Elly Pendleton

owner/instructor

Elly was born and raised on the West Coast of Canada. Her love of the ocean compelled her to take an intro scuba course in Australia. Immediately she fell in love with the underwater world and its inhabitants and continued to travel and dive around the world. In 2003, after graduating from the University of Victoria with a major in Anthropology, Elly decided to turn her love for diving into a career and studied to become a scuba instructor

After teaching scuba in Victoria for the next year Elly was offered a job on the North Shore of Oahu where she spent a year exploring the tropical waters of Hawaii. It was there that she took her love of both photography and diving and joined them together.

Elly moved back to Victoria in March of 2006 and purchased Rockfish Divers. She is very excited to be back home on the West Coast and to once again show people the beautiful emerald sea.

Fred (Kiko) Peters

divemaster

Fred was born in the cold water diver capital of the world, Edmonton, and grew up in Ottawa. He spent his youth chasing, catching and releasing painted and snapping turtles, leopard and bullfrogs, water and garter snakes at Otter Lake near Smith Falls, Ontario and watched sea hunt and Jacque Cousteau television specials. He became a certified NAUI diver while studying at Simon Fraser University. After graduating as a biologist he worked in the tree fruit industry and raised a family in the Okanagan Valley. But the lure of the west coast called him to Victoria where he recertified with his daughter Kamira as a PADI diver. His son Craig became a PADI open water diver on Isla Utila, Honduras in 2005.

A four month stint as a working divemaster in the Bay Islands, Honduras rekindled a passion for underwater photography. Since then dive trips to Hawaii, the Caribbean, the Galapagos and Haida Gwaii have provided many unforgettable moments and friendships.

But there is no place like home and the sheltered waters, good visibility, rich ecosystems and interesting dive sites of Saanich Inlet continue to fascinate him. His developing friendship with a certain Repulse Rock harbour seal has become a topic of conversation with fellow divers Mike and Elly and rockfishdiver guests.

Steve Laing

instructor

Steve has grown up on the West Coast of B.C. with a love of the outdoors. Living in Brentwood Bay, he was constantly around the water, and was always curious about what went on under the inlet's glassy surface. After graduating from Stelly's Secondary School he decided to enter the Unversity of Victoria and study Marine Biology. During Steve's first year at UVic he took his Open Water Diving Course and proceeded to gradually work up to his divemaster level taking most of his courses through Rockfish Divers.

With a love of the outdoors and traveling Steve has now travelled the world going to such places as Western Africa, South East Asia and Australia while still working on his Biology degree. During his travels in Australia he obtained his Diving Instructor Certificate and since his return has been diving with Elly and Fred in the rich waters of Saanich Inlet.

Tyson Jerry

divemaster

Tyson was born in Orangeville, and was raised in Wyevale, Ontario. He grew up among small towns in the diverse area of Georgian Bay where he grew to love and respect nature and life on the water. Tyson began to dive at the age of 12, and recently taken his diving to a professional level where he has worked internationally through out Central America and South East Asia as a Dive Master. While completing post secondary studies in Environmental Management and Natural Resource Law Enforcement, Tyson began alternatively working in the forestry industry of British Columbia and travelling overseas. Tyson is an accomplished scuba diver, photographer (both above and under water), and has a profound love for animals and the natural world. In recent years, Tyson has become increasingly interested in sustainability and teaching people about personal choice. He undertook a large project to beat the World Record for longest journey by car using alternative fuel. You can learn more about Tyson and his endeavors at www.driventosustain.ca.