Remco Van Wees / Diving is fun, but not a game

Welcome to our first English story—or almost.

Today’s special guest comes from the Netherlands, his name is Remco. As always, I’ll let him introduce himself.

Who is Remco, and how does his life revolve around water?

Hi, I’m Remco, and I’m a dive instructor at Albatros Diving Centre in Cala Bona (Mallorca).

I’m also a partner of the shop like Gigi Torras [click here to read her interview] and I take care of the technical side of things: equipment, compressor, and boat.

How does that make you feel?

It’s very rewarding—very satisfying. The best part is that every day is different, so it never gets boring. I enjoy both sides of my job: I’m a guy, so I like working with tools, but I also love showing people a whole new underwater world. It’s about sharing a passion, and I have to admit that I especially enjoy teaching beginners, helping them discover a completely new reality beneath the sea.

Let’s talk about owning and running a diving centre. What are the pros and cons?

Well… the pros are that you meet a lot of people, you can go diving whenever you want, and you can run things your own way—very different from many other diving centres, especially when it comes to staff management.

We’ve been there; we’ve worked in diving centres where we were exploited for a long time. We don’t agree with that, so we don’t do it.

Of course, it’s a lot of work: when you start the business, you work at least 14 hours a day… but then you get very rich with it [he laughs].

What is water to you, and what’s your best memory in it?

That’s a very difficult question. I’ve had so many great moments in the water. I come from the Netherlands, but I’ve lived in many places around the world: Mexico, Honduras, Egypt, Indonesia, Malaysia, Thailand.

There are impressive moments, and then there are simply good moments. The most impressive was definitely the encounter with a humpback whale, when along with Gigi we cut her free from a net she was entangled in (here in front of the esst coast of Mallorca). It was an incredible experience, but also a sad one, seeing her in that condition.

As for the real “wow” moments… probably my first whale shark, my first manta ray, and my first bull shark.

Talking about your career path…

What was the most difficult moment you faced, and how did you overcome it?

I don’t think I’ve had major obstacles. Things happen. People die while diving. That’s life—there is life, and there is death.

What I would suggest to instructors out there, especially those who are new to the industry, is awareness. Diving is fun, but it’s not a game. The key is to stay calm and look relaxed, even in stressful situations, and never show panic.

We thank Remco for taking the time to share such an important yet simple message: stay aware, stay calm, and respect the ocean.

Because beneath the surface, life reveals itself only to those who know how to listen.

Do you want to discover more about this world? Follow me on Instagram (@underwater_angelica) so you don't miss the next interview. Stay tuned and see you soon!