Welcome to Huatulco Dive Center

OWNERS

As a retired Canadian couple, they have been living the dream travelling around the Americas in a RV for the past few years. With just a brief stop planned for their first visit to Huatulco to meet up with Andréane’s parents, they just fell in love with Huatulco, its people and the great scuba diving available in the Huatulco National Park.

After just their first trip out diving with Huatulco Dive Center to explore the underwater world, Ken & Andréane decided that this was the right business to be involved with to enjoy their retirement. They both loved the boutique style of service that is offered at HDC whilst also being a well-respected quality training institution for all levels of diver. Mix that in with the phenomenal diving, it was always going to be a no brainer.

Coming from a diverse diving background, both Ken and Andréane are excited to bring a wealth of expertise and experience to HDC. They have introduced many subtle changes to improve the customer experience whilst keeping the core of HDC the same and are continuously striving to be the best there is.

They are looking forward to welcoming customers of old and new to join us for this exciting new chapter of HDC!

DIRECTOR of MEET and GREETS

Our director of Meet & Greets and possibly Security, this small horse sized big softie only needs to go by just one name - Zeus

At 6 years old, Zeus started his life as an English Mastiff dreaming of being a lap dog travelling the world, although Andréane has said he is half English mastiff, half sea lion. Disappointingly for him, he has been forced to join the family business at Huatulco Dive Center against his will.

Motivation comes as a struggle to Zeus, so playing into his natural abilities a new role of Director of Meet & Greets and possibly Security was created specifically for his talents.

Whilst his enthusiasm for the role can sometimes be missed, what you won’t miss is the unforgettable Meet & Greet you get when walking through our doors.

So come on down to say hello to Zeus in his dream job.

Senior Instructor

Our unapologetically French Senior MSDT Instructor. After studying Cinema and working in movie production, David’s sense of adventure took priority as he began his professional diving career in Australia. From teaching in Thailand, Chile and The Dominican Republic, David has been fortunate to visit over 40 countries travelling and working before finally calling Mexico his home.

If you have dived with HDC over the past 8 years you will have undoubtedly encountered his thick Parisian accent trying to crack a joke or discussing food, all whilst receiving the best possible care on your course or dive.

David’s sense of humour and thirst for fun makes some of the toughest and more in depth training programs more enjoyable and provides a level of relief whereby it really doesn’t feel like training at all with safety never compromised.

David loves diving in the Pacific and specifically in Huatulco as it is so abundant with life. The fact that you don’t have to wait around for the aquatic life to come to you but can see so much more when you go exploring. With this approach, diving the same dive site multiple times never feels like the same dive and David has managed to find the elusive and rare Harlequin shrimp multiple times.

He loves us to imitate his accent so stop by and give it your best shot.

HEAD of MARKETING and SOCIAL MEDIA

Our token tea drinking British OWSI Instructor Shaun. He more often goes by Sean, Shawn, Shawne, Shorn, Shoon, Shun and sometimes even John, although he’s adamant there’s only one correct way to spell it.

Shaun left the world of managing 4 & 5 star hotels, resorts and spas in the States and Europe behind for a more tranquil way of life and first discovered HDC back in 2021. He speaks and can teach in British English, American English, Australian English, Canadian English, English with a Scottish accent, English with an Irish accent and Spanglish. Some may say that’s just in English and whilst we may agree we would never say that to his face.

Having dived in Egypt, The Canaries, Madeira, Malta, Jamaica, Mexico, Honduras and Nicaragua to name a few it almost seems he is avoiding the cold water and cold weather and we are certainly glad he is doing so and with us full time in Mexico.

A true definition of customer service and with a dry sense of humour, Shaun ensures that everyone is comfortable and well taken care of all whilst having fun, whether visiting the shop, on a course or while leading certified divers exploring the national park. He has the patience of a saint and is still adamant he has never heard a silly question and can always make light any situation.

Shaun loves the abundance of aquatic life in Huatulco and how diverse the diving is with a keen eye to spot even the smallest of life from far away. You’ll no doubt see him with his trusty GoPro attached - don’t forget to smile if he’s pointing it your way or at least look behind you for something you may not yet have seen.

Shaun is our local “Where to Eat Guide” with an obscene amount of first hand knowledge of the local restaurants and eateries having tried almost every single one in Huatulco and no we’re not kidding.

Stop by and hear one of his “jokes”, get a restaurant recommendation or try and give him his first stupid question.

CAPTAIN of DIVE BOAT MAKO

Our Capitán extraordinaire of our boat the Mako. Affectionately known as Capi amongst the many other nicknames that we and our customers give him, none of which are ‘fishy’ or we will feel his ‘wrasse’.

Pedro grew up along the Huatulco coast. Born in Maguey at his family restaurant, Pedro has been a certified captain for the past 12 years and brings his wealth of experience to ‘kelp’ the team and clients be as safe as possible when out at sea. It’s ’o-fish-al’, nobody knows the local waters like Pedro.

Pedro oversees a team of four captains who take the helm of the Mako all of whom are super ‘e-fish-ent’, but whether it is Pedro or one of his team, there is no ‘jaws’ for concern and you can be assured you’re in safe hands. Pedro is the master at spotting aquatic life on the surface and will give us the ‘oppor-tuna-ty’ to get up close and personal whenever we can.

When not on the ocean for work, Pedro loves to be out fishing and enters almost all the competitions along the Pacific coast and we have been ‘herring’ he’s pretty good at it.

Safe to say, we ‘landed’ a ‘reel’ ‘catch’ with the ‘fintastic’ Pedro and ‘cod’ not imagine HDC without him.

Ok, ok that’s enough puns. Just ‘squidding’ these are the last ones as you don’t need to be a brain ‘sturgeon’ to know we’re ‘kraken’ ourselves up laughing and hope you’re not ‘krilling’ yourselves with laughter either

SEASONAL DIVEMASTER

More than just an Italian stallion with a chiseled body, thick accent and all the charm you could wish for, it’s no ‘im-pasta’, it’s our outstanding Divemaster Leo.

Fresh from ‘Rome-ing’ around Europe, Oceania and North America, words cannot ‘espresso’ how happy we are that Leo is making a quick ‘viaggio’ at Huatulco Dive Center for a final ‘Pisa’ the action before the season comes to an end.

We know it’s ‘nonna’ your business but following on from his first dives in Australia and Fiji, the thought of becoming a dive professional has always remained at the forefront for Leo. Fast forward a few years and Leo has come along way from managing a team of mechanics and living in his custom built camper van and is now focused on managing your safety and enjoyment underwater.

Having achieved his Divemaster certification with HDC, we are ‘dough-lighted’ that Leo has decided to return to the family to share his expertise and enthusiasm with our clients.

Leo loves to see and interact with Octopi and large schools of fish and he always hopes that a giant manta will coming ‘gnocchi-ing’ at the door again. The accessible yet adventurous feeling that diving in Huatulco has with so much life around you, ‘cannoli’ be described by Leo as “cool man” and he hopes you won’t ‘tagliatelle’ everyone and keep it our secret.

Although Leo has left us for the Swiss Alps during the low season, were confident he will return when the winter months of Huatulco call to him….LEEEOOOO…….