Hobby became a full time job

Photo by: Pascal

Five years ago after leaving on the side the five stars hotel industry as food and beverage manager for his long time passion. Pascal Laigle started a new life as cruise director and underwater photographer on Genesis. But you as a guest do not have to worry about Pascal's services due to his background.

Now Pascal and his team focus on giving the best holidays you will have in your memories. Pascal shares his
passion of underwater photography by giving a personalized photo workshop on board of Genesis Liveaboards
fleet.

Photo by: Donald D. Johnson

Don's interest and goal in becoming a certified diver became a reality while he was living in Greece during the early eighties where he lived for four years while on assignment with Rockwell International.
The only certifying agency in those days in Greece was NASDS. Now, 20 years later and a PADI IDC Staff Instructor, Don remains dedicated to exploring the undersea world and instructing others in the sport of diving. Don also enjoys teaching beyond the Open Water Diver courses including the various more advanced "Specialties" such as wreck diving, underwater photography and videography, deep diving, underwater naturalist, Marine Resource Management, and diver propulsion vehicles (DPV's) to name a few.

If you would like a bit of advice on where to dive around the world, Don could most probably help you make a decision. He has dived in the Red Sea (Egypt), the Mediterranean Sea, the Aegean Sea, the Ionian Sea, the Caribbean, New Zealand, several spots in Australia, the United States, Mexico, Indonesia, Malaysia, the Maldives, Israel, Singapore, the Philippines, Tahiti, Vietnam, and of course Thailand. His love is live-aboard diving.

Panit by: Ron G. Stevens

He traded the suit for a pair of shorts and a t-shirt. His ever-exposed hairy legs now daily proclaim his escape from the corporate world and his engaging personality woos thousands to share his love of the ocean.

Ron Stevens, AKA Rogest, is an artist, a humourist, a bon vivant, and we think he has had something to do with Mike Ball's liveaboards for the last 14 years. One of Australasia's most prolific public speakers on issues pertaining to diving, Ron is a curious mixture of up-front dynamism and laid back sincerity. He also paints a mean picture.

Ron decided to start painting relatively late in life, inspired to capture some of the beauty of the "vivid images I have experienced that have burned a vibrant seascape into my imagination". Ron's art is an offshoot of the Australian 'Dot-Style', colourful, rich and resplendent tapestries of marine life that incorporate elements of the sea both aesthetically and physically - he uses seawater and sand in some of his pieces, for example over the years, Ron has lost a lot of his hair (but not from his legs) and gained tremendous insight into the ocean environment.

I began to be interested in diving because I wanted to take underwater photographs for my thesis before my graduation at Rangsit University where I am studying Fine Arts, majoring in Photography.
At present, our environment is getting hectic and unorganized. Both the human social environment and our natural environment are being degraded, because our natural resources are being used mercilessly by human beings who don't really care about conservation.

I feel disappointed and worried that the beauty of nature underwater is disappearing because people are invading the underwater environment.
Having seen the exquisite beauty of the underwater world, I have experienced its exotic subtlety and variety of shapes and colours. All dependant on one another and are inseparable. It is seductive to be there. The harmony and the difference of the under water world unite perfectly. This is why I'm impressed with the underwater world. It inspires me to show the quality of the beauty that I have experienced.

 The Asian Dive Expo held in Singapore in April 2002, gave PADI Asia Pacific a fantastic opportunity to present PADI International Resort & Retail Association Members with industry awards for their accomplishments during 2001. PADI's large and colourful booth created a perfect backdrop for award winners to be photographed during the course of the event.

PADI Dive Centre, Dive Supply in Phuket, Thailand received the PADI Award for Outstanding Contribution to the Dive Industry. PADI Instructor and Dive Supply's owner Frank Sommer has provided PADI members in Thailand with easy access to a full range of educational materials. Frank and his team have successfully promoted the importance of student self-study and the goal of getting individuals into the water as soon as possible. Dive Supply endorses the PADI Partnership philosophy by ensuring new concepts, designs and programs are quickly implemented in the local environment.

Now that the inmates have taken over the asylum it's imperative that all we 'normal' divers become experts in obscure, ocean related topics.

Since you have to lug all that heave scuba equipment around, might as well do it in style we say.
Aqualung's new range of gear bags is the perfect solution, the ideal luggage for divers and water sports lovers, with nylon zips that are impervious to salt water and corrosion, 840 denier polyamide fabric coated inside with PVC, highly abrasion resistant and virtually rot-proof. Plus, they look really good and are easy to handle.

Aqualung Traveller 1500

A back-packers delight, with padded adjustable shoulder straps that tuck neatly away when not in use. For ease of handling, wheels and an extendable steadying bracket are included, making the rigid-based bag a breeze to trundle around airports and so on.

With two outside fin pockets, zippered dry storage and a padded section in the lining for instruments, masks and so on, the Traveller 1500 is a sturdy, functional bag for all seasons. And, it comes with a few Aqualung regulator bag as well!