Meet Alyssa, one of our new full-time Monterey shop crew members and scuba instructors. She grew up in Half Moon Bay, CA, and moved to Monterey in 2013 to attend CSU Monterey Bay where she started her scuba diving journey. She graduated with honors in 2018 with a BS in Marine Science and later continued to work her way up to become a NAUI Instructor! ⁠
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Fun Fact: Alyssa also competed in the 2019 Catch & Cook Competition and placed 5th for her delicious fish taco recipe which you can find at the link below:

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Deconstructed Fish Taco with Avocado Crema & Grapfruit Salsa

Giray is one of our NAUI/PFI Freediver Instructors and one of the few Intermediate Instructors on the West Coast. ⁠
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He grew up in Turkey and was introduced to freediving and spearfishing at an early age. Every since he was 8 years old he was holding his breath underwater and harvesting fish, collecting inverts or pulling anchors from the bottom. Freediving for Giray isn't just a sport or hobby, it's a way of life, a way to look inside and and be a more conscious person. ⁠
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That is why he wants to share his knowledge and passion for freediving with others, so that we can grow a more conscious community. Join him on one of his kayak dives, line diving sessions, or Freediver courses to learn about safe diving and responsible harvesting.

I am originally from San Diego where I grew up snorkeling and tide-pooling. I moved up here to attend CSUMB and began my diving career there 3 years ago. Now I spend most of my time diving, hiking, and taking my dog to the beach!

Kacy's love for scuba diving began when her dad took her diving at 10 years old! She is currently a graduate student studying ocean and coastal resource management, and works on local kelp restoration efforts on the Monterey Peninsula. She loves exploring new dive sites in Monterey and introducing divers to the wonders of kelp forests!

Originally from Ohio, Cody got a taste of diving in Florida and never looked back. He loves being able to share his passion with students and seeing them learn new skills, overcome fears and discover the joy of being underwater.

Rebecca started her diving journey at CSU Monterey Bay working her way through the program to graduate with a BA in Marine Science, a NAUI dive master certification and an AAUS certification. Her passion for teaching open water students began at CSUMB during her time assisting with the open water classes as well as the master diver classes. After crossing over to SSI and starting work at Bamboo Reef as a tank filler, she quickly worked up the ranks to a dual certified NAUI/SSI Open Water Instructor. She loves to pass on her love for the ocean through teaching SCUBA.

Meet Brandon, our newest Freedive Instructor! Brandon made the move from scuba diving to freediving when he was 20 years old and living in Florida. He was hooked, and over the years has continued to practice and take courses, eventually becoming a Freedive Instructor with the goal of teaching safe and effective freediving to the masses. Brandon moved to Monterey to fulfill his dream of spearfishing and freediving in the kelp forest. Fun fact about Brandon…he has two golden retrievers that love the ocean just as much as he does—they just can’t dive as deep! We’re stoked to have him and his pups at Bamboo!

-Master Diver Level

-All Diving in Monterey Area

-Favorite Food: Pad Thai

-Agent of Shenanigans

Kai learned to SCUBA dive in college at UC Santa Barbara. He went on to obtain his AAUS certification and dive for research labs on campus. He's been sent to retrieve oceanographic instruments in white shark nurseries and swap temperature sensors in the crystal clear waters of French Polynesia. Kai became a NAUI instructor in 2020 and now helps to introduce others to the wonders of the underwater world!

Tyler moved to Monterey Bay in 2018 when he began work with projects involving marine science & technology. During his time here he has aided with various projects involving fish migration, habitat, and hydrophone studies for sea mammal conservation. As a scuba instructor, he loves to share his passion for the ocean with his students! 

Dave is a retired British police detective who recently moved to the Bay Area from Illinois. He became a PADI Divemaster in the mid-90s when stationed in the Cayman Islands and crossed over recently to become a NAUI Divemaster! He is currently in the process of earning his Instructor certification through NAUI. When not riding his motorcycle or walking his one-eyed dog, Dave is loving diving in Monterey and meeting new people!

Meet our instructor Sam, who can be spotted expertly leading tours, conducting refreshers and teaching scuba classes. Somewhere between a sea lion and a Cal Poly Mustang (a seahorse?), Sam has excellent water and land skills. Truly a master of trees and seas, he is currently working to complete a degree in Forestry. Next time you’re in Monterey make sure to sign up for a tour or class with Sam!

Mark is originally from Florida but is new to California. He has experience with scientific diving and dive leadership at a university science diving program in Florida. He is currently studying engineering and marine science while finishing up his undergrad degree, and love to lead dives in the kelp forests in Monterey!