Meet Your Instructors...
Andrea Faris - Instructor
Andrea loves to be underwater!
Andrea is a well rounded individual with many varied and diverse interests, however, none have captured her heart as much as diving! Andrea learned to dive in 2006 when she was enrolled in the Capilano University Professional Scuba Dive Instructor program. She was hand picked from the progam and began working full-time at Ocean Quest both in store and as an instructor. Andrea has since achieved her PADI Master Instructor rating and can teach most PADI Specialties. In November 2009, Andrea took a short sabbatical from Ocean Quest and worked in the beautiful Bay Islands of Honuduras. Andrea has now returned as one of our most active instructors and is involved in many courses including the Capilano U Professional Scuba Dive Instructor program, SFU Kids Certification Camps and our regualar courses from Open Water, Specialties and professional level training.
Mike Telford - Instructor
Mike started diving in his teenage years. Mike took his PADI Instructor Course at Ocean Quest in the mid-2000's and hasn't looked back since. Mike has travelled and taught thoughout South East Asia and since his return to Vancouver in 2009 he has been teaching up a storm. Mikes enthusiasm for diving and dedication to his students is easy to see.
Charito Kaay, P.Eng. - Instructor
Charito's early interest in protecting the environment led to her education and career as a professional environmental engineer. As an environmental engineer, she has been involved in the creation of a rockfish habitat (HMCS Annapolis) and various marine rehabilitation projects across B.C. As an avid local diver and PADI Open Water Scuba Instructor since 2001, her goal is not only to provide quality instruction, but encourage well rounded divers in many specialty areas to safely explore all aspects of the underwater world. Her credentials also include several Specialty ratings including Emergency First Response, Deep, Night, Drysuit, Peak Performance Buoyancy, Project AWARE, and AWARE Coral Reef Conservation. You can often find Charito diving with her husband taking underwater photographs; allowing Charito to share her passion for protecting our aquatic environment.
Hamish Tweed - Instructor / Technical Instructor
Hamish started diving in 1991 in Ontario. He immediately caught the diving bug and continued to actively dive over the next three years eventually earning his PADI Divemaster rating in 1994. In 1995 Hamish decided to move to Vancouver to pursue a career as a scuba diving instructor and soon began working full time in a local dive centre. It was his enthusiasm for more diving experiences that lead Hamish to enroll in first technical diving course.
Hamish has since gained tremendous experience both as a diver and as an instructor concentrating much of his efforts on technical diving. Hamish’s professional accomplishments include earning instructor ratings through PADI, IANTD, TDI and DSAT. Hamish is also an IANTD Technical Instructor Trainer and was once the Head Instructor for IANTD Canada. In 2000, Hamish founded and successfully ran a full service dive centre specializing in technical diving and dive expeditions. To date, Hamish has trained and certified hundreds of technical divers in all areas. His passion for Wreck Diving has also lead to Hamish joining or leading over 100 expeditions throughout BC, Canada and the world.
Hamish’s 15 years of experience as both a technical diver and technical instructor has provided many opportunities including a role as head safety diver for the world-record setting Canadian Free diving team from 2001 to 2003, a presenter and keynote speaker for local diving organizations and as a volunteer with his local community police office assisting in a number of underwater search and recovery operations. Hamish is also an accomplished Underwater Videographer and has also published a number of articles and stories on diving.
Hamish joined the Ocean Quest instructional staff in late 2010 and we are happy to have him as an addition to our experienced team diving professionals. His ability and experience will inspire confidence and make him a great choice as an instructor.
Isabelle is a Professor of Tropical Marine Ecology at Simon Fraser University. She has studied fish behaviour and coral reef ecology throughout most of the Caribbean and the Indo-Pacific region. She moved to BC in 2005 and soon discovered the thrills (and chills) of the Pacific Northwest underwater life. She is the Diving Safety Officer at Simon Fraser University, where she trains students in scientific diving.
Isabelle qualified as an Open Water Instructor, EFR Instructor and DAN Oxygen Instructor with Ocean Quest, and occasionally helps to teach Open Water courses.
Dr Isabelle Cote - Instructor
Chris Vandermeer - Divemaster
Chris completed the PADI Advanced Open Water program with Ocean Quest in the beautiful waters of Vancouver in 2002. He continued diving recreationally around the world for the next 8 years before taking the next step to PADI professional. A two month sabbatical yielded over 100 dives and a PADI Divemaster certification. Now back home diving every weekend as a Divemaster leading Saturday Morning Dives for Ocean Quest, Chris is looking to explore the Vancouver area waters and share his passion for the underwater world.
Gary Friesen - Instructor
Gary was certified as a PADI Open Water diver 1991. After many years of diving Gary decided to share his love for the underwater environment by enrolling in his PADI Instructor Course with Ocean Quest in 2005. Gary has since expanded his credentials to include several Specialty Instructor ratinings including EFR Instructor, Deep, Enriched Air, Night Wreck, Peak Performance Buoyancy, Underwater Photo and Underwater Video. Gary is also certifed as a NSS-CDS Cave Diver and UTD Tech 2 Diver.
Gary's expeditions include diving in Mexico, Cuba, Cayman Islands and as of this January, Thailand, Indonesia and Borneo. Gary enjoys diving British Columbia's wreck, reef and wall dives in Vancouver, Nanaimo, Port Hardy, Campbell River and Barklay Sound.
Lately, Gary is rarely found without a Video Camera in hand. Check out some of his videos in our Video Gallery!
Linda Woo - Instructor
Linda was certified as an Open Water Instructor in 1991. She learned to dive with friends and enjoyed the great social gatherings the diving life style offered. Linda's love of water, travel, and new experiences are all met through scuba diving.
"There is always something new to discover in every dive along the coast of British Columbia or planning a trip away with a group of friends around the world. The lear of pristine diving, great friends, lots of fun, and sharing the love of diving with other divers has keep me teaching,"
