Michael Shahani
Owner and PADI Open Water Scuba Instructor
Originally from Lincoln, Nebraska, Michael has lived in California for over 40 years. Owning a dive shop is his third career. Trained as a classical musician, he has worked in the Bay Area for numerous theatre and opera companies, and continues to teach at City College of San Francisco. He also ran a family business for over 20 years.
Michael wanted to dive since he was fascinated by Jacques Cousteau documentaries in the 1960’s, and finally got certified in 2010. He has been fortunate to dive in Monterey, Lake Tahoe, Catalina, San Diego, Mendocino, Mexico, Belize, Bonaire, Hawaii, Chuuk, Yap, Indonesia, The Philippines, and The Galapagos Islands. He is a PADI Open Water Scuba Instructor and has certifications in cylinder inspection and gas blending.
Carley Wiegand
Owner, Master Scuba Diver
Carley is a native of Walnut Creek. She continues to have a successful tax practice, and is involved with the Camp Fire youth organization.
Carley started diving in 2010, and has been diving in all the same places as Michael. Michael and Carley have three children, two of whom dive, and one of whom is a PADI Divemaster. They enjoy travel, cooking, and the arts.
Store Staff/Course Director
Craig was born in Berkeley and grew up surfing and scuba diving in south Orange County (Laguna Beach and Dana Point). He made his first open water dive at age 12 with his father, who was an instructor for PADI and NAUI for over 30 years. Craig obtained his open water certification while still in high school, his advanced certification while in college, and continued on to his Enriched Air Diver Certification, Rescue Diver Certification and ultimately his PADI Divemaster Certification. He is also qualified in cylinder inspection. Favorite dive locations include the Kailua Kona coast on the big island of Hawaii, Turneffe Atoll in Belize, and Divers Cove in his home town of Laguna.
Hometown: Pleasanton, CA
Favorite food: BBQ, followed closely by Mexican
Favorite Local Hangout: Not much of a hanger-outer, so I’d have to say, home.
Favorite Dive Site: Wolf and Darwin Islands, Galapagos
Favorite Type of Diving: Indo Pacific Reefs
Best Dive You’ve Ever Been On: Hammerheads in Galapagos, soft corals in Fiji
Anything Else You Would Like To Add? I enjoy underwater photography and exploring the world above, and below, the surface.
Hometown: From San Francisco, CA, now living in the Panhandle of Florida!
Favorite Food: Fresh Seafood, BBQ or Italian
Favorite Dive Site: The Philippine Islands!
Favorite Type of Diving: Have been working on taking more underwater video
Best Dive You’ve Ever Been On: I would have to say, San Francisco Maru in Truk Lagoon!
As divers, we are the Oceans Ambassadors. As such, it is our duty to inform those who do not dive, as to what is happening to our oceans. To quote someone famous: “People will only love what they understand!” We need to ensure people understand what is happening to our oceans and what they can do to make them healthier.
Involved in Public Safety Diving since 1985
Public Safety Diving Instructor Trainer for several municipalities including:
San Francisco Police and Fire Departments
Alameda County Sheriff’s Department Dive, EOD and Marine Unit Teams
San Mateo County Sheriff’s Department Dive Team
Los Gatos DART
Napa County Sheriff’s Dive Team
Solano County Sheriff’s Dive Team
Sacramento County DART
Washoe County Sheriff’s Hasty Team
Deschutes County Sheriff’s Dive Team
TDI Technical Diving Instructor and Instructor Trainer
PSAI Technical Diving Instructor and Instructor Trainer
Scuba Instructor since 1988
PADI Course Director (Instructor Trainer) since 1994
Certified over 2,500+ students
Hometown: Monterey, Ca
Favorite Food: Monterey Clam Chowder from the Old Fisherman’s Grotto or a pizza from Gianni’s!
Diving Experience: I grew up in Monterey and always wanted to learn to dive. Finally, for my 50th birthday I got certified and it has been nonstop diving ever since. Rescue Diver, Master Scuba Diver, Divemaster and over 15 PADI specialty certifications later, I am always looking to become a better diver and learn more about the marine environment. I love the adventure of challenging dives, the peacefulness of visiting the underwater world, the excitement in the eyes of new divers and seeing the growing confidence of divers as they gain experience.
Favorite Dive Site: Next week’s dive site…
Favorite Type of Diving: Night diving. A little bit harder, a little bit colder, a few more things to think about and some different things to see than on a Day dive.
Best Dive You’ve Ever Been On: My first warm water dives in St. Lucia in the West Indies.
I was born and raised in the Bay Area, and have been a diver for six years. I'm currently a chemistry major at Diablo Valley College and love to free dive and surf when I'm not scuba diving or doing homework. One of my most memorable dives was my final Open Water training dive in Maui when a pod of dolphins swam right over us.
Instructors
Hometown: Livermore
Favorite Food: Corvina
Diving Experience: 54 years. Monterey
Favorite Place to Dive: Red Sea off Saudi Arabia
What I like about teaching diving: Guiding students and watching their faces as they discover the joy of diving.
Hometown: Hong Kong and Boston, MA
Languages: Cantonese and English
Favorite Food: Sushi and Seafood
Diving Experience: 500+ dives and counting. I have many favorite dive locations, but Monetery holds a special place for me. This is where I got certified, and I keep returning to enjoy the kelp forest and all its beauty.
I have been a diver for 15+ years and an instructor for over 6 years. I love to travel and meet new people. My favorite cold water dives were at Pt. Lobos State Park in CA. As for warm water diving, you can’t beat diving in Bali and muck diving in the Philippines. I believe diving is one of the best ways to experience the beauty and wonder of the underwater world.
With proper instruction and guidance, you can explore the underwater world that few others experience. Scuba diving is rewarding, and that’s why I love being an instructor. It allows me to combine my love of the Ocean with my desire to help others learn and experience something amazing.
Favorite food: BURRITOS!!
Favorite Local Hangout: Dive N Trips
Favorite Dive Site: Point Lobos
Favorite type of diving: All diving, recently KAYAK DIVING!!!
Best dive you've ever been on: Spiegel Grove
If you could dive anywhere in the world where would it be? Maybe the Great Barrier Reef, but it would also be a dream to dive a whole bunch of remote South Pacific Islands!
Diving Background: Certified at Camp Emerald Bay on Catalina Island in 2007, and have been diving ever since. I became a Divemaster and Instructor at at Florida Sea Base in the Florida Keys, and worked parts of 4 years there. In 2015, I returned to "cold water" diving, and started instructing at Dive N Trips and have been there ever since.
Specialties Taught: Altitude, Aware, Boat, Coral Reef Conservation, Deep, Dry suit, Enriched Air, Fish ID, Kayak, Naturalist, Navigation, Night, Peak Performance Buoyancy, Search and Recovery, Wreck
What Do You Like About Teaching Diving: I love sharing the underwater world with people, and I hope they can see just one critter that helps them appreciate the underwater world and the ocean.
Hometown: Lincoln, Nebraska
Languages: English and Italian
Inspired by Jacques Cousteau documentaries, I wanted to scuba dive since I was a child. After finally getting around to it later in life, I have been diving all over the world. My favorite places (so far) are The Galapagos, French Polynesia, Truk Lagoon, and Saba in the Caribbean. I've been a teacher all my adult life, and still love teaching, so teaching scuba diving seemed like a logical step for me after becoming an owner of Dive N Trips. Thanks to all my great staff and instructors that make up the wonderful professional side of Dive N Trips!
Hometown: Livermore
Favorite Food: BBQ
Favorite Local Hangout: The ocean. The Ale House
Favorite Dive Site: Point Lobos
Favorite Type of Diving: California Coast- cold water
Best Dive You’ve Ever Been On: Diving off the Channel Islands. The water was surprisingly warm and the visibility was 25+ feet at some of the dive sites that we went to. On one dive, I got to see my first octopus for the first time.
Anything Else You Would Like to Add? I love being around the water and sharing that with new and seasoned divers.
Hometown: Paris France
Favorite Food: Tomates Farcies (it’s a French thing :))
Diving Experience: Started diving when I was a teenager back in France in the 80’, my favorite places are along the coast of California, all dives are good dive!
Specialties taught: Peak Performance Buoyancy, Project Aware, Aware Coral Reef Conservation, EFR, Dry Suit, Search & Recovery, Wreck, Digital Underwater Photography, Enriched Air, Altitude, Full Face Mask, Night Diver, Adaptive Techniques.
What you like about teaching diving: I love to watch the students progress throughout the next courses, and see the pride and happiness each student feels once they get certified.
Hometown: Monterey, Ca
Favorite Food: Monterey Clam Chowder from the Old Fisherman’s Grotto or a pizza from Gianni’s!
Diving Experience: I grew up in Monterey and always wanted to learn to dive. Finally, for my 50th birthday I got certified and it has been nonstop diving ever since. Rescue Diver, Master Scuba Diver, Divemaster and over 15 PADI specialty certifications later, I am always looking to become a better diver and learn more about the marine environment. I love the adventure of challenging dives, the peacefulness of visiting the underwater world, the excitement in the eyes of new divers and seeing the growing confidence of divers as they gain experience.
Favorite Dive Site: Next week’s dive site…
Favorite Type of Diving: Night diving. A little bit harder, a little bit colder, a few more things to think about and some different things to see than on a Day dive.
Best Dive You’ve Ever Been On: My first warm water dives in St. Lucia in the West Indies.
Hometown: Southampton, Hampshire, UK
Favorite Food: Sunday Roast Lamb (its an English thing)
Favorite Local Hangout: Sunshine saloon or anywhere serving beer:)
Favorite Dive Site: Monastery beach so far
Favorite Type of Diving: In the kelp forests or with sharks. Anything with nature.
Best Dive You’ve Ever Been On: Watching shark feeding off Grand Bahama
Anything Else You Would Like to Add? It’s spelt Aluminium…
Hometown: Pleasanton
Favorite Food: Pasta & Chocolate
Favorite Local Hangout:
Favorite Dive Site: Pt Lobos
Favorite Type of Diving: Exploring
Best Dive You’ve Ever Been On: Mexico with a flock of eagle rays
If You Could Dive Anywhere in the World Where Would It Be? Caribbean
Divemasters
Glenn grew up on Long Island, New York and always loved the water. He moved to the Bay Area in 1980 and lives in Walnut Creek. On land Glenn is an avid runner who has completed eight full marathons all to benefit the Leukemia and Lymphoma Society. He started diving in the Spring of 2016 and absolutely fell in love. Glenn is so amazed at the beauty of the undersea world and practices upmost respect for all marine life.
Hometown: Pleasanton, CA
Favorite food: BBQ, followed closely by Mexican
Favorite Local Hangout: Not much of a hanger-outer, so I’d have to say, home.
Favorite Dive Site: Wolf and Darwin Islands, Galapagos
Favorite Type of Diving: Indo Pacific Reefs
Best Dive You’ve Ever Been On: Hammerheads in Galapagos, soft corals in Fiji
Anything Else You Would Like To Add? I enjoy underwater photography and exploring the world above, and below, the surface.
Hometown: Hong Kong
Favorite food: Japanese, Korean, and Hong Kong Style food
Diving Experience: Obtained my OW in Monterey, CA when I was in college. Have done diving in Hong Kong, Guam, Maldives, Great Barrier Reefs (Australia), and Honolulu.
Best Dive: every dive is great!
Craig was born in Berkeley and grew up surfing and scuba diving in south Orange County (Laguna Beach and Dana Point). He made his first open water dive at age 12 with his father, who was an instructor for PADI and NAUI for over 30 years. Craig obtained his open water certification while still in high school, his advanced certification while in college, and continued on to his Enriched Air Diver Certification, Rescue Diver Certification and ultimately his PADI Divemaster Certification. He is also qualified in cylinder inspection. Favorite dive locations include the Kailua Kona coast on the big island of Hawaii, Turneffe Atoll in Belize, and Divers Cove in his home town of Laguna.
Hometown: Concord, CA
Favorite dive site: Channel Islands
Inspired by my love of the sea, I decided to get Scuba certified. After my first Open Water dive, I knew I was hooked. I like learning new skills and specialties. Scuba diving has opened my world to new experiences, friends, and community.