Similans Dive Staff

Team OKTAVIA

Leading our team in the Similan Islands are the two Swedish owners, Jorgen Adolfsson and Kulan Bark. To ensure maximum level of service, at least one of them joins every cruise on board our Similan live-aboard, M/V OKTAVIA. This also ensures that the boat is run according to our principle of 'protect and prevent instead of repair and repent'.

Both keen divers, Jorgen is a Padi instructor whereas Kulan is “only” an advanced open water diver, albeit with more than 1,500 dives.

Coming back for his second season in the Similan Islands is Chris Buckley from the UK, and he's also our tour leader. Chris has registered more than 1,000 dives and has dived in Spain as well as the east coast of thailand on Koh Tao. He started with us at the beginning of the 2011-12 season and has quickly climbed the ladder to become tour leader. Chris is a very accommodating guy and will be able to help you on almost anything you ask...

Jamie is this guy with his thumbs up and why most of you will probably only see him for 5-10 minutes at the pier before you head to the Similan islands he will have had a big hand in getting you to enjoy your cruise on board M/V Oktavia. This will be Jamie's second season as Sales & Marketing Manager based at our office in Bangniang, he handles all inquiries from walk-ins, emails requests, telephone and the fax (yes Thailand still relies heavily on fax machines). He's in charge of everything until you join the boat so if a taxi is two minutes late, make sure to bend his ear about it!!!

This season in the Similan Islands we have a great instructor to teach you in all manner of Padi courses while you're on board the boat and that is Branko. Branko is a 40-something guy with a real passion for diving and everything else in the water. He has dived in Cyprus and around Southeast Asia as well as Thailand but keeps quiet about his big screen roles. Ask him about what he's been up to in the movie industry.

We have a great team we call upon for freelancing work in the Similan Islands including our latest addition Mitch who has just completed his DMT with us last season and now wants to stay on as guide. Mitch is a self-confessed Oktavia fan and has done many cruises on our boat as a customer, DMT and now a tour guide. Mitch is now qualified as an instructor and will be hopefully training some newbies next season.

We also have Trystan, Caro and Yas for the coming 2012-13 Season in the Similan Islands and all have experience of working on MV Oktavia. All three are compentent instructors and guides as well generally really fun people to be around but highly professional.

On board the M/V Oktavia, commanding the crew is our Captain Chow. He is 40something (you'll have to ask him yourself) and has been sailing these waters for many years already, so he knows the area like the back of his hand. Engineer Abdul keeps everything in the engine room running smoothly and also drives our dinghy. On the swim deck, Cha and Od help divers and snorkelers getting geared up, entering and exiting the water. Last – but certainly not least – Ed and her assistant work their magic in the galley, making sure that our track record stays intact: nobody has lost any weight on our cruises so far and they will tailor make meals to specific requirements if you have any allergies or even a vegetarian...

Similans Dive Staff

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