About Orlando's Best Scuba Instructors & Staff

 

About us at Dayo Scuba Orlando Florida
Thomas L Johnson aka TJ
tj@dayo.com

TJ started diving while stationed in Greece back in 1981 and 1982, but it was later, in the 90s that he really started diving more often. Maybe it was his leadership days from the US Army, or just a new passion with scuba diving, but one thing led to another and he became a scuba instructor. At the same time he pursued his education and experience doing more extreme diving such as technical and cave diving. He now teaches about anything cave, technical and public safety diving, including instructors. His hobbies these days are surveying new caves anywhere in the world, deep wreck diving, kayaking and that mud motorized gheeno he got last year.
Certifications/Agencies: SDI, TDI & ERDI Instructor Trainer & Evaluator (OW, PSD, Cave & Technical) #3297, IANTD #6514.


About us at Dayo Scuba Orlando Florida
Denise Byrne
denise@dayo.com

I was born in a small town called Clonmel, in the midlands of Ireland. Like most small towns of Ireland, it was very green, mountainous and had very little water…..

Bitten by the water bug from beach visits as a kid, I set about becoming scuba certified and trying to spend as much time as I could underwatr (not an easy task to do in Ireland!).

I learned to dive in college as part of my undergraduate degree in Marine Biology, and later worked as an Aquarium Supervisor in a small aquarium on the west coast of Ireland. As soon as started diving, it quickly became my focus in life. I spent my weekends and any other free time diving and helping out at my local dive store. My Divemaster training gave me an insight into how much I loved working with new divers, and showing people the underwater world.

Due to the adverse weather conditions in Ireland (cold, wind, rain, and often sleet!), the dive season is limited from April to September. I planned and went on over seas trips to break the monotony of the long winter season. My favorite was the Florida Keys, and over my many trips, I came in contact with a broader scale of diving enthusiasts and knowledge. I met a fellow Irish diver, who was a "Cave Diver". I had already had an interest in this aspect of diving, but his recounts of hundreds of feet of visibility and gliding effortlessly through water filled passages fascinated me. Back in Ireland cave diving was unheard of, the caves there were deep, inaccessible and cold, why would anyone want to go in there? Training was unavailable; my own instructor shuddered at the thought of it. So I planned a trip to Florida, the mecca of cave diving, and enrolled in a cavern and introductory cave course, by the end of which, I was hooked! I realized instantly that I would be making a lifestyle change again.

I returned home after my vacation, but soon returned to Florida to pursue more cave diving, as I could not get enough of it. I began to intern as a diving instructor, allowing me to spend all my time in the water. Later again, I became a cave and technical instructor, and still diving all the time.

Running a scuba diving business out of Orlando is a lifestyle choice that keeps me busy and always in the water. I train open water divers, technical and cave divers year round. I also help to manage this forum that provides people an option to cyberdive when not in the water. When not training, I dive throughout Florida and beyond. My upcoming plans for foreign travel include Alaska & Galapagos.

I enjoy spending as much time as I can in and around the water, and enjoy getting to and diving in new destinations. As a marine biologist I want to dive and appreciate the coral reefs I haven't seen throughout the rest of the world. I love photography and am constantly striving to take photos to teach others about our beautiful underwater world. My other hobbies include kayaking, hiking and my cats.

SDI & TDI Instructor Trainer & Evaluator (OW, Cave & Technical) #13415,


About us at Dayo Scuba Orlando Florida
Scott LaPointe
SDI, TDI, Instructor
Orlando & Clermont, Florida
Hobbies: Diving & Bowling!


About us at Dayo Scuba Orlando Florida
Tyler Cole
Shop Manager, SDI & NAUI Instructor
Oviedo, FL


About us at Dayo Scuba Orlando Florida
Demetrios Bechlivanis
Divemaster,
Open Water Refresher Trainer
Altamonte Springs, FL
Hobbies: His bike, collecting scuba gear, diving and arguing over changes at Dayo Scuba!



About us at Dayo Scuba Orlando Florida
Brooke Adrian
Divemaster Intern
Orlando, Florida
Hobbies: Her son and diving

About us at Dayo Scuba Orlando Florida
Dayo Dogs at the Shop! We have 5 regulars.. Watch your step out back!


 

Who are we?

We are very active scuba, cave and technical divers in Orlando and Central Florida, diving nearly every day of the week. This is a full time occupation (and we enjoy it) for the key instructors at Dayo Scuba. We still dive for fun and are actively involved in exploration projects. Scheduling your class is often based around your plans, not some pre-determined class schedule. Don't let our calendar mislead you as to availability of classes

PICTURES! An added but awesome bonus is that we record every class and every dive trip with pictures and video clips; Everytime!

About us at Dayo Scuba Orlando Florida
Robert 'Rob' Andrews

Did some diving in the 90s in lakes in Iowa. No training or visibility. Came to Florida in 2010 and got trained as an OW diver and dived almost every weekend. In 2013, I became a professional scuba diver, teaching at Dayo Scuba. SDI, TDI Instructor, Cave & Tech Diver

About us at Dayo Scuba Orlando Florida
Carol Sugars
carol@dayo.com

Originally from an inland industrial town in the UK Carol learned to dive in the Red Sea in 1988 and since then has dived in the Mediterranean Sea, the Pacific Ocean around Hawaii, multiple locations throughout the Caribbean and of course all around coastal Florida and the Keys as well as many of Floridas inland lakes, rivers, springs and caves. Carol is a Full Cave, Advanced Trimix and Public Safety Diver as well as being a qualified on the rEvo rebreather. As an instructor for Dayo she enjoys teaching all levels of Open Water recreational, Technical and Cave diving and is qualified to teach at the Diver, Divemaster and Instructor level.


About us at Dayo Scuba Orlando Florida
Chris Leavitt
SDI/TDI Instructor,
Technical and Full Cave Diver
Haines City, FL
Hobbies: Cave diving with DPV (Scooters), ocean diving, and WORK (Aghhhh)...

About us at Dayo Scuba Orlando Florida
Tommy Burchfield
SDI & TDI Instructor, Cave & Tech Diver
Orlando, FL
Hobbies: Cave diving and his online internet business


About us at Dayo Scuba Orlando Florida
Ron Creel
Divemaster
SDI/TDI Instructor
Kissimmee, FL
Hobbies: Flying (he teaches that also), Diving and his grand kids

About us at Dayo Scuba Orlando Florida
Donald Lee Wuerz, Jr (Chip)
IANTD & TDI Advanced Trimix,
CCR Instructor
Orlando, Florida
Hobbies: CCRs, learning to teach even more CCRs.

About us at Dayo Scuba Orlando Florida
Bob Rosell
Divemaster - Chief Guide
Orlando, FL
Hobbies: Photography and Diving

 

Jamie Kuhn Divemaster at Dayo Scuba Center LLC, Orlando Florida
Divemaster, Technical and Cave Diver

Conor Ellis at Dayo Scuba Orlando Florida
Conor Ellis
Divemaster Intern

My name's Conor and I've been diving for ten years. I got my Jr. Open water when I was ten and have loved diving ever since. My favorite dives are wreck dives because they're full of life and make for great photo ops. I do a lot of diving in south Florida, but I live in Gainesville for school right now so if you're ever up north feel free to give me a call and we'll set up some dives.


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