Coconut Tree Dive Crew
Read about Roatan’s premier dive crew
GAYNOR POOK
OWNER – ENGLAND
Started April 2002
After traveling the world for many years searching for the right place to call home, Gay finally found her little piece of paradise on Roatan. In 1996 she learned to dive on Roatan’s reef and in 2001 became one of the owners of Coconut Tree Divers.
Gay is handles all customer service in the main office. She handles all admin and pretty much anything that isn’t mechanical. Gay is always good for a delicious cup of tea and a solid laugh. As one of the founding directors of the Roatan Marine Park, Gay juggles her time between addressing environmental issues, handling her kids social life, dealing with the shop boys and girls and keeping fresh on the latest Roatan gossip.
MONTY GRAHAM – owner
Mechanical engineer – CANADA
IDC STAFF INSTRUCTOR
TDI / SDI ADVANCED TRIMIX INSTRUCTOR
DSAT TRIMIX INSTRUCTOR
TDI / DSAT SIDEMOUNT INSTRUCTOR
Started March 2007
Monty’s diving career began in 2001 when he was trained as a deep sea/commercial diver in Seattle, Washington. Since buying into the dive shop business his attention is mostly focused on being the full time mechanic in the dive centre. Monty’s passion is still to teach TEC diving. He is the Technical Deep and Trimix Instructor, one of only two on Roatan.
Monty is also the owner and operator of www.roatanteccenter.com that is affiliated with Coconut Tree Divers. He is married to his beautiful wife Alexandra Harper-Graham, the most talented underwater photographer on Roatan. In 2020 they were blessed with a beautiful daughter Jasmine Bo.
ALEXandra HARPER-GRAHAM
OWNER – ENGLAND
Underwater photographer and Photography Instructor
Started January 2015
In 2009 Alex became an open water diving instructor and gained many certifications and knowledge in Roatan. In 2015 Alex took the leap to become a full-time photographer. Alex is one of the most talented underwater photographers that Roatan has to offer. She offers photography courses and personal photography underwater shoots. Since completing her TDI sidemount course and extended range Tec diving course, her focus is to go deeper with her camera and capture images only tec divers can do. Alex sells her prints online at www.alexandrahgphotography.com .
When not diving Alex enjoys traveling and hanging out with her husband Monty, daughter Jasmine and Molson the Pug. Alex is working hard on becoming the next diesel and compressor mechanic.
WILL WELBOURN
COURSE DIRECTOR – LONDON, ENGLAND
Started September 2004
Roatan’s longest serving Course Director Will Welbourn started diving in 1989. Will explored the waters of Thailand, Australia, Malaysia, Indonesia, Crete, Sri Lanka, Bocas del Toro, and the Corn Islands. Tired of his job as an accountant, he left sunny England in 2003 and completed his PADI Divemaster and Open Water Scuba Instructor certifications in Roatan.
Will serves as a Coconut Tree Diver’s PADI Course Director, PADI/DSAT Tec Deep and Trimix Instructor Trainer, and Emergency First Response Instructor Trainer. He is currently a PADI Instructor Trainer in the following specialties: Deep, Night, Wreck, Enriched Air Nitrox, Digital Underwater Photography, Emergency O2 Provider, Boat, Drift, Naturalist, Underwater Navigation, Search and Recovery, Equipment, and Gas Blender.
Will is married to Loren, owner of the restaurant Oasis that offers delicious fine dining in West End. They have a beautiful daughter Andi and when he’s not teaching or spending time with his family Will loves a bit of English Chelsea football.
RILEY ESSENBURG
MASTER SCUBA DIVER TRAINER – USA
Started September 2020
Riley was born in Michigan and has acquired 1000’s of dives in cold water lakes, yet for reasons beyond our comprehension, you will still see him shiver after every dive even in 84 degree Caribbean waters. Riley knows how to take advantage of the world of macro. He has such a keen eye and is currently the Coconut Tree Divers king of finding teeny tiny things on our beautiful reef. Do not worry if you do not have a built-in macro lens as he will always have a magnifying glass ready to show off his cool finds. His specialty is finding nudibranchs.
Someone else you might like to learn about Riley. He strictly follows the 3 most important rules of scuba diving (officially unofficial) 1. Always look cool underwater 2. Don’t die. 3. Refer back to rule number 1.
Fiona Chabbey
Open Water Scuba Instructor – Switzerland
Fiona the fish fanatic. This Swiss conservation biologist is the perfect person to ask if you see something out of the ordinary. No matter if it’s the 60ft Kraken (don’t worry he’s a friendly fellow) or a slippery dick (yes, that is an actual living creature) just ask. If she doesn’t know it straight away, Fiona will invest time and effort after the dive into finding the precise answer for you with added fun facts. If you want to see her in her natural habitat you should accompany her on one of the coral treatment dives. On these dives you’ll learn how to apply antibiotics to the SCTLD (Stony Coral Tissue Loss Disease) and re-assess and document previously treated colonies. Don’t worry if you do not understand all the latin gibberish, forgive her she’s a scientist, they are all a bit crazy. When Fiona is not busy saving the planet she is an excellent scuba instructor that teaches courses in English, French and Spanish here at Coconut Tree Divers
John Ratko – open water scuba instructor
usa
Started March 2021
John is welcomed as the newest addition to the staff. He hails from his favorite country "Texas" just ask him about that.... John comes from a teaching background, he was a high school teacher back in Texas teaching Physics. He has now traded in the books for a set of dive gear. John's favorite course to teach in the Open Water class.
ROLANDO PUERTO
DIVEMASTER – ROATAN, HONDURAS
A native Roatan islander, Rolando completed his Divemaster certification at Coconut Tree in 2005 and now leads visiting divers around his favorite dive sites. Rolando loves driving his skiff, drinking vodka, and impressing the ladies by diving headfirst into the reef. When not in the water, he can be found managing the Coconut Tree Resort.
SUPPORT STAFF
CHUCKY
RESCUE VICTIM
Chucky washed ashore one fateful morning in 2007. His algae-encrusted hair, sulfuric stench, and hideous face made him the perfect fit for Coconut Tree's shop mascot.
Chucky is a notoriously poor diver who constantly gets lost on Rescue courses. When he's not lounging around on the ocean floor with his custom-made weight belt, he lurks around the side of the dive shop awaiting his next chance to go diving (or frighten new customers).
Chucky is a bit of a celebrity, you might have seen him recently on CNN. Read about Roatan's premier dive crew
DIVEMASTER INTERNS
