Welcome
Meet The PCH Team
Meet The PCH Team
Dan Heinzsch Master Scuba Diver Trainer dan@pchscuba.com
Dan was certified as an open water diver in 1998 in Monterey. Now he’s an instructor with dives logged everywhere from Alexandria, Egypt to Kona, Hawaii but the kelp forests of the Channel Islands are home. Dan loves sharing the new experience of breathing underwater with open water students and helping broaden the skills of existing divers. From your first breath in the pool to your first breath under the ocean, your experience with Dan and the PCH Scuba Team will be one to treasure!
Mike Rose Master Scuba Diver Trainer mike@pchscuba.com
After snorkelling with the green sea turtles of Hawaii as a child, Michael longed to go to greater depths and swim closer. When he finally had the opportunity to go back as an adult, he first received his open water certification and advanced open water certification allowing him to swim with the turtles, dive with hammer head sharks, and swim through under water lava tubes. When he returned, he began to explore the amazing diving around Southern California and began diving our local wrecks and oil rigs, began exploring the purple hydrocoral of Farnsworth wall, and began swimming with the sea lions of Santa Barbara Island.
As a result, Michael wanted to show others the amazing world that he loved and respected so much and received his Open Water Scuba Instructor certification in March 2009. Now as a Master Scuba Diver Trainer with 18 specialties, Michael can teach people how to perfect their buoyancy, dive deep, use enriched air, dive wrecks, perform search patterns and use lift bags, as well as explore this amazing world at night. For those wishing to become professionals as well, or even those just wishing to help fellow divers, Michael also helps instruct people on proper rescue techniques and basic life support.
Shelley Fox Master Scuba Diver Trainer shelley@pchscuba.com
Shelley ”Mermaid” Fox began her dive career right here in Southern California in the Spring of 2005.
Born and raised in the PCH family, she epitomizes all we hold dear. Love of the water and all the creatures in it. She loves to dance with dolphins, and as her nick name suggests, she dives when her schedule and life allow. Her favorite dive sites in Southern California are Ship Rock and Sea Fan Grotto on Catalina Island.
Tony Delia Master Scuba Diver Trainer tony@pchscuba.com
All through my childhood I was a fish, I was on the swim team when I was 6 years old and I was body surfing the waves at zuma beach when I was 7. I used to have dreams that I was able to breath underwater so I guess you can say I had scuba on the brain. When I was old enough to pay for the classes myself I took my first scuba class in 1989 and was hooked! I did everything I could to get in the water and learn as much as I could about diving. I have been certified through NAUI, PADI, and LOS ANGELES COUNTY scuba agencies and have been teaching since 2008. Almost my entire dive career has been in southern california waters and its been fantastic. Our waters here are home to some of the most beautiful and interesting fish and invertebrates around and we have people come from all around the world just to dive our giant kelp forests. I personally love teaching and sharing my admiration of the ocean and introducing people to the world of scuba. Come join us on a new adventure I promise you won't forget!
Amy Desuza Scuba Instructor amy@pchscuba.com
Love for the water and all the creatures in it was a gift given to me as a baby. I was learning to swim at the same time I was learning to walk. In 2004 I was working on my degrees in Animal Training and Wildlife Education. A SCUBA certification was a requirement to work with marine mammals so, I signed up with about 20 of my fellow classmates. Off to Catalina we went. From the first splash; I was hooked. I've been lucky, getting to travel to places like Rohatan, Hawaii, and Cozumel has been a lot of fun! As an instructor I want to be able to share these experiences with as many people as possible.
71% of the earth is covered with oceans. To explore it with amazing people would be an awfully big adventure. Are you in? "Honest to goodness it's the absolute ultimate!"- Gidget
Ryan Winthrop Master Scuba Diver Trainer ryan@pchscuba.com
Ryan earned the name “Tarzan” when at the age of 14 he was blazing a trail thru the rain forest to save some endangered species and fought a jaguar with his bare hands, and won. Lucky for us he learned how to dive and has focused his badass-ness on being an ambassador for the ocean. Ryan enjoys teaching people to dive so they can see the underwater world that he loves so much and has taken an oath to protect. He has been described as a blend of: Jaques Cousteau, Chuck Norris, Tom Selleck, Gandhi and a tornado. If you see a guy at the Dive Park rocking a speedo while diving that his him warming the pacific with his natural heat so more people will get in the water to enjoy the local waters.
Stuart Watts Scuba Instructor stuw@pchscuba.com
Stuart has been diving for years, loves England, and is preparing something much more witty and interesting to say about himself.
Leslie Coffee Divemaster leslie@pchscuba.com
Leslie earned her Open Water SCUBA certification for a family vacation to Mexico in 2007. When she hit the water for the first time, she knew she was hooked. She went on to earn Advanced Open Water, several specialties, Rescue, and eventually DiveMaster certifications. Her favorite dives are past 100 feet, have tons of ocean life, and usually include taking pictures of it all. Now, travel and vacation plans always take into consideration the nearest body of water. Leslie loves diving the warm waters of Belize and South Florida, but also the cooler kelp forests off of Catalina. As part of the PCH team, Leslie wants to spread her love of diving, both encouraging already certified divers to keep going, and also non-divers to discover the underwater world she loves so much.
Liz Rennell Assistant Instructor liz@pchscuba.com
Liz Rennell started diving because she had loved her first diving experience during Space Camp so much that she had to get more. (Yes she really is a rocket scientist by day.) Born and Raised in New York City she got used to summer swimming in the upper atlantic so the water temperatures in Southern California year round feel like summers back home! Loving the peacefulness at the bottom of the ocean, Liz immediately began her Master Diver Program following her Open Water Certification and loves taking pictures underwater. She has been a PCHer since day one of her Master Diver Program and loves diving with new divers. She even got her boyfriend, Bacon to join the PCH family.
While she loves diving in Southern California, Liz also loves to dive abroad. She has dove in New Zealand (which is colder than anything Southern California can throw out), Mexico and Bali. Her next big dive adventures: Rotan, Australia, Palau and the Mediterranean
Rich Giles Divemaster rich@pchscuba.com
First certified in 1971 with NAUI. His first BCD was an old life vest recycled off a PSA (Pacific Southwest Airlines) jet, complete with CO2 cartridges that corroded up after the first dive. Rich is so old, as a kid, he knew John Dalton, Jacques Charles, Robert Boyle, William Henry and the goat bender himself John Haldane.
All kidding aside, in September 2008, Rich went through a modern PADI re-certification class with his daughter Candice. He hasn’t looked back, becoming a PADI Master Diver and Divemaster. Rich loves talking diving, helping anyone with gear, dive techniques and especially buoyancy which he considers his number one focus. He enjoys the easy going pace of a relaxing dive. One of Rich’s favorite dives is touring the dive park at 25-35’ just watching the critters. Rich really likes hanging with the PCH crowd whether it’s a boat trip, a Catalina weekend or the PCH take over Catalina BASH. Come dive with PCH and Rich – you will have a blast – He guarantees it.
Garrett Budwine Business Development Guru garrett@pchscuba.com
Garrett began diving with a "Discover Scuba" dive at a PADI dive shop in Acapulco, Mexico in August, 2010. After surfacing from that first 20 minute dive he knew he had to become fully certified. His quest to find the best scuba training in Southern California led him to PCH Scuba. Garrett has embraced PCH Scuba's mission to build a dive community one diver at a time.
He is currently working on the rating of Master Scuba Diver and has specialty ratings in Peak Performance Buoyancy, Enriched Air Nitrox, Underwater Navigation and Search and Recovery. Garrett's only regret is he wishes he had started this adventure twenty years earlier.
Brett Bovard Master Instructor brett@pchscuba.com
Brett began his dive career right here in Southern California. An instructor since 2003 he has over 2000 dives under his weight belt.
Favorite Dive Spots:
Almost all right here in Southern California. Farnsworth Banks, Ship Rock, Sea Fan Grotto and Eagle Reef. I love the kelp forests of the Channel Islands!
The is no better way to spend the day then floating weightlessly through the water. Diving can be a transformational experience. Come play!
Rhonda Benson Scuba Instructor rhonda@pchscuba.com
I began diving in the southern waters of California, off of San Diego in 2000. My amazing encounters with the local sea lions left me immediately hooked on the sport.
After a few tropical trips, I was determined to dive as much as possible… that meant returning to the waters of Southern California.
In 2003, I went on to continue my dive training with the Los Angeles County Underwater Instructors Association, where I completed their rigorous ADP (Advanced Diver Program). Still thirsting for more, and feeling the need to share the experience with as many people as possible, I went on to complete my instructor training with Los Angeles County, NAUI, and PADI, in 2004.
Since, I have had the opportunity to dive in places like Belize, Utila, Curacao, Aruba, Cozumel, and of course lots of diving here in California.
I’ve experienced the exhilaration of drift diving, cavern diving, blue water diving and best of all, diving in the company of Whale Sharks.
Taking up Scuba Diving has proven to be one of the most rewarding experiences of my life. Being able to share it with others is my passion.
Mike Van Fleet Master Scuba Diver Trainer mikeV@pchscuba.com
My first experience in the underwater world was while on Vacation in Hawaii in 2005. I participated in a discover Scuba experience and was hooked. Although it did take me a little over a year after returning from Hawaii, I finally took the next step and got certified; and I loved it just as much off the California coast as I did in Hawaii. That’s when I decided that I wanted to learn as much as I could about the sport, so I began taking as many specialty courses as I could. Now I am very proud to be able to share what I have learned and give other people the opportunity to enjoy the underwater world as much as I do. Some of my favorite dive locations would definitely be around the Northern Channel Islands. Some of my best dives were at Anacapa, Santa Cruz, and who can forget Farnsworth Banks off the back side of Catalina.
Daniel Rom Divemaster Candidate danielR@pchscuba.com
Daniel started diving back in 2009 as a part of his high school zoology program and has really taken to it . He is a Rescue Diver and is currently working on his Divemaster certification. After attaining Divemaster, he will work on becoming an open water instructor. He loves diving and PCH Scuba! Diving is an incredible experience that he loves and believes is something that everyone should experience.
Cindy Sieman Scuba Instructor cindy@pchscuba.com
Cindy has been diving for years, loves teaching scuba, and is preparing something much more witty and interesting to say about herself.
