About Me
Growing up along the gorgeous NW coast of Ireland, I was drawn to the ocean from an early age. As soon as I finished my studies in Marine Science at NUI Galway, and after participating in a whale shark project in Mozambique, I realised that I needed to be under the surface. I travelled to the tropics where I began my professional training in the scuba diving industry.
I have been working passionately as a Scuba Dive Instructor for 9 years in different parts of the world. The most recent has been with an NGO, (Marine Conservation Philippines), on the Island of Negros Oriental. One of the most important aspects of our work is not only to teach our students how to dive but to educate and guide them towards becoming ambassadors of the underwater world. As well as working with wonderful international volunteers, I've also much enjoyed working with local community groups, government officials, other admirable NGOs and many inspiring youth groups. I recently relocated back to gorgeous Ireland to get the chance to explore Irish waters working in NW Ireland in Environmental Education & Outreach.
Having found a much loved home in the Philippines, I would like to share the beauty of these animals. I would also like to continue to educate and spread awareness of the importance of these marine ecosystems. This will also help support organisations in their efforts to protect and conserve marine ecosystems, as well as spreading awareness of the importance of coral reefs and other marine ecosystems. Not only will you be able to showcase beautiful corals around your homes and show them to family and friends, you will be able to choose a specific organisation to donate 10% from each purchase. You can find this information on my 'Conservation Efforts' page.
I am using the perfect little compact camera, the Olympus TG6. I do not make contact or manipulate marine life when taking photos and will take a maximum of 3 shots, if using flash, to minimise disturbance. Beautiful shots can be taken without any disturbance, (work on those frog/back kicks), and without having to spend a fortune on camera equipment.
A huge thank you in advance for your support! Please keep on inspiring and motivating yourself and others to make small daily changes in life for the future of our planet.
PADI
Master Instructor
- PADI No: #312789
- 800+ Student Certifications
- Instructor Intern Mentor
- 12 PADI Instructor Specialties
- Capacity Building (Gov Officials)
- Tec 50 Diver
- EFR Instructor
- 4000+ Dives Worldwide
Marine
Conservationist
- Green Fins Environmental Assessor
- Marine Biodiversity Conservation
- Coral Reef/Mangrove/Seagrass Ecosystems
- Coral Reef Taxonomy & ID
- Environmental Threats
- Sea Turtle Ecology & ID
- Plastic Awareness
- Coral Reef Monitoring
Volunteer
Coord/Educator
- Reached Over 1000 Local/International Volunteers
- Spreading Awareness
- Community Outreach
- Professional Mentorship & Guidance
- Environmental Education & Outreach
As featured in
"As Scuba Instructors, we have a profound influence on divers, whether it's starting out as a new diver or becoming a dive professional. It is our responsibility to teach and mentor our students to become environmental ambassadors to help educate and advise others on the importance of our oceans and the beauty we fortunately get the chance to see. We give you the confidence and knowledge you need to support safe and responsible diving, while respecting our surroundings under the surface."
—Aoibheann Gillespie-Mules