Country
I'm Belgian, but I feel part of the world because I'm good with all people, no matter where I go. I dive a lot in Belgium, France and the Netherlands. But I enjoy discovering other horizons all around the globe.
Diving Spec
As a diving instructor, blogger, author and photographer, I love to inspire and encourage people to discover and protect the underwater world. That's why I created my blog Different Dive in 2017. I also love to try new activities regularly such as cave diving that I have been practicing for two years. All bodies of water fascinate me, no matter if they are salty or not.
Why you do it
I have always been deeply in love with the aquatic environment since my very early childhood. In the water, everything seems so simple to me. I practiced swimming for a long time and became a lifeguard. It wasn't until late that I started diving. And it was love at first sight. So much so that I left my job as a trainer in a company to devote myself entirely to diving and transmitting information to the greatest number with kindness and respect for everyone's differences. I write books that are accessible, inspiring and fun.
Why DAN
DAN is a no-brainer for me. I joined the organization in my very first year of diving for the insurance component. But very quickly, it was the scientific research and the increase of knowledge for the whole community that seduced me. In the information and education work I do through my blog Different Dive, security issues are central and I often refer to DAN. Also, I am very proud to be able to be an ambassador for this organization that works for the safety of everyone around the world.
Country
Serbia and all around the world.
Diving Spec
Scuba instructor, photographer and videographer, drone operator.
Why you do it
I started diving for underwater photography. However, very soon it turned from a hobby to a profession. I often say that I have the best job in the world – because I love it.
Why DAN
I have always admired those who move forward without boundaries. DAN does exactly that throughout its operations and research. I am very grateful for the opportunity to be a part of something like that.
Country
Denmark
Diving Spec
I am a certified scientific diver, underwater photographer and communicator.
I began diving in Egypt in 2007, which soon became my home for 2 years while I worked as a diving instructor. Besides Egypt, I also taught diving in Mexico and the Philippines. In 2011, I returned to Denmark, and today my diving activities are focused around Denmark and the Nordic countries.
Why you do it
After 3 years of full-time teaching abroad, I wanted a new way to share my love for the ocean. I turned to underwater photography to capture and share the magic I witnessed below the surface. However, I also became acutely aware of the impact of modern human life — the waste and pollution that reach even the most remote underwater environments. This realization transformed how I dive, what I photograph, and how I live. Upon my return to Denmark, I discovered that many of these same issues existed close to home. Since then, I have worked to raise awareness among both divers and non-divers, inspiring lifestyles that support a healthy ocean — for ourselves and for all life on Earth. Where diving once was the purpose, I now dive with purpose — documenting marine restoration projects for NGOs and assisting marine biologists. I arrange and participate in events focused on ocean clean-ups, ghostnet recovery, eelgrass transplantation, and stone reef restoration. Those dives have become the focal point of presentations at schools and dive clubs. In addition, I engage with policymakers to advocate for ocean protection. In 2017, I opened a gallery to showcase my environmental photography. Proceeds from my sales support ocean conservation NGOs.
Why DAN
I have been a DAN member since I started diving. It was the natural choice for insurance while living abroad and teaching, but DAN is far more than an insurance provider. Their research, education, and deep engagement within the diving communities make them an invaluable partner. There is hardly a diving-related topic that DAN hasn’t explored through their studies and publications. Whenever I want to dive deeper into a research topic, I start by turning to DAN’s trusted knowledge base.
Country
From Germany, but at home underwater anywhere in the world.
Diving Spec
The ocean’s depths are my true home, where I explore technical diving through wrecks, caves and underwater environments that demand precision, teamwork and focus. Since starting my diving journey in 2019, I have continuously developed my skills with a clear focus on deep diving, wreck exploration and challenging projects. My training with Global Underwater Explorers, up to CCR2+, Cave2 and other advanced levels, has opened the doors to the deep and taught me the importance of planning, technical understanding and trust within a team. As a member of Ghost Diving Germany, I am actively involved in marine conservation and regularly take part in ghost net recovery missions. My passion lies in exploring and documenting historical wrecks, including my work with Project Xplore, and I work closely with underwater photographers to bring these hidden worlds to light and capture them on film.
Why you do it
For me, diving combines technology, history and challenge. I am particularly fascinated by the historical and scientific research that goes hand in hand with wreck diving. I dive to discover, to understand and to preserve. Through my training and project experience I have learned that deep diving challenges the body, mind and technical skills in equal measure, and above all depends on a team that can rely on each other completely. Over time I have found great joy in sharing my experiences as a speaker, co-author in diving magazines and through social media. I am also passionate about making women in technical diving more visible and encouraging them to take on ambitious projects of their own.
Why DAN
DAN Europe represents everything that matters to me in diving: safety, medicine, research and responsibility. With my background as a radiology technologist in a hospital, I have a deep interest in the connection between medicine and diving. The combination of scientific and physiological curiosity, preventive health care and professional education makes DAN Europe the ideal partner for me. Here I find my own values reflected in passion, precision and a shared commitment to making diving safer, more sustainable and accessible to everyone.
Country
Spain.
Diving Spec
Since I was a child I have had a very special connection with the ocean. I grew up watching Jacques Cousteau documentaries and I always knew that I wanted to dedicate my life to the sea. Therefore I graduated as a biologist and became a diving instructor. After several years travelling around the world, where I was able to dive in incredible places and learn from every experience, I decided to start Odicean, a project that aims to conserve and protect the oceans through diving expeditions and courses.
Why you do it
I can't conceive of any other lifestyle than underwater. I need to be in direct contact with nature and enjoy the ocean's wonders every day. Diving brings me peace, joy, well-being... and I feel I have the responsibility and duty to take care of our oceans and the creatures that inhabit them through education.
Why DAN
DAN exists to help and protect divers, just as we exist to conserve and protect the oceans. Sharing the same values and philosophy not only means that our paths have crossed in this adventure, but that together we can spread this love for the ocean and try to raise awareness worldwide. We are the last generation capable of reversing the current situation that is disrupting the natural balance.
Country
Israel, Eilat - on the red sea.
Diving Spec
I'm a PADI examiner, Tec trainer & freediver but most of all I love my snorkel mask and fins.
Why you do it
My biggest passion is underwater photography and being in the presence of the wild animals of the underwater world. Diving is just a means for me to be down there as close as possible to the moment and I don't really care whether It's a snorkel, regulator or rebreather in my mouth.
Why DAN
There are many dive insurance companies. I choose DAN because of the knowledge and passion for the ocean that the people in the Organisation have. When I started diving professionally I was amazed how little do we know about the effects of scuba on us humans and I really liked the information DAN EU is studying and sharing with the community on a regular basis. I am proud to be a part of the team.
Country
Egypt
Diving Spec
PADI Course Director, ecologist, and marine conservationist.
Why you do it
I love seeing the happy faces of people discovering the underwater world, that exact moment in their eyes when you know their world has just expanded. Diving is more than just a sport or activity for me; it holds a deeper significance. It offers a unique path to each diver and reveals different dimensions to each of us. So, each a person can find something very unique in this experience. Everyone seeks happiness, and diving is a direct route to finding inner and outer joy. It is a truly transformative experience that will impact your everyday life, and you will never be the same. One of my missions is to build a strong professional diving community with exceptional teaching skills and attitudes globally and drive the development of quality instructor training in Egypt. For me, the quality of training and safety that my instructor candidates give to their students is a priority.
Why DAN
Since the beginning of my diving career, I have chosen DAN. It's reliable and trusted and it just feels right. It is like having a good buddy underwater, an absolute must.
Country
Our home country is Germany, but we’re regularly travelling all around the world and we dive mostly outside of Germany. After more than 10 years going back and forth, we consider Indonesia our second home, but we also know other places really well, for example Iceland, Gozo (Malta) or Elba. But the Coral Triangle in SouthEast Asia, specifically in Indonesia, is definitely our favourite place to dive. The underwater world there is just mind-blowing!
Diving Spec
We’re both certified as Divemasters. Hendrik is diving in sidemount configuration and is very happy with it. The comfort and additional air, and also the safety of being able to control his tanks, makes sidemount the perfect set-up for him. Claudia continues to dive in backmount configuration, she already has the large underwater camera with her. Besides exploring the ocean and discovering amazing underwater worlds, our biggest passion is filming underwater and telling stories about protecting the ocean.
Why you do it
Both of us have always felt a strong connection to the ocean. When we were kids, each of our parents always took us on beach holidays, where we spent most of the time in the ocean, swimming, snorkelling and so on. Many years later, we were on a holiday together, and decided that we wanted to learn scuba diving. That was when our world was completed. Being underwater feels so natural to us. Diving allows us to explore a world that is hidden to most people. It’s both adventure and meditation.
We were overwhelmed by the immeasurable beauty of the underwater world, but soon also confronted with the vulnerability of the ocean and its unique ecosystems. With our own eyes, we saw the problems our ocean is facing, for example pollution, climate crisis, coral bleaching, overfishing and species extinctions. We decided to become ambassadors of the underwater world and use our cameras and skills to focus on documentary films about environmental issues and on the conservation of marine habitats. After all, the ocean is our planet’s fundamental life support system, and we want to raise awareness that protecting the ocean is not just about the beauty of the ocean, it is about our very own survival on this planet.
Why DAN
DAN shares the same views about scuba diving and the role of scuba divers in the ocean. We work on a highly professional level, so it was obvious for us to work together with professionals as well. DAN is the perfect partner for us, regarding the long time we are underwater and on travels. For us, DAN is not just an insurance. The fact that they are doing research on diving physics is very important to us too: Scuba diving in the ocean is a bit like being an astronaut, floating in outer space, relying on technical equipment for survival. We appreciate that DAN is constantly striving to make diving safer for everyone. We are extremely happy to be part of the DAN family, this big family of explorers, adventurers and ambassadors of the ocean. Being a part of DAN makes us feel at home in the same way that being in the ocean does.
Country
I was born and raised in Poland, however 4 years ago I moved to Malta, where I had the opportunity to fully explore my interest in underwater photography.
Diving Spec
I am a PADI and SSI instructor, cave and tech diver. I've engaged in the activities of an environmental NGO 'Zibel', which expanded my view on what diving can be.
Why you do it
I was always interested in history, nature and photography. Being born in Poland, which is an amazing place to experience history first hand while diving, hooked me on exploring the underwater world. I made a decision to use my passion for photography and allow others to enjoy the beauty of diving. After years of diving I realised that I can use my skills to spread awareness on environmental issues we face nowadays.
Why DAN
I feel that the main goal of DAN is providing divers with the most updated knowledge on very important matters - safety, health and environmental protection. Starting bachelor's studies 'Science in Diving Safety Management' made me realise how crucial the work of DAN is for the diving community. As a DAN Ambassador I am able to spread DAN's work and share my knowledge and passion with others.
Country
Finland (also Sweden) though I am Australian.
Diving Spec
My main interest from a professional standpoint is in scientific diving methodology. This especially applies to advanced diving techniques applied to research work including rebreathers, overhead and developing techniques to meet research requirements. In this role I run the Finnish Scientific Diving Academy at the University of Helsinki.
Outside of work my main passion in diving is wreck and mine exploration, especially in the Nordic and Baltic regions in addition to teaching in these and other areas.
Why you do it
It's hard to say why I dive. It started with a childhood fascination with marine life (later seeing me studying marine zoology) but that developed and changed. Part of it is the excitement of going to new places, seeing things that so few if any people have before and sharing that with the world which is the exploration side. I like the challenge in some cases, such as learning new skills or developing techniques to address a specific research question. Mainly though I feel a sense of peace when submerged whether relaxed diving on a tropical reef, collecting samples or data for a project or exploring new territory deep in a flooded mine or cave.
Pretty much diving is part of everything in my life; career, lifestyle, enjoyment, holidays, family pretty much everything.
Why DAN
DAN has always been a vital component of the diving world, especially in their research network. While many divers do not realise it, the work that DAN does affects their diving in a positive way with studies contributing understandings in diver health or purely covering them when taking a diving trip with insurance and a support line. As part of my goals in diving are to train divers to be safer, have more knowledge outside their basic dive programs and move through their diving career regardless of level without being scared of representing an organisation whose goals are the same makes sense.
Being asked to be an Ambassador for DAN Europe is a great opportunity to work closer with the foundation and help raise awareness of the work it does in the general diving community, for which I feel honoured.
Country
I live in The Netherlands but I spend a lot of my time travelling and diving all over Europe. I am the most active around the Mediterranean Sea and the North Sea.
Diving Spec
I am a CCR & Technical diver with a preference for ocean diving. My specialty is marine conservation in a broad sense. This includes cleaning up waste, identifying problems with the aim of making them visible to a wider public but also conducting (scientific) research.
Why you do it
I have dived all over the world and my focus is always on underwater pollution and disturbances that need to be dealt with. Since 2007 I have been working on the removal of lost fishing gear in the North Sea and started my first formal project in 2009. With marine conservation running through my veins, in 2012, I decided to devote my diving exclusively to environmental protection and established the Ghost Diving Foundation with the aim of tackling the problem of lost gear on a global scale with volunteer divers.
Why DAN
I've been a DAN member since the first day I started diving simply because I believe in its mission. I hope that with our work we can also support DAN Europe with data and the experience we have gained in our specific field in recent years.
Country
Serbia
Diving Spec
CCR Trimix diving, loving wrecks and caves. As a doctor of molecular biology, I am also very interested in the preservation of our wonderful planet. Underwater model.
Why you do it
3 simple reasons. Passion, passion, and passion!
Why DAN
As a scientist and diver I have always admired DAN for being a leader in diving research and safety. In 2016 I had a privilege to get the DAN Europe internship and spent an amazing month in DAN E headquarter, learning about diving medicine, research, safety and ecology. It's an honour to be a part of DAN's family and help you protect and educate divers.
Country
Belgium. Travelling a lot!
Diving Spec
Cave/mine and wreck diving. Normoxic 60 metre range and ccr diver.
Other passions: caving/speleology.
Why you do it
The feeling it gives me. It is the closest feeling I can relate to pure happiness, most peaceful. It takes away all the stress out of my life and makes me a better person. I started diving out of fear of the oceans and turned into my biggest passion. The challenge and that you can train to make yourself a better/safer diver is as well something that motivates me.
Why DAN
Safety is one of the most important things in diving: the safer you can dive, the more you will enjoy!
DAN is more than just insurance and provides us, as divers, information we would like to know for better/safer dives. To be able to share this information to my followers, dive buddies and students is an absolute honour and is necessary. Thanks to DAN I learn a lot of new things and isn't the possibility to keep learning an incredible thing in life?
Country
Sweden & Philippines
Diving Spec
I'm a divemaster, level 3 freediver, underwater content creator, ocean advocate and contributor to the Scandinavian dive magazine DYK.
Why you do it
The Ocean calls me. I feel most alive when I'm near, on or in the water. From gliding the tropical coral reefs in the Philippines to wild African adventures, I take it all in. Everything from sharks to sea slugs. With my own eyes I witness the problems our oceans face, and I'm driven to make a difference through conservation.
Why DAN
I became a DAN Europe member when I turned PRO years ago. Since then I've seen first hand the level of service and support DAN has given divers, even in the most remote locations. It’s a product I wholeheartedly believe in.
Country
United Kingdom.
Diving Spec
Rebreather diver loving caves, mines and wrecks. Passionate about our Oceans, sea life future and conservation.
Why you do it
Diving has changed and shaped my life. I can't live without it. It's created me, made me who I am today. Together with Sara and Sanne we've created The Cavettes group to be able to share our passion.
Why DAN
Joining DAN's family will help me to share Oceans awareness wider. I truly believe we can help our Blue Planet and the best way to do it is to educate, spread the word and unite together because TOGETHER WE CAN.
