What is Scuba Diving? It is a way in which people can spend time underwater enjoying the beautiful sights that only fish usually see. People need special diving gear to wear and oxygen tanks strapped to their backs to enable them to spend time under water. Before going underwater, everyone needs to learn just how to cope in this foreign environment. They need to go diving with a qualified instructor who will teach them everything they should know; it can be a dangerous sport for the novice. Meet Sally, a wonderful diving instructor who has chosen St. Martin as her home.
Where are you from? When did you first get interested in diving?
Originally I am from New York, USA, although I am kind of a mutt as I have a British mother and was born in Denmark. For my 13th birthday, my parents gave me a scuba diving course. However, I got so scared while in the pool doing exercises that I refused to go back. For my 23rd birthday, my parents gave me the same present, except this time, I was hooked for life.
Where have you dived and what is your favourite fish to see underwater?
I have dived the waters around the following countries: England, America (off Long Island) Thailand, Egypt, Indonesia, Papua, Spain, France, the Bahamas, Saba, and finally St. Martin/Maarten. I really like to see the tiny stuff, so I would say the Juvenile Boxfish. Their fins are so tiny they just look like a little pea in the water, but with the most adorable mouth and these little eyes.
What is the best depth to see the most colourful underwater creatures?
The shallower the better. The less water there is above you, the more light that reaches all the wonderful things underwater.
Where would you like to go that you haven't been before for a diving holiday?
I would like to go to Truk Lagoon which is located in the central Pacific Ocean off of the coast of New Guinea. It is a bunch of small islands and was anchorage to the Japanese Imperial Fleet during World War II. The fleet was demolished by American aircraft in February 1944 and there are more than 40 sunken ships (which we call wrecks) to explore.
What made you decide to come to St. Maarten and when did you open up your dive shop here?
My husband and I had been all over the world working as diving instructors and resort managers and five years ago, we started searching for somewhere to call a home, somewhere we could put some roots down. For us, that was St. Martin. We opened our dive shop, Octopus Diving, in June 2008.
Do you take people out diving who don't have a diving certificate? Does the school teach non divers to become certified divers?
Yes, all the time. People are always amazed at how easy it is to scuba dive. Plus, we only ever take out two beginner divers per one instructor at a time, so that they have a really safe and fun experience. We teach through the Professional Association of Diving Instructors (PADI for short) and teach all levels of diving, from the beginner course (called Open Water) to the last level before instructor (called Divemaster). You should try it!
What is the youngest age one can get certified and what does certification involve?
The youngest is 10 years old. Getting certified means lots of fun and experiences that are out of this world. Basically, the course is split into three parts; theory, shallow water exercises and then four dives. It really doesn't take that long to get certified, and it could change your life, just like it changed mine.
Who could/would you not teach to dive?
There is no one that I wouldn't teach to dive. It is something that I love, and I just want to share. However, there are some medical conditions that prevent people from diving and even if I want to take them, I can't.
Where do you take people to dive around St. Maarten and how do you get there?
We go diving on the French side and the Dutch side and we always go by our super fast dive boat which we named Octopussy!
What are the basic rules about diving?
Have fun, never hold your breath.
What is the funniest story you can tell us about taking people diving?
The best dives are always the ones that I take with people that have never been before. Their reactions to being in this new underwater environment can be super funny. One of my favourite divers was this middle aged woman from America who kept continuously posing as if she was in a body building competition, flexing her non-existent muscles. I couldn't stop laughing.
What would you like to do in the future?
Well, I plan on diving for the rest of my life. I would like Octopus Diving to become one of the most successful and well known diving centres in the Caribbean, so I guess in the future, I plan on working hard to make that happen.
If you could invite any three people (dead or alive) to dinner, who would they be and what would you serve them?
I would invite my husband, Chris, as he is not only my business partner, but also my best friend and I would want to be able to talk about the dinner with him afterwards. Then I would invite mother's father, Reginald Hickey, who died before I was born and is someone that I always wanted to meet. The third person would be Will Ferrel, because I think he is super funny and I prefer a dinner with lots of laughing rather than serious discussions. I would serve a traditional roast dinner with lamb, roasted potatoes, parsnips and homemade gravy.