Professional Association of Diving Instructors

ABOUT SCUBA STATION

Tom Northey - Co-Owner

Tom Northey first became interested in scuba diving as a 10 year old when a friend’s father allowed him to breathe from a compressor using a full face mask at the bottom of the friend’s pool. The experience stayed with him as he grew into adulthood.

As a young adult, while teaching karate at his own school, Tom met a new student who also happened to be a PADI scuba instructor. Tom made a deal with the student to exchange karate classes for scuba classes. The deal helped him to realize two goals in his life that had stayed with him since that first underwater experience at age 10; to become a scuba diver and to use his diving skills as a source of income.

After becoming a certified scuba diver in 1982, Tom became a swimming pool servicing contractor capable of making repairs under water. Several years later, when a dive shop opened in his home town of Fernandina Beach, Florida he decided to work his way up through the ranks. Tom became a master scuba diver in 1990. While working on becoming a master scuba diver he crossed over from the recreational side of scuba diving to the professional side, eventually becoming a Divemaster, Assistant Instructor, Open Water Scuba Instructor, Master Scuba Diving Trainer, and in 1994, a Master Scuba Instructor.

Tom was the chief scuba instructor for Aqua Explorers Dive Center in Fernandina Beach for over eight years as well as past President of and instructor for the Nassau County Volunteer Dive Rescue Team. He also worked as The Scuba Operations Director for Sun Swept Oceans Resorts on the island of St Lucia.

Tom has a passion for scuba diving and enjoys training students to become safe divers so they can discover the wonderful world under water.

Kathy Russell - Co-Owner

Kathy Russell became a certified diver in 1976 in upstate New York as a 15 year-old high school student. After several years of diving only in cold mountain lakes, she visited Grand Cayman and Bonaire with her high school dive club. She soon decided she needed to move to a warmer climate closer to the ocean. Choosing to attend college in Florida, she found abundant opportunities for new dive experiences and training at the University of Florida, eventually earning her PADI Divemaster certification. She has been a PADI scuba instructor since 1992.

A former high school science teacher for 17 years, Kathy especially enjoyed teaching Marine and Environmental Science courses, subjects that were enhanced by her enthusiasm for scuba diving and conserving the world’s oceans. Likewise, her educational training and years of experience working with teens have made her a successful scuba instructor for people of all ages and abilities.

Bob Tatem

Bob Tatem - Staff Instructor

Bob was originally certified NAUI open water back in 1977. His first open water dives were done in Long Island sound off of Fairfield Ct. He dove a little here and there and then Joined the Navy and became a Navy Certified Scuba Diver. The Navy allowed him to dive all over the world and then brought him to Novato Ca. Here he started to dive a great deal and became both a PADI master scuba diver and divemaster/assitant instructor. After 2 years and many classes later he took the plunge and became a Padi Scuba Instructor in 1984. He then through his naval career ended up teaching in Virginia, Washington state, Pennsylvania and now Florida. He has dove in the Pacific, Atlantic, Gulf of Mexico, Mediterranien, Carribean and Bahamas. He has also performed professional salvage and treasure hunting.

Tami Wheat - Divemaster

Bio coming soon!!