John Carlin – PADI Marketing Manager
Contact details:
Email: [email protected]
Telephone:+44 117 300 7893
A quick bio from John Carlin:
“I joined PADI in July 2010 and now work as the Marketing Manager for PADI. My job is to inspire people to try diving for the first time and for people who are already scuba divers to inspire them to learn new diving skills and visit new dive sites.
I am a PADI Course Director (Instructor Trainer) and a passionate advocate of marine conservation. I hold a PhD in Marine Biology and enjoy giving talks at schools and write a regular column for a diving magazine.
In my spare time I enjoy reading, listening to music, films, windsurfing and snowboarding. I am currently trying to learn to kite surf as well.”
Fun stuff…
When did you first learn to dive? – I first tried diving in a swimming pool in Cornwall, England when I was 8 but I didn’t become a qualified PADI Open Water Diver until I was 18 out in Thailand.
How many dives have you done? – I’ve logged over 2000 dives with a 50/50 split between cold/temperate environments and blue/water tropical reefs dives.
What is the first bit of dive equipment you bought? – A mask which I have still have today!
If you could only pack one bit of dive equipment to take with you on a trip what would it be? – It would have to be my mask as there is nothing worse than hiring a mask which doesn’t fit properly and leaks constantly through your dive.
What is your favourite dive site in the UK? – This would be a dive site on Lundy Island called Knoll Pins. They are two pinnacles which are covered in jewel anemones, cup corals, spider crabs, lobsters nudibranchs and Catsharks. We were even lucky enough on one dive to have a pair of Grey Seals come and play whilst we were diving!
What is your favourite dive site in the world? – That’s difficult as there are so many different sites but if I had to choose one it would have to be a dive site called ther Daedalus Reef out in the Red Sea. This is a small Island (100 metres by 450 metres) surrounded by a beautiful reef table and wall. The currents are strong but at certain times of the year you can see Oceanic White Tip Sharks.
What song do you currently like to listen to before you go diving? – I have quite an ecletic taste in music (my friends and family would say ‘terrible’)! Currently I like ‘Keep Your Head Up’ by Ben Howard.
What is your favourite animal underwater? – It’s got to be the Oceanic White Tip Shark. I love their shape and how they effortlessly move through stong currents.
What animal would you love to see on your next dive? – I would love to see a Whale Shark. They are my ‘Unicorn’ of diving and despite planning trips (and my wedding/honeymoon) around the best time and location to see them I still haven’t managed to dive or snorkel with one (yet!).
What dive site is at the top of your to wish list? – The Galapagos. I want to dive the Darwin and Wolf Islands. where you can whale sharks and massive schools of hammerheads.
What sort of food do you pack in your lunch box to eat between dives? – Pot noodle and chocolate!
If you could go diving with someone (dead or alive) who would it be? – My daughters Bella and Freya who are currently 4 and 2. They get very excited and love to see pictures and videos of my diving adventures. My wife is an amazing scuba diver and we can’t wait to go out as a family together!
