Paddy Ryan

Paddy did his first dive in December 1977 and has been diving pretty much ever since. He has now logged over 1000 dives in a variety of habitats ranging from the sub-Antarctic Auckland Islands to the equatorial tropics. He's written three books with a strong diving component. The first, Fiji's Natural Heritage includes the marine environment in a general over view of Fiji nature. The Snorkeller's Guide to the Coral Reef followed and then he wrote Fiordland Underwater: New Zealand's Hidden Wilderness with friend and colleague Chris Paulin. He is currently working on The Joy of Fish.

Paddy is a full professor at the Denver campus of Johnson & Wales University, interim Chair of the School of Arts & Sciences and an Adjunct Associate Professor at the Colorado School of Mines. It goes without saying that he is a keen nature photographer. He has also been known to enjoy the occasional microbrew and the occasional glass of wine.

He is married to the long suffering Kathy (see below). He has two children, Sarah (23) and Lucy (21) who live with their Mom in New Zealand.

Photo courtesy of Dave Herrick

Kathy Ryan

Kat snorkeled in New Zealand's Fiordland while on a dive trip organized by Chris Paulin and Paddy. This trip had the unfortunate result (for Kathy) of her eventually marrying Paddy and the fortunate result of stimulating her to learn to dive. Since that time Kat has recorded over 150 dives in Fiji, Belize, Cozumel and Florida and is now an Advanced Open Water Diver. Kathy currently teaches math at Front range Community College and at several institutions that teach online. She is also the owner of Pacific Island Books (www.pacificislandbooks.com) another result of meeting Paddy ...

Kathy is a book-lover but laments that she doesn't get enough time to read. She is also an inveterate traveler having been on such exotic trips as a cruise on the Nile and a visit to the Seychelles ('cos it sounded interesting). She has two daughters, Becca and Sarah, both of whom are accomplished divers, Sarah has just completed her Rescue Diver qualification. Kat hates diving with Paddy and wants a dive buddy.

Dave Herrick

Dave has come on eight of Paddy's eleven annual dive trips. Dave can always be relied on to have a beer with me (so I don't drink alone) and has never ever turned down a dive when requested. He is good to dive with as his bald pate can be seen from some distance away. On occasion high flying aircraft have mistaken it for an airport landing light.

Dave is an excellent underwater photographer (still using his trusty Nik 5 as far as I know) and a very experienced diver (he's been diving since 1975). He's been to Sulawesi, Fiji, Raja Ampat and Belize with me and has dived extensively down the east coast. In real life Dave works as Assistant Principal in a special education program for emotionally disturbed secondary students yet still manages to remain more or less sane. He will retire before the 2010 dive trip and promises to come on all future dives.

In addition to diving, Dave's interests include drinking, photography, playing guitar, boating and travel.

Ken Brandt

I met Ken in 2004 when he was working at Bamboo Reef Resort in Fiji. We hit it off and have been friends ever since. So far Ken has been on the 2005 Fiji trip, the 2006 Belize trip, Fiji 2007 and Kri Eco (Raja Ampat) 2008. Ken is going to write his own bio (so he says) but his presence on this trip is so important I wanted to get this up asap. Ken is a PADI Dive Instructor and likes nothing more than looking after beginners and inattentive photographers.

Ken is an ex Vietnam veteran ( a radio operator I think), an ex-Highway patrolman, he sails yachts and has his private pilot's license and he can fix anything on the planet. He also has infinite patience and loves to help learners. The only thing wrong with him is that he doesn't like Fiji Bitter (but he does like single malts so he isn't all bad).

Ken's own bio follows:

Yes, a Vietnam Vet, a flight engineer/aviation electrician, assigned to Patrol Squadron 6 out of Barbers Point Hawaii and Iwakuni Japan. Ex California Highway Patrol Lieutenant. The rest is okay also.

Learned to dive in Monterey, April 1996, so I could clean the bottom of my sailboat and after a trip to Cozumel was hooked! Certified as a Padi Instructor in March 1998. Now work and live diving in Kona Hawaii. I currently have 1200 plus dives and 1000 plus hours underwater. One more thing, Fiji Bitter is NOT beer!! (Paddy's note: Okay it's not as good as the stuff from the Kona brewery but it's better than NO beer!)

Looking forward to some more excellent times!

Joni Bruegel

I'm Joni. How I got here is a long story, so I'll give you the short version. A fellow came to a high school in my small town in California and introduced me to SCUBA Diving and my life changed forever! I certified Open Water in Monterey CA in May of 2008 and Advanced Open Water in January of 2009 in the Bahamas. My instructor there was Ken, who, like Paddy says, has infinite patience!

My new "town" is Kona Hawaii, where I'm doing my Divemaster training. I currently have 84 dives and thanks to warm Hawaii water, just over 71 hours underwater. By the time I get to meet all of you, I will, hopefully, be a Divemaster with over 100 dives. I'm looking forward to the diving and those beautiful sunsets I've seen so many pictures of and drinking some of Paddy's Single Malt (Paddy here - harrrrumph).

Dave and Helen Hassall

I've known Dave and Helen longer than anyone else on this page. I first met Dave in 1978 when we both taught at the University of the South Pacific. Despite Dave being an arrogant Aussie bastard we became friends. After three years Dave went back to Australia on sabbatical, met up with friend Helen and ended up marrying her in what both described as "A triumph of optimism over experience". He also moved back to Brisbane, went back to school to study landscape architecture and started successful landscaping and nursery businesses. Quite a move for guy with a doctorate in plant taxonomy.

Helen, once a school teacher, nurtured son Christopher and daughter Leah into independence. Leah is a diver. Dave must have attributes I can't see, because this stunning woman is still with him. Helen is a great cook (chef) and can knock back wine with the best of us. She introduced me to Etta James which is what good friends do. I will always cherish that Dave and Helen didn't pick sides during my divorce. I wish more people were that mature.

Dave is cutting back on his work commitments to spend more time with Helen and to gallivant around the world (he just came back from a trip to Madagascar). He also does international environmental consultancy, most recently in the Pacific Island nation of Nauru.

Dave and Hellion completed their PADI dive qualification to come on the Raja Ampat trip in 2008. Dave has been diving for many years but has finally decided to become legal. Helen is totally at home in the water and you'd think she'd been diving for years. I am really excited they are joining us because Dave and I really got to know each other on Taveuni during a field trip so there will be some nostalgia ... sorry. Welcome aboard old buddies.

Shannon Mayes

I’m Shannon Mayes and I have been diving since 1998.  I have somewhere in the neighborhood of 100 dives, probably more, but I have not logged all of my dives.  I met Paddy and Kathy in 1999.  I am a former student of Paddy (Metropolitan State College of Denver) and went on my first dive trip to Fiji with Paddy and Kathy in 1999.  I went to Mexico this year (2009) on my 10th dive trip with Paddy.  Paddy, Kathy and I have become good friends over the years, to the point that Kathy’s departing words for me are usually, “don’t let him do anything too stupid.” 

Dawn Riccobini

I'm Dawn Coplin Riccoboni, mother of a son, Dominic who is 14, a daughter, Jordan who is 12, divorced over 5 years now.  My undergrad is in Finance and my Master's is in Education Administration.  I'm the Chief Business Official of two districts in the city of Exeter, California.  I've been in the school finance field for 21 years.  I love to travel, love to dance and read and listen to smooth jazz (though going to the concerts and drinking fabulous wine is even better - you can dance, listen and drink all at the same place and time).  Did I mention that I love to travel???  And scuba dive, too, though I am in the beginner'ish range when compared to everyone else!!!  And I love trying new things, eating new things, seeing new places and meeting new people.

Walter and Laura Hix

ME

It seems I’m the new kid on the block compared to everyone else!!! ! I am doing my open water certification in December with Ken, Paddy, Walt and Kat. I’m glad Ken has infinite patience! Diving is something I have wanted to do for many years as I love snorkeling. I met Paddy about 11 years ago while I was a student at Metro. We lost touch for several years because I had no social life while going through CU’s Physician Assistant program! I work with children in foster care, teens in residential treatment and do consults on child abuse and neglect cases…makes for great party conversation! We live in a beautiful old house under perpetual construction (Walt and I are the hired help) near downtown Denver. My 22 year old daughter Amanda and her fiancé Zach are about to have a baby boy, our first grandbaby! I can’t wait to spoil him rotten then give him back! Revenge is mine! My other expensive hobbies include skiing, riding a street bike (Walter’s idea!) and dirt biking. I have a greenhouse full of orchids and serve on the board of the Denver Orchid Society. I also love to cook, travel and dance (Dawn, I’ll see you on the dance floor). Hopefully this will be the first of many trips!!

WALT

Walt is also just getting his open water certification, too! He is a very talented craftsman with all things construction! He has done all the beautiful woodwork and stained glass in our house. Walt’s degree is in accounting/finance and worked in construction project management for many years. He is now the facility manager for DirecTV. Walt also rides motorcycles, plays pool and is learning to play the guitar. He likes all kinds of music and enjoys traveling. He can’t wait to buy his grandson power tools and other cool guy stuff.

There is a rumor that they drank all of the wine in these glasses!

Andris Lapins and Nancy Bale

Hi, I'm Andris and the gal in the photo is Nanc, my erstwhile adventure partner and wife. We've been diving now for around a decade, mostly in the Caribbean, and this opportunity to expand our horizons and explore FIJI is just too good to pass up! We're not Cousteau mind you, although I have to admit I often find myself checking Nanc for gills based on her air consumption (or lack thereof). Myself, I'm not sure if I dive because I get to see all this cool stuff or because the beer tastes so damn good after a couple of cans o' compressed air. Either way it's all good. Diving however is not our only gig. We're equal opportunity adventurists, at home with anything from trekking the Inca trail to Machu Picchu or lounging in a Tuscan hill town café gorging on suckling pig and Chianti. That being said, you probably won't be finding us ringside at a WWF smack down. Unfortunately, we're only amateurs and have to fund our addiction in some manner, here in the Seattle/Puget Sound area, which I do as an architect and Nanc as an elementary school librarian. (If you ask nicely and ply her with a mojito or two, she might don her reading glasses and put her hair in a bun!) There have been reports that we've been seen in association with Gena Meyer, also signed up for this adventure, in the dark netherworld of Cozumel's seediest dives, but I hereby deny any complicity in the matter what so ever! Looking forward to sucking some air and whatever else we can find, with all of you folks. See ya in FIJI!!

Peter and Kerstin Rawlins

Kerstin
Kerstin pronounced Shastin, a name to confuse you all.

At the age of twelve, in 1976, I went for my open water certificate but was not allowed to participate in the final open water dive because I was under age. In January 2008 we stayed overnight on a dive boat on the Great Barrier Reef in Cairns where we had seven dives under twelve metres. On returning home we endeavoured to get our diving certificates, better now than never. Diving was fantastic in Fiji, January 2009 which encouraged me to complete  my Advanced Open Water Certificate because there are so many great dives beyond 18 metres. Here we met Paddy for the first time at the dining table of the Garden Island Resort in Taveuni Fiji.  Later we found ourselves standing on chairs on the balcony next door at the First Light Inn, where our accommodation was, no we were not drunk, trying to catch a rare moth for a photographic shoot. After a few songs and viewing Paddy’s last photographic book on Fiji, he handed us his business card and invited us to join him on his next dive trip to Fiji. Back home, the March Advanced Course was cancelled due to lack of numbers and also again in April leaving May, absolutely freezing in Melbourne in a wet suit and I wasn’t going to wait until next Summer. So here I am with a certificate in hand and about 26 dives in my log book. When out of the water, I enjoy listening to music preferably Jazz, eating healthy food, dancing, watching good documentaries, gardening and spending one on one time with my children which isn’t often these days as they are all adults.

Peter
Peter has his Open Water Certificate with about fourteen dives in his log book. He has been working in the building industry for 33 years. For the last six years he has worked as a Building Site Construction Manager building Nursing Homes in Victoria. He enjoys listening to music and plays the guitar, piano and sings. Peter also loves to cook with a glass of good wine in hand and taking photographs.

(Note from Paddy: that looks like champagne in the glasses ... I can assure you that these two will fit right in. Welcome aboard!)

Gena Meyer

Hello from Palancar Gardens in Cozumel Mexico.  My name is Gena Meyer and I have been diving for about a decade. Exploring new islands is one of my passions and I am very excited to finally be able to go to Fiji and check it out. Have visited over a dozen islands in the Caribbean with my dive buddies Nanc and Andris, who will also be on this trip. When I'm not underwater or reading a great book or ten on a beach, I teach 2nd grade in the Seattle area. Since I have only a part time job, according to Andris, I have more vacation time to jump on a plane and collect another passport stamp. Looking forward to lots of bottom time and seeing new species of the amazing underwater world.

Robin Ekholm

I am an Osteopathic Family Physician in practice for 24 years in both Family Practice and Urgent Care. I presently work in a community clinic and teach part time at the Osteopathic Medical School in Northern California. I have been diving since, as they said in Hawaii, "diving was dangerous and sex was safe". I got certified in a stone quarry in South Dakota and then got my experience diving every weekend for 3 years out of Miami Florida. I maintained my own 100 gallon salt water aquarium while going to nursing school. Those dive sites included Bimini, the Keys, and the Virgin Islands. I then went to Medical School and dived the Turk & Caicos Islands, Grand Cayman, Cancun and Hawaii. In 2006 I joined Paddy's group for 17 dives in Belize and again in Fiji (2007), Raja Ampat (2008) and Baja California (2009) where I was trip physician. Here my biggest job was to help pull cactus spines out of Paddy's bum.

Fun stuff.

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