Our former students: Casey

Meet Casey, who completed her Instructor Course with us in October 2024.

Where are you from and how did you start diving?

I am from Colorado in the United States and started diving when I was studying at the University of Wollongong in New South Wales. I got the certification so I could go diving at the Great Barrier Reef while I had the opportunity living in Australia!

What made you decide to embark on the IDC course?

I decided to do the IDC course because while I originally planned to use my Divemaster and research diving skills obtained from the Indo Ocean Project in Penida to return to my original career as an Environmental Scientist in the United States, I fell in love with Indonesia and the teaching aspect of my Divemaster training so I decided to continue my training with the IDC at Purple Dive.

Casey during her Instructor Course at Purple Dive

What was your favourite part/highlight of the training?

My favorite part of the training I received at Purple was the opportunity to learn from Helene, Yvonne, and Prisille alongside the seven other women in my program. The women I was learning from and with, from all over the world, were such an inspiration to me. In such a typically male dominated field it was incredible to be surrounded by like minded individuals paving the way for women in diving.

⁠What was your biggest challenge and how did the team help you overcome this?

My biggest challenge was building my confidence to teach and become a leader the way I knew I wanted to be as an instructor. I was able to overcome this challenge thanks to the constant and unwavering support from my instructors and the other IDC candidates in my program. I knew that everyone at Purple Dive believed in me and it gave me the skills and confidence to believe in myself as well.

Where are you working now and what is your current role?

I am currently working at Ceningan Divers in Nusa Ceningan as an instructor and marine biologist on the conservation team.

What is your favourite part about your job?

My favorite part about my job here in Nusa Ceningan is the opportunity to both teach and work on conservation. It is a perfect blend of my interests and previous work experience and I feel very lucky to have found a role that allows me to pursue both of my main passions, instructing and conservation research.

What is your best dive to this day?

It is so hard to pick just one, but a great one recently was the final dive of an advanced course where we saw a whale shark passing by on the North Coast of Nusa Penida during the safety stop. It was my first time seeing a whale shark while diving and it was so unexpected and special to share that moment with my students and colleagues, who had all also never seen a whale shark while diving!