Meet our team
A dive store is only as good as it's team, and we've got the best!
ROBYN FYFE - Owner, Instructor
I have always wanted to learn to dive as long as I can remember and diving in Galapagos was a childhood dream. When I moved to Victoria in 1980 the first thing I did was get certified, then I found a great diving community and trained up to PADI Divemaster. During my 10 years in Victoria, I regularly dived local sites and discovered the incredible, critter rich waters of Port Hardy, including breathtaking Browning Passage and the exhilarating Nakwakto Rapids. Fast forward to 2012 my husband, Scot, encouraged me to become a PADI Instructor and to this day I enjoy introducing new divers to the wonders of our ocean. Scot and I fulfilled my dream of diving in Galapagos in 2013 and we also visited Bonaire, Curacao and Thailand for some spectacular diving. Of our 6 kids, 5 are certified and we hope to have the 6th certified after she finishes giving us beautiful grandchildren who are already hooked on the idea of becoming divers. I love owning Pacific Pro Dive because it is a perfect way to build community and promote conservation. I hope to see all of you out diving soon!
What is it about diving you love? The best part of diving is the community. I love meeting new divers and experienced divers alike and sharing our wondrous underwater world with them. It is never boring seeing the same creatures over and over but so exhilarating finding new ones and the same goes for dive buddies.
What is your favourite dive site? My favourite dive site is Seven Tree Island in Browning Passage, near Port Hardy. Every dive there is sensory overload because there is so much life to see. I am truly spoiled to live where the best diving in the world is at my fingertips.
What advice can you give to new divers? Don’t stop at Open Water. Keep diving, keep learning and keep exploring the wonders of our ocean.
SCOT FYFE - Owner, AOW Diver
I believe that our responsibility as people is to be good stewards of our planet, the animals on it and the environment in which we live. As a dive center we are in a unique position to teach people just how delicate and diverse our underwater world is. Seeing the excitement in the eyes of a new diver makes it all worthwhile. The world is an amazing place, and diving around the world has opened my eyes to how beautiful the oceans and the life in it are. It’s a reminder to never take what we have for granted.
What is it about diving you love? I love the uniqueness of underwater life and the diversity from one side of the island to the other. It is important that we educate each other on how to respect and conserve the life.
What is your favourite dive site? My favourite dive site is in Galapagos because there is so much big life.
What advice can you give to new divers? Never be afraid to ask as many questions as you can before you make your first gear purchase.
DAVE HALL - Manager, Instructor
I have been fascinated by the underwater world since childhood, and in particular I’m captivated by the incredible and unique creatures in the world beneath the waves. Growing up in Southern Ontario, my first time breathing underwater was through my high school running a try-a-dive experience in the community pool, which was soon followed by a PADI Discover Scuba experience on the Great Barrier Reef in Australia, and after that I was fully hooked! I then quickly completed both my Open Water and Advanced certifications before I’d graduated high school. After university my wife, Sabrina, and I moved to Australia for her to undertake her Master of Science degree, and I managed to land a job at the only dive shop in town where I then made the transition from recreational diver to professional by becoming a PADI Instructor in 2004. I had so many amazing dive experiences and unforgettable animal encounters on the Great Barrier Reef! Although we loved Australia, we moved back to Canada to have and raise our two children, and I stepped away from the dive industry instead working for many years in a management role at a university. I continued to dive regularly, although not as frequently, exploring both freshwater lakes and rivers in Ontario and a variety of ocean environments during trips to the Caribbean, Hawaii and Mexico. Fast-forwarding to 2023, while exploring beautiful Vancouver Island during a year-long family camping road trip, I first met Robyn, Scot and the PPD team and instantly felt welcomed into the vibrant dive community. When our family decided to settle in the Comox Valley, I knew that Pacific Pro Dive was where I wanted to work, and I’m very excited and grateful to now be part of the team!
What is it about diving you love?
I truly love that each dive gives you a chance to observe the natural behaviour and interactions of animals in their underwater habitats. There are just so many captivating and beautiful organisms to be found, especially when you slow down and look at the little stuff. I also have a passion for underwater imaging, and the challenge and reward of trying to capture a great shot!
As an instructor, I really enjoy introducing people to the incredible underwater world, and their excitement when they surface after seeing so many cool things on their dive! It is also very rewarding helping new divers build their skills and develop confidence.
What is your favourite dive site?
Currently my favourite local dive site is Oak Leaf, in Nanoose Bay, as it offers such a wide range of landscapes (e.g.: wall; rocky reef; shallow bays; sand flats) and a variety of creatures to check out so even though I’m there often I always find something new!
My favourite overseas dive destination is Cozumel, as I enjoy the fun of drift dives and the variety of marine life and coral formations; and of course, I’ll always have a special place reserved for the Great Barrier Reef!
What is it about Vancouver Island diving you enjoy so much?
Being newer to Vancouver Island, I am amazed and so excited by all the diving opportunities the island offers, as it is just incredible how many different types of ecosystems there are to explore, in addition to a wide variety of dive types available to match whatever style of diving interests you most.
What advice can you give to new divers?
Continuing to practice and enhance your dive skills will make you much more confident and comfortable in the water. Taking another dive course soon after your Open Water course is a great way to expand your knowledge and skills, while gaining more diving experience with the guidance of an instructor.
What is your favourite piece of dive gear?
I’m a huge fan of my Atomic Aquatics M1 regulator, as it makes breathing effortless regardless of conditions and I know the M1 can handle whatever type of diving I may progress into next. I also love my underwater camera housing, which enables me to capture the beauty of the underwater world, plus the fun of experimenting with new ways to setup my rig to capture the images I’m aiming for.
GRACE PHILLIPS - Instructor
I was drawn to and intrigued by the ocean for as long as I can remember. As soon as I was old enough at age 15, I eagerly learned to dive with the British Sub-Aqua Club (BSAC), and then gained a degree in Marine Biology. Since then, I have dived all around the world (for research and fun) and progressed my diving career by completing my PADI Divemaster certification in the Bahamas, and later my PADI Instructor certification in Canada. Recently, I have started to get involved with underwater macro photography; I find the intricate details and patterns of the different animals, that you can only see close up, so fascinating!
What is it about diving you love?
I find being underwater incredibly peaceful and I love to have special little moments observing different marine creatures in their natural habitat. I also love that diving allows people to build a connection with underwater animals and habitats which is crucial for advancing marine conservation and awareness.
What is your favourite dive site?
Internationally, it would have to be Darwin's Arch in the Galapagos as I saw oceanic manta rays, scalloped hammerhead sharks, a tiger shark, turtles and dolphins all in one dive! Locally, my favourite site so far would be Madrona Point as it's the first (and only!) time I've encountered a sealion underwater.
What advice can you give to new divers?
Get involved with the local dive community. I learned to dive through BSAC which is very club-oriented and allowed me to learn from and dive with a range of very experienced divers, and allowed me to feel comfortable and supported experiencing new and more challenging dive conditions. Here in Courtenay, Pacific Pro Dive organizes club dives every other weekend and I highly recommend to regularly sign up!
GUY DEWOLF - Divemaster
Guy took up scuba diving in 2017 after retiring and moving to the Comox Valley. Guy is now a Dive Master, leading local dives, and also works in Pacific Pro Dive's Courtenay dive centre. As a military veteran Guy is also a member of CFB Comox's 19 Wing Pacific Divers Scuba Club with whom he teaches Discover Scuba Diving courses, assists with Open Water courses and serves on the club's technical committee. When not scuba diving Guy is frequently riding his Harley Davidson motorcycle year round with his fellow veteran biker friends around Vancouver Island and beyond.
What is your favourite dive site? Of the numerous amazing dive sites around Vancouver Island Guy is most fond of China Creek located just south of the town of Port Alberni. The wreck and the wall at China Creek are wonderful dives for both beginners and more advanced divers.
What is your favourite piece of dive gear? Guy's favourite piece of equipment is his underwater light, which he uses for indicating underwater points of interest for other divers and illumination for photography.
What is it about Vancouver Island diving you enjoy so much? Guy was born and raised on Vancouver Island and has a strong connection to the land and waters here. The marine life is abundant and captivatingly beautiful. With the mild winter climate, diving the waters around Vancouver Island is a year round activity. Emerging from the sea after a winter dive to see the snow capped mountains of the Central Vancouver Island Mountain Range and the Coast Mountains is to experience some of the most unparalleled natural beauty of Vancouver Island.
ANDREW LUCK - Divemaster
I am a retired Combat Engineer. I started diving in 1987 and have pursued diving on and off over the years. I am currently working as a Divemaster assisting with classes and guiding groups as well as individual divers. I am also an active member of the Comox Base Military Dive Club where I volunteer my time as club Vice President, Divemaster and on the Technical Committee. When I am not in the water, I can be found riding my mountain bike on local trails in the valley.
What is your favourite dive site? There a multitude of amazing dives on and around Vancouver Island. When at a site I can be heard saying that Bold Point is one of my favourites. They are all good, but given the choice, I will go to Bold Point on Quadra Island because it has dramatic walls and an abundance of life.
What is your favourite piece of dive gear? My favourite piece of equipment is my mask. A good dive mask will make or break a dive. I use an Atomic Subframe that is perfectly fitted to my face with the cheater lenses which allows me to see my gauges and enjoy leak free dives. Buying a mask that fits is the key.
What is it about Vancouver Island diving you enjoy so much? I love the diversity of marine life on the island. We get the opportunity to dive with some amazing creatures from sea lions and seals to wolf eels, octopus and incredible flora and fauna, Every dive is a new experience.
RYAN VERMA - Divemaster
I started diving in 2008 when a good friend convinced me to take the open water course while we were at the Royal Military College in Kingston. I had a rather long hiatus from diving when I got stuck in Saskatchewan for nearly 9 years, but now that I'm here in Comox, I'm fortunate to be able to dive much more frequently. I enjoy helping new divers with their buoyancy and trim, sharing lessons I've learned from my diving mentors and my own experience over the years. When I'm not diving, I'm sailing, skiing, hiking, weightlifting or talking to airplanes as an Air Traffic Controller at the Base.
What is it about diving you love? The underwater world is completely different to the world we live in above water. The topography, plants and animals are all different and are varied depending on where you dive. I love exploring this world within our world and meeting the inhabitants, and seeing them go about their daily business, I've come to realize we have more in common than one might think.
What is your favourite dive site? In our local waters, the Madrona Walls are my favourite site. There is such a variety of life to be seen that you'll never have an uneventful dive at Madrona!
What advice can you give to new divers? Master your buoyancy, trim and finning techniques, and be extremely familiar with your equipment! Your Open Water course gives you the most essential training, but it's up to you to practice your skills and make navigating the water as second-nature as walking. Not only will this increase your overall enjoyment of diving, but it will help protect the underwater environment and decrease the risks associated with SCUBA.
RANDY WEBB - Divemaster
I started scuba diving in 2017. I immediately was drawn to the ever-changing ecosystems of the underwater BC Westcoast waters. Each dive site offers an array of different creatures and landscapes that makes BC fascinating. When I am not diving, I can be found doing a lengthy list of hobbies from, ice hockey, golf, to anything outdoors our amazing province has to offer.
What is your favourite dive site?
A dive site that requires calm current conditions but is host to an abundance of marine life is a site called Copper Cliffs. This site offers many plant like organisms and fields of strawberry anemones on its cliff walls. This drift style dive is current dependent and only accessible by boat. Often wolf eels at deeper depths and some bigger pelagic can be spotted here. Tides windows can be short so monitoring the tide is crucial.
What is your favourite piece of dive gear?
My favorite pieces of dive gear are my computers. Without them my safety would be in question. I dive with two computers integrated to my tank. I use Shearwater’s Teric & Perdix AI. Their customization and displays are as good as all the top brands in the scuba industry.
What advice can you give to new divers?
The better you are at knowing your equipment inside and out the easier it is to maintain a streamlined diving profile. Once your equipment is automatic, a diver can focus on other areas, such as breathing & observing marine life. This is when the fun really begins. Master your gear and you will be on your way to next level dives.
IZZY DUGGAN - Divemaster Candidate
I’m from a tiny island in the English Channel so have always found myself drawn to the sea and having two divers as parents also made a huge impact. My dad took my sister and me to Egypt to learn to dive when I was around 12. I then continued my diving adventure while living in Western Australia on the Ningaloo Reef. So excited to be living here in Vancouver Island and diving all year round. Can’t wait to ski and dive on the same day. When I’m not diving, I’m surfing, swimming, skiing, hiking and learning about the natural environment and ecology of the island.
What is it about diving you love?I’m quite a chatterbox, but ironically, I really enjoy the tranquility of diving, being able to be fully immersed in the underwater world without anyone pestering you or asking a question is amazing. The variety of life in the waters around the island is so diverse, making every dive a unique experience.
What is your favorite dive site? Locally I really enjoy Oak Leaf as there are different landscapes to explore in the one site, making it fun to look for bigger creatures like Octopus and then also look for the tiniest nudibranchs. Specifically in BC, I have to say that Browning wall by Nigei Island just off the Northeast coast of Vancouver Island is my favorite dive in the area so far.
What advice can you give to new divers? Practice makes perfect. I would go through lapses in not diving often and then find myself so rusty after a big break. As soon as you’re qualified, join a local club and get out there as much as possible.
JACKSON KUHN - Team Member, AOW Diver
I started Diving when I was twelve after moving to the Comox valley from Ontario and I have loved diving since. When i'm not playing sports or at the shop i'm out in vancouver islands waters scuba diving.
What is your favorite dive site? Out of all the dive sites I've visited, I would have to say that Mermaid cove is my favorite. The statue is amazing alongside the sea life
What is it about diving that you love? Diving isn't like anything else that you will experience and that's one of the reasons I love diving, I also love diving because of the diving community.
What is advice you'd give to new divers? Be safe! Diving is fun and exciting but if you don't do a number of certain things you could seriously injure yourself.