Brian Clark

Occupation: Engineer

Current Certification Level: PADI Open Water Scuba Instructor

Best Scuba Course Ever Taken & Why: Divemaster – Learning the fundamentals of doing what we do was wonderful. Practicing the basic skills makes me a better, confident diver and a reliable buddy!

Favourite Course(s) To Teach & Why: Discover Scuba is a great program in that a student sees a wonderful opportunity open up before them. Open Water Class/Pool provides the student with the proper skills to safely enjoy a wonderful life-long hobby!

Prefer Salt Water or Fresh Water & Why: Any water makes for great diving.

Best Dive(s): All dives are great dives!

Worst Dive(s): None

Paul Fihrer
Occupation: Solutions Consultants – if you have to ask it is not worth explaining
Current Certification Level: PADI IDC Staff Instructor
Best Scuba Course Ever Taken & Why: Handicapped Scuba Association (HSA) – because it took me to the next level and I am not talking about instructional level
Favourite Course(s) To Teach & Why: Instructor Development Course & Open Water , to see the student go from almost no confidence/knowledge to king of the hill in no time at all.
Prefer Salt Water or Fresh Water & Why: Salt Water, simply more places, things and warm water to see.
Best Dive(s): In coldwater Toby, the old and new wrecks. In warm water - Mozambique, someone carries your stuff, cleans and looks after all your needs.

Worst Dive(s): Sodwana Bay (South Africa) one of those days were everything just went wrong no mater what we did (We still had a great day).

Other Interests: All outdoor activity
Little Known Fact About Me: I used to be a quiet and shy
Personal Goal(s): be better than I was yesterday and become a Master Instructor (MI)
Personal Motto: Live life for now, as you may be gone tomorrow
Inspirational words: Tell Me, I'll forget, Show Me, I'll remember, Involve Me, I'll learn

Poul Hansen
Occupation: “Blessed is the man who has some congenial work, some occupation in which he can put his heart, and which affords a complete outlet to all the forces there are in him.” ~ John Burroughs
Current Certification Level: PADI MSDT baby (with hat to prove it – see pic below. Funny story)
Best Scuba Course Ever Taken & Why: Ice diver! The anticipation and excitement of what it’d be like, and then the beauty of diving under the ice.
Favourite Course(s) To Teach & Why: Open water class and pool. Love seeing the transition from non-diver to Scuba diver! Advanced because introducing newer divers to new dive environments. Toby is such a great place for it too. Ice specialty because it’s just very cool. Also, sharing the same anticipation and excitement I experienced on my first ice dives. Wreck specialty because, well, penetration baby… why else??? Ha, seriously, how can you not love the amazing historic wrecks we have access to here in Ontario. Drysuit specialty because I hate the incorrect assumption that cold water diving must mean being cold.
Dive Experience: Canada, US, Central America, and the Caribbean. 
Prefer Salt Water or Fresh Water & Why: No preference. Both offer amazing memories.
Best fresh water dive(s):
Where: First Dive ever on the Arabia, Toby
Reason: Low viz made for a truly ghostly experience
Where: MSDT Deep training dive (November), Morrison’s Quarry, Quebec
Reason: Crystal clear viz, 130ft limestone drop-off to a lunar-like bottom.
Where: “Maytag Dive”, The Anchor, Toby
Why: Buy me a beer some time and I’ll tell you a crazy funny story (or 2 or 3 or 4…)
Where: Daryaw Wreck, Brockville
Why: 70’ air pocket – with a great buddy
Where: Washing Machine, Niagara River
Why: Crazy dive and then being picked up by Fort Erie Fire and Rescue (another funny story)
Best salt water dives:
Where: Sapona Wreck, Bahamas
Why: Very shallow dive with profuse marine life. You can also exit the water inside and explore the wreck on foot.
Where: Blue Hole, Belize   
Reason: Go and you’ll know.
Where: Kelp Forests, Catalina Island, Cali
Why: Baby Horned Sharks
Where: Veterans Reef, Clearwater, Florida
Why: Pissed off a Nurse Shark I thought was sleeping and it let me know about it – whups (Greg, where’s your camera???)
Where: U-352 and The Papoose, Moorehead City, N.C.
Why: U-352 - “I’ll get outta here somehow” (see pic below). Papoose – Ragged-tooth sharks.
Worst Dive(s):
MSDT Wreck training dive, Morrison’s Quarry, Quebec
Why: I.B.S. – “UUUGGHH, get me outta here” (don’t get it? Google it.)
Other Interests: Flying, rock climbing, skiing, motorcycle riding.
Little Known Fact About Me: I hate plastic plants
Personal Goal(s): Create greater awareness of cruelty to animals. Go veg – animals and your body will appreciate it.
Personal Motto: Be an all-out, not a hold-out
Inspirational words: Whether you think you can, or you think you can’t – you’re right ~ Henry Ford
Other comment: Some people confuse breathing with living – get out there and enjoy folks.

Ahmed Helmi
Occupation: Real Estate Broker / Manager
Current Certification Level: PADI IDC Staff Instructor
Best Scuba Course Ever Taken & Why: Dive Master Course, Most challenging and most interesting course.
Dive Experience: Open Water because it is the most satisfying. Teaching advanced, specially the deep dive since it is the most challenging.
Prefer Salt Water or Fresh Water & Why: I love the warm water diving and it happens to be in salt water mostly. So, I like salt water diving I guess.
Best Dive(s): Abu Dabbab in the south of the Red Sea.
Worst Dive(s): Can’t remember the location, but it was in Cuba, dead reef with no fish.
Other Interests: I love the rush of sky diving and many sports, soccer, basketball, skiing and horseback riding.
Little Known Fact About Me: I have a piercing.
Personal Goal(s): I would like to retire on a tropical island and teach scuba while sipping on Margaritas.
Personal Motto: “Live well, Love much, Laugh often” (I have it Tattooed to my back).
Inspirational words: Live each day like it is your last. Never be upset with the ones you love.
Other comment: Take courses with us, keep us employed. Meet people, Go places and Do Things in the water, lol.

Stacey Ison
Occupation: President Toronto Honda
Current Certification Level: PADI Open Water Scuba Instructor
Best Scuba Course Ever Taken & Why: Instructors. A huge accomplishment and tremendous feeling of success.
Favourite Course(s) To Teach & Why: Open Water. I like working with new students. It’s the most rewarding
Prefer Salt Water or Fresh Water & Why: I like warm water whether it’s fresh or salty!
Best Dive(s): Near the Blue Hole in Belize. I felt like I was in an aquarium or watching Finding Nemo.
Worst Dive(s):
Other Interests: I’m a passionate long distance runner, mountain biker and wine collector. I’m not really sure that they mix well!
Little Known Fact About Me: Personal Goal(s): Personal Motto: People do what you inspect not what you expect.
Inspirational words: Failure can be habit forming. Success is the only option.
Other comment: I have 3 daughters, all in their late teens and early twenties. My wife Jacquie, (a Rescue Diver) and I had them Padi certified at 10 years old. My oldest, Sierra, is an instructor and has taught in the British Virgin Islands, Fiji and Indonesia. My middle, Theo, is a Dive Master and my youngest Aja, is a Master Diver. Since then diving has become a family sport and the focus of every holiday we take. It has bonded us like nothing else could. I strongly urge parents to include their children in their scuba diving plans. The rewards are immeasurable and the memories will last a lifetime.

Peter Kalanderopoulos

Occupation: Principal
Current Certification Level: PADI Open Water Scuba Instructor
Best Scuba Course Ever Taken & Why: Divemaster
Dive Experience: I have been diving since 1974
Prefer Salt Water or Fresh Water: Salt
Best Dive(s): Greece 2006
Worst Dive(s): All dives are good.
Other Interests: Squash, rock climbing and biking
Little Known Fact About Me: I like to solve math problems.
Personal Goal(s): To retire and teach diving in Greece.
Personal Motto: Life is too short to harbour any ill will towards anyone.

Sean Klady

Occupation: Real Estate

Current Certification Level: PADI Open Water Scuba Instructor

Best Scuba Course Ever Taken & Why: Rescue Diver

you learn a great set of skills to help your fellow divers and a fun course to take.

Favourite Course(s) To Teach & Why: Open Water – nothing beats congratulating newly certified divers.

Dive Experience: Ontario (all over), Bahamas, Belize, Bonaire, Cayman Islands, Cozumel, Curacao, Florida, Tobago, Turks and Caicos.

Prefer Salt Water or Fresh Water & Why: Salt water – best visibility, lots of variety of fish and coral.

Best Dive(s): Tie between Bloody Bay Wall in Little Cayman and Belize Atolls (so far)

Worst Dive(s): “Wall of fear” – Tobago

Other Interests: Motorcycles, yoga, skiing and many more!

Little Known Fact About Me: Bona Fide Lawyer (there might be more but you have to get me drunk to disclose anything else)
Personal Goal(s): Teach scuba someplace warm and sunny full time – or win the lottery and scuba dive someplace warm and sunny ALL the time.

Personal Motto: Never give up

Inspirational words: You miss 100% of the shots you don’t take.
Other comment: I Love teaching at S2K!

Michael McCabe
Occupation: Custom Home Builder
Current Certification Level: PADI Master Instructor
Best Scuba Course Ever Taken & Why: Ice Diver, definitely the most memorable course I’ve taken, challenging, exhilarating, fun and all at the same time rewarding
Favourite Course(s) To Teach & Why: I love to teach the Open Water Course, it is extremely rewarding to see that change from Non Diver to Certified Diver.

Dive Experience: Fiji, Red Sea, Roatan, Utila, Cozumel, Greece, Tobago, both coasts of Florida including the Keys, California. Locally: Tobermory, Niagara River, St Lawrence River, Brockville, Prescott, Picton and Kingston.
Prefer Salt Water or Fresh Water & Why: Salt Water, Love fish ID
Best Dive(s): The Duane in Key Largo, Fiji, & the Red Sea

Worst Dive(s): Like they say a bad day of diving is still better than a good day at work!!

Other Interests: Photography, Carpentry, Hockey
Little Known Fact About Me: Played bass guitar for a rock band called “The Toads” in the mid seventies.
Personal Goal(s): Diving in Indonesia
Personal Motto: One day at a time , one step at a time
Inspirational words: Anything is possible if you have the nerve
Other comment: I believe Scuba Diving to be the single most enjoyable ongoing experience that any person can participate in. It is relaxing, exciting, exhilarating it encourages you to see the world and gives you the opportunity to meet hundreds of new people.

Joel Pomerantz (Nickname: Scuba Dog)
Occupation: Automated Automotive Systems

Current Certification Level: PADI Master Instructor, Peak Performance Buoyancy, Project Aware, AWARE Coral Reef Conservation Specialty, Enriched Air Diver, Ice diver, DPV, Whale Shark, Sea Turtle, Quarry diver, U/W Navigator, Night Diver, Search & Recovery, Wreck, Multilevel Diver, Fish Identification, Boat, Drift, Dry Suit, U/W Naturalist, U/W Photographer, U/W Hunter, Deep, Digital Photography, Gas Blender, Cavern, Cave Intro, Equipment Specialist, Self Reliant

Best Scuba Course Ever Taken & Why: Rescue, It made me feel more comfortable in the water knowing that I could fend for myself and be able to help other divers if needed.

Favorite Course(s) To Teach & Why: Open Water: I love to see new divers complete their open water course. Rescue: Lets me see advancing divers improve on knowledge and skills.

Dive Experience:
Salt Water -most of the Caribbean, S. Africa, North Carolina, Florida, Costa Rica, Grand Cayman, Cozumel, Fiji, Egypt
Fresh Water - Ontario, Ohio

Best Dive(s): Fiji for the life, S. Africa with the 15’ Tiger Shark and eye to eye with a Whale Shark
Worst Dive: I would not call a dive bad, just not great

Other Interests: Motorcycles, Photography

Little Known Fact About Me: I like the sun and always have a good time.
Personal Goal(s): Always setting new ones
Personal Motto: Enjoy it while you can.
Inspirational words: Have fun at whatever you do.

David Racioppa
Age: Still a pre-teen in dog years
Occupation: Professional Scuba Diver
Current Certification Level: PADI IDC Staff Instructor, EFR Intstructor, DAN Instructor, Speciality Instructor
Best Scuba Course Ever Taken & Why: Rescue. During this course I was challenged by two other divers, also taking the course, to continue on to the Divemaster course with them. The rest is history.
Favourite Course(s) To Teach & Why: I enjoy teaching all the PADI courses, Specialities, Rescue, Divemaster, Assistant Instructor but if I had to pick one favourite it would be Open Water Class and Pool. This is where it all begins for divers and it’s all new and fresh. I still remember my first time and the Instuctor that taught me. As an Instructor now I enjoy being part of that experience.

Dive Experience:

Salt Water: Aruba, Anguilla, Antigua, Cozumel, Cuba, Curacao, Florida, Greece, Grenada, Italy, Ireland, Jamaica, Red Sea, San Andres, St Lucia St Martin

Fresh Water: Tobermory, Lake Superior, Lake Ontario, Lake Simcoe, Niagara River, Lake Muskoka, Island Lake, & various Quarries
Prefer Salt Water or Fresh Water & Why: I don’t have a preference I like diving both fresh and salt water.
Best Dive(s): Lots of great dives but the best dive that I’ve done recently was Devil’s Throat Cozumel diving with my son.

Worst Dive(s): My first Open Water dive. It was at Big Bay Point late October, no hood, no gloves, I don’t think I’ve ever been so cold. We came back the following day for dive #2 properly equipped.
Other Interests: Jr Hockey, Softball and Golf. (in that order)
Little Known Fact About Me: OMHA/GTHL Certified Coach and Trainer
Personal Goal(s): to always have goal(s)
Personal Motto: “When You Come to a Fork in the Road, Take It” Yogi Berra
Inspirational words: " Twenty years from now you will be more disappointed by the things you didn't do than by the ones you did. So throw off the bowlines, sail away from the safe harbor, catch the trade winds in your sails. Explore. Dream. Discover. "

~ Mark Twain

Leo Rubino
Occupation: Automotive
Current Certification Level: PADI IDC Staff Instructor/ EFR & DAN Instructor
Best Scuba Course Ever Taken & Why: Rescue, I think the rescue course is the beginning or I should say the tipping point into the professional side of diving, and it was the course were my confidence level increase, was the most noticeable. I became a safer, more aware and better skilled diver.
Favourite Course(s) To Teach & Why: I like to teach Peak Performance Buoyancy and Open water. The response on both courses is always the same, every diver comes out of both courses with big smiles. With O/W I like seeing the new divers faces’ once they complete the course. That grin from ear to ear is what I look for, and for PPB, well everyone comes out of it with the same grin, especially after shaving off a few pounds on their weight belt.

Dive Experience: Took my first open water course with Scuba 2000 (Then known as ‘The Wet Shop’) back in 1991 that was the beginning haven’t reached the end yet!
Prefer Salt Water or Fresh Water & Why: I prefer any water I can dive or teach in!
Best Dive(s): Cozumel never get tired of diving there.

Tim Sanders (Nickname: Splash)
Occupation: Parts Driver, Newmarket Honda
Current Certification Level: PADI Open Water Scuba Instructor; Boat, Deep, Drysuit Instructor Specialities
Best Scuba Course Ever Taken & Why: Advanced Course. Taking it right after my Open Water let me experience a lot in a short time and really got me hooked.
Favorite Course(s) To Teach & Why: Open Water Course. Like other Instructors I enjoy the wonder of the first timer, but, it is the special joy of someone having trouble with a skill when they look at you after finally completing it and they no longer feel like a failure because everyone else did it the first time.
Dive Experience:
Salt Water - Night, Deep, Wreck , Tobago, Cuba, North Carolina
Fresh Water - Night, Deep, Wreck, Ice, Low Visibilty, Tobermory, Lake Ontario, Lake Simcoe, Bonne Terre Missouri
Best Dive(s): The "Arabia" being so intack. Bonne Terre for the Main Elevator structure reaching majestically toward the sunlight at the surface.
Worst Dive: The "ALICE G" during my Open Water Course. Being the last divers out my buddy and I found highly silted, zero visibilty conditions that meant we only found the side of the wreck or the shore wall by bouncing into them.
Other Interests: Old Cars, History, First Aid
Little Known Fact About Me: The very shy kid I was could never be as outgoing as a Divemaster or ( Horrors ! ) an Instructor should be so I never thought of or planned on going this far when I first started. Thanks to certain current and previous "WETSHOP"
People for the help and inspiration.
Personal Goal(s): To have no goals. Goals to me are wish lists of "What I would like to do." Instead, live life to the best of your ability doing or at least trying whatever interests you during a given period of time.
Personal Motto: Most things happen for a reason so, good or bad, they were probably meant to be. ( Also, There is only one time it is essential to dive. That time is now. )
Inspirational words: Diving is ADVENTURE, EXPLORATION, RELAXATION and for some people PERSONAL ACHIEVEMENT. Whatever it is to you, it is always ENJOYMENT !
Kudos: Alec and Diana for the business they have built and everything they have accomplished.
To everyone who has joined us in this "Extreme" sport. It is the people that make it the great thing that it is.

Jason Serroul
Occupation: Scuba 2000 Service Tech & Paramedic
Current Certification Level: PADI Open Water Scuba Instructor, PADI EFR Instructor Trainer, DAN Instructor Trainer, DSAT Gas Blender Instructor, Sherwood/Scubapro/Genesis/Oceanic/Cressi Service Tech, PSI Inspector
Favourite Course(s) To Teach & Why: The Advanced course is by far the most fun course to take and to teach. Divers are already certified and have much more freedom on dives. Most of the divers know the staff and have diver friends with them taking the course. The course involves more diving and gaining experience and less sitting on the bottom doing skills. Divers always get so excited when they hear they get to go NIGHT diving or DEEP diving!

Dive Experience:

I have been diving since I was about 11 years old and am a few years shy of 20 years diving. I have been diving all over North America.

I also have been the service technician at Scuba 2000 for 6 years now. Taking apart and making a regulator or BC or any piece of gear work better than it ever has before is one of my true loves!

Best Dive(s): The Waome in Lake Muskoka, Punta Sur in Cozumel, Oriskany in Florida

Worst Dive(s): In 17 years I have done a lot of dives that no one should ever do……..Ask me about them sometime in Toby and I might just tell you!!!!
Other Interests: I’m also a paramedic so I love teaching first aid and CPR. I play every sport I can. Also I love spending every free minute I have with my two little girls!

Little Known Fact About Me: I have an obsession with all things Harry Potter.

Kevin Smith

Occupation: Project Manager, Information Technology
Current Certification Level: PADI Master Scuba Diver Trainer
Best Scuba Course Ever Taken & Why: Dive Master, it pushed me mentally and physically towards my first step of being a PADI professional
Favourite Course(s) To Teach & Why: Dive Experience: Enriched Air Nitrox, for the extended bottom. My first EANx dive convinced this was a fantastic benefit to diving. I want everyone to be certified.
Prefer Salt Water or Fresh Water & Why: Salt. Born in Nova Scotia, salt water has always been in my life. In warm or cool temperature diving, there is always something new to experience.
Best Dive(s): Night diving in Bonaire with “Charlie” the tarpon who used our dive lights to hunt for dinner. Bonaire’s commitment to preserving an underwater nature park delivers an amazing diving experience.

Worst Dive(s): Honestly, not had a bad dive.
Other Interests: A life long Information Technology geek, starting in the “punch card” days (go Google it kids).
Little Known Fact About Me: Started diving with the Open Water course at Scuba 2000 in January 2003. Was hooked on scuba from the first pool session.
Personal Goal(s): Obtain my IDCS rating.
Personal Motto: “Life is short, eat dessert first”.

Inspirational words: “Good divers are always learning”, the motto of Dive Training magazine. I believe this is very true with the rapid evolution in equipment, training and practices.

Other comment: I continue to be surprised and amused by the endless variety of strange, unique, sometimes silly items Alec shares in his weekly “Vintage Scuba @ S2K” section (www.vintagescuba.com). Alec, put out an iPad application for the world to enjoy.

Bill Vass
Occupation: Intellectual Property Lawyer
Current Certification Level: PADI Open Water Scuba Instructor
Best Scuba Course Ever Taken & Why: Divemaster; this course brings it all together – dive theory, dive skills and teaching.
Favourite Course(s) To Teach & Why: Open water to watch a whole new world open to divers; Advanced Open Water to see divers develop confidence, self awareness and take their diving to the next level.

Dive Experience: Tobermory; Cozumel; Jamaica
Prefer Salt Water or Fresh Water & Why: No preference, but the salt water bucket list is the longer list right now.
Best Dive(s): Riding the current in Cozumel

Worst Dive(s): There are no bad dives; just bad visibility
Other Interests: My family, golf, fly fishing
Little Known Fact About Me: I play ice hockey at least once a week year-round.
Personal Goal(s): To keep learning
Personal Motto: Life is Great
Other comment: Thanks to Diana and Alec for giving me the opportunity to learn this great sport. Greg and Joel for their teaching and mentoring.

Greg Vaysman

Occupation: Finance
Current Certification Level: PADI Course Director
Best Scuba Course Ever Taken & Why: Instructor Development Course. I would’ve never guessed such a challenging experience could be so much fun.
Favourite Course(s) To Teach & Why: Divemaster and Assistant Instructor. Call me crazy – but I actually like teaching Physics! Besides, I enjoy developing divers into dive leaders.

Dive Experience: North America, South America, Galapagos, Australia, Thailand

Prefer Salt Water or Fresh Water & Why: No real preference - both have great things to offer
Best Dive(s): The wreck of Yongala, Australia

Brian H. Wake (Nickname: I Dive Ontario)
Occupation: Computer Product Mgr
Current Certification Level: PADI Course Director, DAN Instructor Trainer, EFR Instructor Trainer, DSAT Instructor Trainer
Best Scuba Course Ever Taken & Why: Wreck Course & Fun
Favorite Course(s) To Teach & Why: Eanx, extends bottom time and increases the fun of other courses that can benefit from it.
Rescue course, Fun introducing divers into the leadership levels.
Divemaster Course, allows me to teach more than just the basics of Diving and helps develop leadership skills to each new DMC.
Dive Experience:
Salt Water - Cozumel, Bahamas, Grenada, Florida keys, Tarpin Springs, Catalina Island, Ca., Barbados
Fresh Water - Simcoe (lake), Tobermory, St. Lawrence River (Brockville, Kingston), Couple of quarries in Ontario, Genie Springs, Blue Groto, Crystal Springs
Best Dive(s): The SS Stavronikita wreck in Barbados, Bionca Sea in Grenada, Diving with the Manatee.
Worst Dive: Duane in Florida
Other Interests: Underwater Archeology, Photography
Little Known Fact About Me: Afraid of the Dark
Personal Goal(s): To teach at least one of every course a year.
Personal Motto: I dive because I love it, I love it, so I dive.
Inspirational words: Always remember to have fun.
Kudos: None that I know of or will admit too.To everyone who has joined us in this "Extreme" sport. It is the people that make it the great thing that it is.

David White (Nick name: Scooperu)
Occupation: Independent Business Owner
Current Certification Level: PADI Master Scuba Diver Trainer
Best Scuba Course Ever Taken & Why: U/W Naturalist - Dave Howlett introduced me to the study of the fish, creatures, corals and sponges that comprise the reef. The fascination continues today and it is considered a good dive to observe a creature or a behaviour that has not previously been witnessed.
Favorite Course(s) To Teach & Why: Open Water Class/Pool - This is how the adventure begins. This is when the opportunity to develop good dive habits is strongest. This is where a difference can be made.
Dive Experience:
Salt Water - Baja, Bonaire, Costa Rica (3), Cozumel (4), Florida, North Carolina, Roatan.
Fresh Water - Bala, Barrie, Kingston, Tobermory
Best Dive(s): Was the best dive the first dive, the last dive or will it be the next dive? Who knows, it has been said that a bad day of diving is still better than a good day at work. Oh, this is my work…hmmm…sucks to be me.
Worst Dive: This is like the Abominable Snowman or Bigfoot. Rumours of their existence abound yet I have no personal experience with such things. A "worst" dive…who would have thought it possible. Then again, doing open water certifications at Big Bay Point in November is not high on my list of reasons to get out of bed.
Other Interests: You mean that there is more to life than diving? Oh yes, driving…small cars, really fast small cars. And technology; computers, video cameras, underwater housings, software and stuff.
Little Known Fact About Me: Was the second person to scale the CN Tower. When you are scaling a vertical ladder and you are not the lead dog, the view never changes.
Personal Goal(s): To make the rest of my days the best of my days.
Personal Motto: Success is the quality of your journey, not your destination.
Inspirational words: "What lies behind you and what lies before you pales in significance when compared to what lies within you." - Ralph Waldo Emerson.
Kudos: To Alec for providing the forum, to Diana for calming the waters, to the other leaders for their encouragement and commitment, and to the students for their enthusiasm.

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