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Malen’s top dive picks

Malen De Beer is a merman trapped in a landlubber’s body. A South African lad who grew up on the coast of East London near Port Elizabeth, he always had a passion for the ocean, surfing the waves from an early age.
 
Malen started scuba diving when he was 18 years old, taking an open water course to introduce himself to the underwater world. Considering his affinity for everything marine, it is unsurprising that this initial certification swiftly led to further study and he made his way through the levels to divemaster in a short period of time. It is always good to get some genuine work experience under your (weight) belt, and so Malen joined the staff at a dive centre for a year before making the final step to officially becoming a dive instructor.
 
The visibility in the Indian Ocean isn’t exactly amazing, but you can certainly encounter some pretty large creatures out there – sharks, whales, dolphins, seals… Malen experienced it all, yet six months later felt it was time to move on to other countries and new adventures. He worked in Egypt and the Red Sea, and sampled the exotic sights of Thailand before travelling halfway across the globe to land in the Cayman Islands.
 
He began working at the Beach Club on Seven Mile Beach and stayed there for over a year before moving to Denmark for two years so his girlfriend could finish her studies (isn’t love grand?) Working in a fashion warehouse over there did not turn Malen into a Project Runway contender and so as soon as they were ready, the couple came back to the Islands.
 
He has now been working for the Cayman Diving School since 2008 and is very happy to be back under the water where he belongs. The personalised operation (maximum six divers per boat) really appeals to him and apparently customers as well, as there are many repeat clients through the year. You have to love a job like this where getting up at 6am is the norm.
 
Malen likes diving in the Cayman Islands because the visibility is so impressive, the sites are spectacular and they are located really close to shore.
 
He is definitely sticking with this gig for the foreseeable future, because if it ain’t broke…

Call Cayman Diving School today and hook up with Malen De Beer. You’ll be growing gills in no time! WH