Our Team

Neil and Sandra met in 2006 while diving (what else!) in Gozo. They soon decided to open up their own dive centre - and to get married.

They moved to Sal, took over the majority shareholding and management of the ORCA Dive Club Cabo Verde, had the dive centre destroyed by a fire in 2016, and re-opened in a new location under the new name Eco Dive School Cabo Verde.

Unfortunately, the story doesn't end here. The COVID-19 pandemic that started in 2020 forced us to stay closed for 18 months due to a lack of tourists on Sal. Sandra and Neil had to move back to Germany to keep the family afloat but our excellent team in Sal takes care of our guests as if they were still there!

 

 

Samba

The best manager a dive centre could wish for! Samba is patient, knowledgable, super friendly and can organise anything. He hails originally from Guinea-Bissau and lives with his wife and two daughters in Santa Maria. Samba speaks very good English and Spanish, and also of course Portuguese and Crioul.

 

 

Dudu

Dudu has been a divemaster on Sal for as long as anyone can remember. He's dived all our dive sites hundreds of times, in any condition, and can therefore always choose the safest way to approach a dive. He is calm, patient and supportive, and he has a great eye for critters, the best person to have by your side, whether you are a new diver or very experienced. Although his English is quite decent, he prefers to talk in his native Crioul or Portuguese as well as in Spanish.

 

 

Ilson

Ilson, also known as Tchuny, started diving in 2006 and has since gained a vast experience diving our waters. Since becoming a a dive instructor in the Canary Islands in 2013 he has certified hundreds of dive students of all levels who appreciate his thorough and fun training methods. In his spare time he likes working out which is clearly visible ;-) He is fluent in English, Portuguese and Crioul, and also speaks French, Spanish and Italian - an absolute language pro!

 

 

Fernando

Fernando was born in Cabo Verde but spent his youth in the USA which is why his English is excellent. While all his children still live in the US he decided to come back to Sal where he, among other jobs, worked as a professional diver on the construction of the second pier in the Palmeira harbour. He certified his first dive students in Boa Vista before coming back to Sal again and joining our team. Fernando is the most patient and reassuring instructor ever!

 

 

 

Speed

Speed's nickname is giving it away: He is our driver. Don't worry though, he is not breaking any tempo limits ;-) Speed is also responsible for the cleanliness and neatness of our dive centre. He is a bit of a quiet character but very reliable and helpful. One of his hobbies is taking pictures of any- and everything that doesn't run away fast enough :-D

 

 

 

Mario

With Mario, a very reliable and experienced skipper has joined our team. He is a proper Badiu, which means he originally comes from the main island Santiago. Like so many Caboverdianos, he has come to Sal to find a job - with success. Mario has worked for several years with another dive centre here before coming to us. Welcome!

 

 

 

Joao

Joao is the latest addition to our team. He is our helper, which means you will see him on the boat and around the dive center, putting all these muscles to good use. Joao, like the rest of the team, takes care of the little details so that our guests can relax and enjoy their dives. We are happy to have him on board.

 

 

 

Sandra

Sandra is not just a passionate diver and dive teacher, she also holds a masters degree in marine biology and a diploma in business management. Nowadays she is only the good soul behind the scenes, responsible for the email, facebook and WhatsApp communication with our guests. As a native of Berlin, Sandra obviously speaks German. In addition, she is fluent in English and communicates without problems in Spanish and her special Portuguese/Crioule mixture.

 

 

 

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Recreation, Conservation, Education
Samba Dudu Ilson Fernando Speed Mario Joao Sandra