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Hi my name is Trevor Wiltshire. I am a PADI Master Instructor and a RYA/MCA Yachtmaster offshore Commercially Endorsed. I am also a RYA Advanced Powerboat Instructor.
My business called Aquaturtle was established in 1997 after returning to the UK from working in the dive industry overseas.
I was always interested in Water and nature. I spent a lot of my early years looking after ponds and studying pond life, Frogs and newts etc. And today I have a very active interest in ponds and have my own nature pond with lots of life.
I started Snorkelling with the help of Rolf Harris when I was 8 years old.
I loved the coast and sea, enjoying every moment during family holidays.
I started diving in the late 1970's when a friend introduced me to the BSAC (British Sub Aqua Club). Here I spent some years training and diving the UK waters. I then worked as a baker till the mid 1980's when I was made redundant. This gave me the money and freedom to travel. I went to live in Greece and ended up helping out at a dive centre.
I became a NAUI ( national association of underwater instructors) Divemaster.
In 1990 I went to Thailand to work and crossed over to PADI, Professional association of Diving Instructors, completing my PADI Divemaster and was certified a PADI instructor on 4 th January 1991.
In October 1991 I travelled to the little known desert resort of Sharm el Sheikh.
I settled here working at Aquanaute (which is long gone, buried under the Movenpick Hotel).
I worked on one of a handful of liveaboards in Sharm at this time called Ghazala 1 from Sinai divers which was really amazing. www.sinai-services.com
I really wanted to teach diving so after 6 months on the boat I left and went to work at the Red Sea Diving College. www.redseacollege.com
I met my first Turtle in the Red sea. My interest in Turtles earned me the nick-name Turtle.
So that is how the turtle theme began.
I came back to the UK as I said earlier in 1997 to start my own business Aquaturtle.
I wanted to share my passion. For the Sea and nature with training in Scuba.
Self Contained Underwater Breathing Apparatus.
I started learning about boats on the Ghazala 1 a 25m dive vessel in 1992.
I already had my RYA powerboat course from the BSAC in the 1980's.
I completed my day skipper on a sail boat in 1996 during a holiday in the UK.
I purchased my first boat Nova 1 in 1998 for Aquaturtle dive training.
I became an RYA Power boat instructor in 2003 upgrading to Advanced Powerboat Instructor in 2005. I now work along side Portland maritime centre in Castletown Portland for the powerboat courses giving me access to his 6.5m RIB, Sea Dog, with twin four stroke engines. And allowing me to offer all levels of RYA courses via the centre.
See: www.boatschool.co.uk
In 2004 I became an Offshore Yachtmaster commercially endorsed which allows me to drive vessels up to 2000 tons.
I purchased my second boat Tigress in 2004. She is a 5.4m RIB with a new mercury 75 four stroke on the back. Tigress is prepared for diving and RYA powerboat courses.
In the 9 years I have been running Aquaturtle I have trained many divers.
I have designed a distinctive PADI specialty called Turtle diver. I have become a RYA Yachtmaster and powerboat instructor.
I have become a service technician for Scubapro, Oceanic, Mares, Beauchat, and Tusa. Allowing me to service regulators, BCD's and computers amongst other dive equipment.
I managed Mike's Waterfront dive shop in Bristol for a short time covering between managers.
I would like to thank all my team for all their hard work and dedication. Without them Aquaturtle would not have been possible. Thank you all.
Mike Boyce and Liz Clark became my first assistants. They helped for many years and are now travelling the World.
Captain Colin McFarlane has been a dedicated boat driver, log keeper, fantastic Photographer.
Also a local marine life and bird life expert from Weymouth. I thank him for his continuing support time and effort. Cheers Colin.
Claire Cohan who completed her Divemaster with me and has just completed a 7000 mile cycle across America from north to south. Well done Claire.
Carina Pinto from Porto, Portugal. Carina helped through 2005 with student training. Carina is now back in Portugal continuing her PADI dive training to become an instructor.
Thank you all and hope to see you back soon.
I have a special little helper too called Chanice who is really enthusiastic and helpful young girl.
I hope to have you on board for many years to come, thank you.
I would also like to thank the many students and divers who have supported Aquaturtle and made it a continuing success; I hope to see you all in 06 for some great adventures.
From 2003, I have been working part-time at Mike's Waterfront Warehouse, Bristol, employed to service dive equipment and the dive compressor as well as serve customers and other duties of running a dive shop.
This enables me to give students the best possible prices and information on dive equipment.
