Meet The Team

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MEET THE TEAM

Name:
James Griffith – Director, skipper and mantas resident Mr Fix-it!
Qualifications:
SSI Adv Open Water Instructor
Trimix technical diver
Coxswain
rEvo and JJ-CCR rebreather diver
React Right First Aid Instructor
Scuba service technician
Number of dives:
10000+
Favourite place to dive:
Manta Bommie – North Stradbroke island
Dream dive trip location:
Solomon Islands
Why I love straddie diving:
The variety of marine life and seasons

Name:
Daniel Fitzgerald – General Manager
Qualifications:
SSI Instructor Trainer
SSI Tech Trimix Instructor
Scuba service technician
First Aid Instructor
CCR Mixed gas Instructor
Number of dives:
3500+
Favourite place to dive:
Mikhail Lermontov wreck – New Zealand and Sevens Reef – North straddy!
Dream dive trip location:
Can’t pick between the HMHS Britannic and Bikini Atoll!
Why I love straddie diving:
The range of sites from shallow entry level dives to deep technical dives!

Name:
David Biddulph – Mantas resident dive legend!
Qualifications:
Padi Divemaster since 1981
Master Photographer!
Number of dives:
5000+
Favourite place to dive:
Manta Bommie!
Dream dive trip location:
Solomon Islands
Why I love straddie diving:
Can’t beat the volume of unique marine life! (especially mantas ?)

Name:
Tyler "Glass Ankles" Rae
Qualifications:
SSI Master instructor
Trimix technical diver
Rebreather diver
Number of dives:
5000+
Favourite place to dive:
Turtle caves – North Stradbroke Island
Dream dive trip location:
Galapagos
Why I love straddie diving:
Mantas, whales, sharks, you never know what you’ll see!

Name:
Ian Powell
Qualifications:
SSI Master instructor
Coxswain
Scuba service technician
Number of dives:
5000+
Favourite place to dive:
Stradbroke island
Dream dive trip location:
Palau
Why I love straddie diving:
Feeling the wind in my beard

Name:
Imogen Ramsay
Qualifications:
SSI Divemaster
Number of dives:
800+
Favourite place to dive:
Flat rock for the sharks, rays and coral!
Dream dive trip location:
Raja Ampat, Komodo and Galapagos
Why I love straddie diving:
Whales and Mantas!

Name:
Neil Vidler
Qualifications:
SSI Open Water Instructor
Extended Range technical diver
Number of dives:
500+
Favourite place to dive:
Flat Rock – North Stradbroke island
Dream dive trip location:
Solomon Islands
Why I love straddie diving:
Sharks and Manta rays!

 

Name:
Emma Pietsch-Instructor
Qualifications:
SSI/PadiOpen water Instructor
Number of dives:
150
Favourite place to dive:
Manta Bommie
Dream dive trip location:
Micronesia
Why I love straddie diving:
You never know what you’ll see!

 

Name:
Nick Nortje-DM
Qualifications:
SSI Divemaster, Yamaha mechanic, Technical diver
Number of dives:
300+
Favourite place to dive:
Turtle cave
Dream dive trip location:
Cocos island
Why I love straddie diving:
Biddy’s pumpkin soup (oh and the mantas!!)

 

Name:
Miffie Meredith
Qualifications:
SSI Divemaster, chakra balancer,
Number of dives:
300+
Favourite place to dive:
Straddie
Dream dive trip location:
Nimbin
Why I love straddie diving:
The people and the great marine life (oh and being called Michaela)

 

Name:
Taylah Gray
Qualifications:
SSI Divemaster, rEvo rebreather diver
Number of dives:
250
Favourite place to dive:
Straddie!!
Dream dive trip location:
Anywhere tropical
Why I love straddie diving:
The wildlife, the divers and the Manta team!

 

Name:
Felicia Sutjahjo -DM
Qualifications:
SSI Divemaster
Number of dives:
200
Favourite place to dive:
Indonesia
Dream dive trip location:
Galapagos
Why I love straddie diving:
Roaring deep and the team at Manta!

 

Name:
Santiago Duque
Qualifications:
SSI Divemaster
Number of dives:
200
Favourite place to dive:
Straddie!
Dream dive trip location:
Spring break - Florida
Why I love straddie diving:
Giggidy!

 

Name:
Jayde Barton
Qualifications:
SSI Instructor Trainer
Number of dives:
1000+
Favourite place to dive:
Anywhere but Cairns!
Dream dive trip location:
Somewhere tropical
Why I love straddie diving:
The wildlife!