Roger Bown, born and raised in London, has been involved in the financial world ever since he left high school, yet unlike many other white collar professionals, he has also found himself in a job that could not be further removed from the cold offices of Europe.

Roger went from working in banks to becoming a stockbroker, spending his time between London and Frankfurt (as we all do from time to time.) His first experience with diving came when he was travelling Africa with a friend who was already a certified SCUBA diver. It was suggested to Roger that he give it a whirl, and as they were in the vicinity of Lake Malawi – the eighth largest lake in the world and home to Cichlids and other freshwater life – he did just that. He’ll be the first to admit that he didn’t exactly take to it like a Cichlid to water. In fact he reckoned that was the last time he’d be donning a tank and fins.

It was not until he went on a trip to Cyprus that he was encouraged to try again. This time it was a whole different experience – confidence was high and everything just gelled. In the years to come he would revisit Cyprus to slowly move his way through the ranks, attaining his Divemaster before taking the Dive Instructor course in Stoney Cove in the UK.

The nature of his stockbroker job allowed him a certain amount of flexibility, and he was able to work in Frankfurt in the winter and as a Dive Instructor in Cyprus in the summer season. Not too shabby when you think about it, although Germany in the winter was probably a touch chilly. By the time he was offered a job at Sunset House in the Cayman Islands by two former dive colleagues, he owned two IDC (Instructor Development Course) Centres in Cyprus and was able to conduct his financial work on the go thanks to good ol’ technology. He arrived in Grand Cayman last year, and is now a Dive Instructor in a bustling financial centre. Hmmm… it all comes together…

There’s no reason to ask Roger if he would like to continue on this path, or if his dream is to own a dive shop, because both questions have already been answered. He is now a Master Instructor bringing his wealth of knowledge and experience to Sunset Divers, which is very happy to have him on board.

Book a course with Roger today and who knows? You may end up with a certification AND shares in Apple!

Dive Tip:
Please, please, please be aware of the delicate marine environment around you. A simple touch can destroy years and years of growth. Save it for others to enjoy in the future.

Roger’s Top Two

Orange Canyon – Boat Dive
The pin is in about 60ft of water. This is a wall dive, and you can turn left or right depending on the direction of the current. It is so named due to the abundance of elephant ear sponges growing on the walls. You will also find two encrusted pinnacles on the edge of the wall, and lots of fish life around including horse-eyed jacks, tarpon and snapper. Keep your eyes peeled for turtles lazily swimming around and feeding. Come back over the top of the wall to the pin and safety stop before you head to the surface.

Eden Rock – Boat or Shore Dive
This is a great dive for people of all diving levels. A nice shallow site close to shore, it is very easy to navigate and Devil’s Grotto is a short swim away. There are a number of swim-throughs where the sunlight shines down through holes in the rock and coral above – ideal for some picture-taking. You may see shoals of silversides in season, but a big draw is the large number of tarpon you’ll see swimming around. These huge fish are something to see when they travel together.