Photograph © Dennis Champ
Staff
Staff – get to know the team
A big part of our technical diving philosophy is linked to team diving, and as the cliché states “there’s no I in team”. We work together, we dive together, we play together…some of us even live together!
With every level of qualification available amongst the team, and over 7000 dives between them in all kinds of environments we can offer you certification in pretty much anything your heart desires. See our training section for more details.
Matt Reed
TDI INSTRUCTOR TRAINER
Matt is an experienced technical diver and instructor trainer having studied with some of the world's best, and has worked as a full time technical instructor for over 6 years in some enviable locations including The Red Sea, Belize, Dominican Republic, Palau, Truk Lagoon, and of course the UK.
Specialising in overhead environment Matt’s current diving sees him looking for new leads on Philippine caves as part of Triton Oceanic, and pushing the boundaries of deep wreck diving in the Bay of Ormoc.
Matt teaches all courses through Advanced Trimix, and Instructor level courses up Extended Range and Advanced Wreck. Pick your location and your course and he’ll be happy to help you through.
If you like to take home a record of your adventures then Matt also takes pride his deep water media, whether it is a scooter mounted video for the fast rush, or still camera with slow shutter speed for deep ambient light photography. With specially written courses for these complicated areas Matt can help you get the images you desire.
Matt is originally from England and has a degree in Audio Technology as well as an NVQ in Engineering. When he's not working Matt likes to spend time with his friends, or play with his camera; but mostly enjoys teaching his daughter Lilja the first steps in her diving career...learning to swim
Mike Taylor
Mike is originally from the UK. He gave up his job as an accountant in Saudi Arabia with less than 50 dives under his belt to go on a 10 week wreck diving expedition, which circled the globe. The need for further training became ‘apparent’ during a single tank dive to 55m (200ft) on the President Coolidge in Vanuatu. We’ve all done it, the wise learn from experience.
John Bennett introduced Mike to Matt Reed in 2003 and the rest is history. He’s spent the last four years in the Philippines as a full time technical diving instructor and honed his skills during expeditions diving deep wrecks.
Now a TDI instructor teaching up to Advanced Trimix and Advanced Wreck, he is one of the most passionate and driven technical diving instructors that you are likely to meet. Students are usually awed by his story of the studious accountant who gave it all up to follow a dream.
He has experience diving all over the world in a variety of conditions, but his passion is for wrecks. So ask him what his favourite wreck diving experience is if you have a spare few hours!! A quiet but determined attitude makes him an ideal foil and diving partner for Matt. As a diving team they work well and recently were the first divers ever to explore the bow of the Princess of the Orient, which lies at 125M just outside Manila Bay.
His accountant’s minimal social skills mean that he is quite blunt when the occasion calls for it; he can often be seen hiding behind much bigger friends.
Simon Campbell
Simon is a fireball. Eclectic, eccentric and well travelled, he is a generally funny bloke that has lived many lives so far.
He is a Director of the British Sub Aqua Club (BSAC), the largest diving club in the world, and is a member of the BSAC National Diving Committee, responsible for Diver Training Program development keeping it in line with current thinking.
As a BSAC National Instructor he can teach and manage Instructor training to the highest level and can teach all the BSAC Skill Development Courses from Boat Handling through Oxygen Administration to the hardened British version of Advanced Nitrox.
Following mixed gas & rebreather qualifications, Simon maintains an excitement for all diving and he will still dive in 2m of water providing there is something to see. He loves running expeditions and as a consequence has managed and participated in many challenging adventures worldwide, recently travelling to the Falkland Islands where he led a team to successfully find a previously un-dived Argentinean supply vessel from the 1982 conflict.
On the rare occasions he is above water, Simon can be found either walking, playing guitar, public speaking or writing. Most of all he loves eating fine organic produce and drinking good European wine with his wife Angela, accompanied by Bevis, his hairy princess (that looks suspiciously like a black Labrador), Norbert the gerbil and occasionally (when they are at home) his two boys. To visit his personal website and blog, click here..
