Meet the ScubaQuest Team

The ‘Scottish Ranger’, the old man of the team who keeps us all sane and the business on the right track. A well-travelled electrical engineer who has been able to bring many years of experience from a career in the steel industry to his ScubaQuest role as a Divemaster (Rec and Tech).

Jack Maclachlan is life-long learner who is always willing to share his knowledge with our students and pass on words of encouragement when needed. When not diving you will most likely find him somewhere up Cadair Idris or in the Beacons.

‘Cully’ to the team and his dive buddies, Mark Culwick takes care of our diving operations as well as being the kit man. A rough and tough former serving soldier with a compassionate and soft centre who liked to play with tanks.

Now our lead Technical Instructor and Course Director, with a knowledge of diving which surpasses what you will find in the manuals, and a profile in the water that just makes you want to learn from him. When not diving in the National Diving & Activity Centre (NDAC), Mark will be found exploring military wrecks in all corners of the world.

Every team needs a woman’s touch. As well as being one of our dive instructors, Julia Kennedy takes care of administration, the course bookings and in her spare time is always there with tea, coffee and biscuits!

As a health care specialist and lecturer at Cardiff University, Julia is able to bring a great deal of added value to our basic life support and HSE First Aid at Work courses with her extensive knowledge and caring approach to the subject.

When Ctr-Alt-Del does not solve the problem, call Gareth Rogers, our fully paid up member of The IT Crowd and a specialist consultant in Data Centre Management and Operations. Hooked on diving 18 years ago, following an encounter with manta rays whilst on holiday in the Maldives, Gareth is now a qualified SDI and PADI Divemaster.

Calm and assured, always with a smile on his face, he clearly enjoys helping our students learning and experiencing scuba diving, albeit in colder climes! A dedicated family man it is only a matter of time before he introduces his three children to our underwater world.

Paul is an astronomy professor at Cardiff University, with a passion for using real world contexts to teach science. Whether it be coaching martial arts or rugby, teaching is definitely in his blood and to demonstrate his versatility he is now pursuing his scuba diving instructor qualifications.

With a track record in designing innovative and engaging educational programmes from pre-school to postgraduate levels, Paul is always looking to find exciting new ways to help our students “learn better”. The team is sure his ivory tower academic background will provide balance and contrast and safeguard the business from disappearing into any black holes.

ScubaQuest would find in difficult, if not impossible to operate without the support of a group of divers who form Team ScubaQuest.

This group of volunteer staff share the passion and desire for self- improvement such that they are willing to turn out in the best and worst the British weather can offer. With good humour and hard work, both in and out of the water, they help to make the student training experience safe and enjoyable.

And last but not least – Meet the ScubaQuest Dive Centre!

OK, it may be the least human of us all (just…!), but the centre represents the heart of the ScubaQuest business at NDAC.

Here you will have access to the Reception area, our two multi-media classrooms and a large kit room area where you can set up your dive gear out of the wind and rain.

You’ll really learn to appreciate the benefits of choosing ScubaQuest when you see the other trainee divers shivering and damp in the car park!