Favourite marine animal: Sharks and Rays

Favourite Dive ever: With Tiger sharks at Tiger zoo 

What’s your first memory of the ocean? As the Maldives is surrounded by the ocean with small islands, we used to go swimming almost every day when we were kids. The love of the ocean started from there and would not leave me, so I decided to build a career from what I love to do most.

What does diving mean to you? Working as a dive instructor was my dream job for many years. I always wanted to educate more people, especially the younger generations and make them understand their responsibility for the ocean and our coral reefs. I thought the best and easiest way was to be a dive professional. Now I dive and teach everyday, it’s my passion. Now I have the chance to do what I love the most.

How did you first get involved with Project AWARE? I got officially introduced to Project AWARE when I did my IDC. I did my Dive Against Debris specialty instructor along with my IDC, and I was so happy that finally, I could do something to help our ocean officially. After my IDC I became 100% AWARE partner, and since then I have been participating in and organizing Project AWARE events.

Why did you start submit your Dive Against Debris data and tell us more about your adopted dive site? I always encourage my students and my fellow divers to pick up the debris from the ocean. After finishing the IDC I knew that I could report the debris data to Project AWARE, I started reporting right after.

My adopted dive site is “Kuda Haa”. Kuda Haa is a very famous and beautiful dive site in north male’ atoll and is also a marine protected area. Kuda Haa is just five minutes away from the resort and it’s one of the dive sites that I always take my students and everyone loves the place. To keep that love maintained, I adopted Kuda Haa. Our dive center (Best Dives Maldives) has also adopted our own house reef of our island (resort) and we continue to try and maintain its cleanliness.