Favorite Local Dive Site The Rebel
Favorite Local Resturant loves the fresh ingredients at the California Pizza Kitchen
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Tyler Cole
Tyler has been scuba diving since he was 10 years old and still looks forward to every dive. He
was born and raised in south Florida and graduated Cum Laude from FSU with a Bachelors degree in
finance. Tyler is currently a PADI certified Open Water Scuba Instructor and enjoys showing others
the beauty of the ocean. He brings a great deal of boating experience to the team since he has
been on boats his whole life. Tyler loves the ocean and being able to show customers a good time
while scuba diving or snorkeling. You will most likely see him working in the dive shop.
Favorite Local Dive Site - The wreck of the Jim Atria, max depth ~135'.
Favorite Local Hangout - Duffy's Sports Bar for a bite to eat and also a frequent visitor to the Breezes pool bar at Bahia Mar.
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Jayne Haas
A native New Englander, Jayne has been Sea Experience's Career Development Administrator
since December 2010, and is the expert on staff for all programs from the Veterans Administration
(including Montgomery GI Bill and Post-911 VA benefits), British Military Resettlement, and
Vocational Rehab for all 50 states. Jayne is also the principal liaison for Sea Experience's
accreditation with the State of Florida Commission for Independent Education. Her knowledge
and experience make certain that Sea Experience students receive their maximum funding and
entitlements and are enabled to pursue an appropriate career development curriculum. Jayne
is often the first point of contact for any student inquiring about training.
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Captain Andrew
Andrew comes from Kansas and believe it or not has worked on or around boats for most of
his life. In high school he worked at a small marina at the lake of the Ozarks MO.
After high school he spent a few years in Colorado working in the mountains. In 2006 he
moved to south Florida. Spent the next two years sailing on the Spirit of Lauderdale,
working his way from deckhand to captain. In early 2008, he found the ZaZu which is a 1
57gt yacht. As a mate on ZaZu, he enjoyed trips around Florida , the Keys, Bahamas and
the U.S. inland waterways to MN and back. He has been with Sea Experience since early
2010 running both Sea Experience I (the Burp), and II. He also works part time for
Offshore Marine Towing/ Towboat Us. He holds a 50gt License with endorsements for
commercial towing and commercial sailing.
Favorite Local Dive Site - The Stink Hole and if you haven't done it yet your dive log is not complete.
Favorite Local Hangout - You will find him at the Trove on Lauderdale beach or down town at Tarpend Bend where I spend time with the Dog.
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Breanne Gordon
"Bre" (like the cheese), has been Scuba diving for 6 years, and decided that she
loved it so much, she would make a career out of it. She comes from a small town, in Spokane,
Washington. Wandered around like a lost soul for most of her years until her father showed
her what she was missing. With only a dream in sight, she headed south to Florida, where
she became a PADI Scuba Instructor. She traveled the length of Florida a few times before
she finally settled down in Fort Lauderdale. You will find her in the dive shop or
underwater with a camera glued to her hand; either way with a smile on her face!!
Favorite Local Dive Site - Dania Beach Pier, 15-20' deep
Favorite Local Hangout - Fat Tuesday's - Slushy time
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Mateo Torres
As a PADI Open Water Scuba Instructor, Mateo enjoys scuba diving and sharing those experiences
with others. Mateo's passion is working on the ocean. He enjoys passing on the knowledge he
has to students and to teach them to dive with respect to the marine life and to leave only bubbles!
Favorite Local Dive Site - Can't resist an exciting dive at Hog Heaven.
Favorite Local hangout - Enjoys a relaxing evening at home with his dog
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Jessica Cole
Jessica has been diving since she was 10 years old. She is currently a Divemaster and
plans to get her instructor certification. She graduated from the University of North
Florida in August 2010 with a degree in psychology, concentration in early childhood
development and learning with a minor in Deaf studies/American Sign Language. Jessica
has a true passion for boating, diving, and just the ocean in general. One of her
favorite things to do while diving for is catching lobsters. Some call her the "lobster
whisperer". She has been on boats for as long as she can remember and is a native of
south Florida.
Favorite Local Dive Site - Loves exploring Tenneco Towers which rests in 112' of water.
Favorite Local hangout - Cant resist the food and good times the Bahia Cabana had to offer.
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"TC" (Scuba Guru)
"TC" has been diving for over 30 years. Raised in Europe he has dived all over the
world and has over 14,000 dives. So he is at home in visibility from 3 to 300 feet.
He has worked and managed numerous dive centers and instructor training facilities in
England, the Caribbean and Florida. While in the Cayman Islands he ran an underwater
video company shooting tourists, students and marketing footage to thousands of people.
He became a PADI Course Director in 1990 and has trained thousands of instructors who
are now employed in the diving industry around the world. While working at PADI he
had the privilege of becoming an Instructor Examiner. "TC" can teach over 30 diver
specialty ratings to both the recreational and professional diver, many of these he
has authored and some are copy written. He is a technical instructor trainer too.
In 1993, "TC" was among the first group of elite divers awarded the Platinum Pro 5000
certification by SSI (Scuba Schools International). Divers in this group have over
5,000 SCUBA dives. You will find "TC" talking to students about their scuba goals
for our instructor career development program, so if you are looking for a career, he
has most probably done it, or been involved in setting it up.
Favorite Local Dive Site - I am partial to the Mercedes. Not only has it been amazing to see the transformation of this wreck over the years from numerous storms and hurricanes, but it has a sentimental reason too. I lost my wedding ring while diving on this wreck in 1991, so every time I am there, I have a little hope of finding it :
Favorite Local hangout - I love the Fort Lauderdale beach area, it has everything - safe beach, good restaurants, bars, nightlife and most of all I enjoy sitting on the beach drinking a coffee in the morning looking out at paradise, wondering what it would be like to have a real job!
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Daniela Escontrela
Dani is from Venezuela, has loved the ocean ever since she can remember and has been diving
for 5 years. She got her Divemaster the summer of 2011 with Sea XP, soon after turning 18,
and got her dream job of working at a dive shop shortly after the completion of the course.
She is currently pursuing her dream of becoming a marine biologist by attending the
University of Miami while also working at the shop.
Favorite Local Dive Site - Willies Way! There's lots of life and there's some sandy spots to the sides where you can take off your fins and walk on it matrix style.
Favorite Local Hangout - Chili's (they have the skillet queso nachos!)
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Alex
Originally from Massachusetts but spent the better half of his life on the St. Lawrence
River in New York. Growing up on the river left him with a love for being out on the
water. He moved down to Fort Lauderdale to pursue a career in Scuba Diving and hasn't
looked back since. As a PADI Open Water Instructor he can enjoy teaching people about
the ocean and introducing them to the underwater world. If he's not out on the boat,
chances are you can find him down at the beach just enjoying another day in the Florida
sun.
Favorite Dive Site: The Captain Dan. Great deep dive with a lot to see. If the boat is headed there you can bet that i am too.
Favorite Local Hot Spot: Primanti Brothers. Sandwiches with cole slaw and french fries right on the sandwich? Genius!
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Divemaster Dave
Dave is a PADI divemaster and Mafia Wars addict. When Dave is out on the boat you'll more than
likely see him crawling around the engine room or the bilges. If he doesn't have engine oil or
grease on himself somewhere then he feels the day is not fulfilled. However when he's in the
water, which is daily he also cannot get enough vitamin sea. Like Tyler, he loves to carry
scuba tanks and shares his stories with the customers. Dave also has a boat load (no pun intended)
of jokes that he loves to tell. Ask him for some jokes and you're bound to be on the deck laughing.
:)
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Robert Moores
As a PADI MSDT his love of the ocean has always been there, but life's path didn't allow the dream to become a reality until 2010, when he pursued and obtained his instructor rating through the Sea Experience. He was one of the first IDC candidates to complete the course with us and his love of the ocean was obvious...
We hired him soon after graduation. You will always find him smiling and very enthusiastic (usually with a Red Bull in hand) about his present path.
Originally from Mechanicsburg, Pennsylvania, he's like the rest of us, he needs his vitamin sea daily to maintain his balance!
Favorite Local Dive Site - Jim Atria 130' deep and always lots of BIG fish!
Favorite Local Restaurant/Bar - The Quarterdeck...good food, good people! LULU'S Bait Shack on the beach, beautiful view of "The Office"!
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Boat/Shop Boy (SCUBA GURU "JR")
"JR" has been diving since he was 12 years old and has nearly 100 dives. That is more
dives than his mother has now! He has been around the SCUBA industry since before he
was born! You will find him on the boat or around the dive store at weekends and all
school holidays. Don't be afraid to ask him something, he is a knowledgeable little
fellow. He loves being underwater and wants to become an instructor as soon as he is
18 years old. Currently "JR" is in high school where he participates in soccer and
wrestling. He loves heavy metal music and can be found playing along with his
guitar... is this another Jimmy Buffet in the making? "JR" is a native of
south Florida (take a picture there are not many left... native Floridians that is).
Favorite Local Dive Site - Enjoys exploring the wreck of the Tracy which lies at about 70' deep.
Favorite Local hangout - In the dive shop with the staff!
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