President - SDI Instructor Trainer, PADI Master Instructor

Diving professionally since 2004, all I can say is that I wish I did it sooner. The underwater world is something that can’t be described in mere words.  It’s something that has to be experienced first-hand.  From the moment of my very first underwater breaths, I knew I was hooked.

I enjoy local dive spots, as well as traveling to exotic dive destinations such as, Cozumel, Bonaire, Turks & Caicos, Caymans Islands, Belize, Honduras and Hawaii. My passion for diving has led me to capture this mind-blowing underwater world through underwater photography and videography. Please take a look at our Gallery for some of my favorites.

As an SDI Instructor Trainer and PADI Master Instructor, I teach courses from the initial Scuba Discovery up through the professional level courses of Divemaster, Assistant Instructor and Open Water Scuba Instructor, and Speciality Instructor courses. I also conduct crossovers from other training agencies to SDI, TDI and ERDI,  all in-house.

Twenty years from now you will be more disappointed by the things you didn’t do, than the things you did do! Dream, Discover, DESCEND!

SDI Instructor, PADI IDC Staff Instructor

Fernando has an extensive background in the professional ranks of scuba, bringing a wealth of knowledge and experience to each student he teaches as an SDI and PADI IDC Staff Instructor at Crystal Blue Diving. Upon obtaining his Dive Master certification in 2001, Fernando worked at Cebu Explorer on Cebu Island in the Philippines and was responsible for guiding certified divers on scuba tours and overseeing boat operations, schedules and logistics. In 2004 he became a Dive Instructor and began training and certifying Open Water, Advanced, Rescue and Dive Master students at Sea Explorer on Siquijor Island in the Philippines. From there, Fernando became the owner and Operator of the dive shop Siquijor Dive Safari from 2005-2010. It was there that he became a First Response Instructor and added Specialty Instructor responsibilities to begin training and certifying Underwater Photography, Navigation and Night Dive students.

In addition to his many scuba accomplishments, Fernando works a Care Manager for a senior living facility and enjoys many hobbies which include coordinating sports activities for youth and senior citizens, coaching adult basketball, cooking and running marathons and triathlons.

SDI. TDI, ERDI Instructor

I grew up on the chain of lakes and always enjoyed being on or in the water. I didn’t start diving until later in life, getting Open Water and Advanced Open Water certified in 1993. I joined the Lake Villa Fire Department as a Paid on Call FF in 1994 and immediately joined the dive team. I was an active FF and Public Safety Diver for 25 years, retiring in 2019. For most of those years, I was the team leader and also served for a short time on the executive board for the Lake County SRT Dive Team. Not being happy with the initial training my new divers were receiving, I became a SDI Instructor in 2002. Initially I was teaching a SDI Public Safety Diver Specialty Course that I developed before becoming an ERDI Instructor in 2005.

The majority of my teaching is now focused on new divers for Fire and Law Enforcement teams. I have certified Open Water and ERDI divers for 33 different Fire and Law Enforcement teams. To date, I have issued more than 700 ERDI certifications including ERD I, ERD II, Full Face Mask, Drysuit, Nigh Ops, Ice Diving, Surface Supplied Air, Tender and Contaminated Water.

I have a fairly extensive background in Technical Diving having completed 200+ decompression dives on the shipwrecks of the Great Lakes. A lot of my teaching methods and philosophies come from these experiences. I also have TDI Instructor ratings in Nitrox, Advanced Nitrox and Decompression Procedures. 

SDI OWSI/TDI Instructor/FRTI Instructor

I always wanted to be a diver. Growing up going to the Jersey Shore, playing in the waves and watching Jacques Cousteau reruns made me curious about the underwater world. Unfortunately, I didn’t learn until I was nearly 40! Since becoming an Open Water Scuba diver, I have met friends around the world, dove in far out and wild, remote places of the world (example: Sardine Run on the Wild Coast of South Africa). I love wreck diving in the Great Lakes and in New Jersey, exploring our unique treasures just offshore. I also love exploring the cave systems of Florida and Mexico. 

As a DIR diver and proud member of the Midwest Underwater Explorers (local GUE community), I am passionate about teaching students excellent fundamentals with the “end in mind” - and my vision is getting more divers in Lake Michigan diving our pristine wrecks. I also really love my new Divesoft Liberty rebreather.

I teach the following classes: Night & Limited Viz, Shore & Beach, Equipment Specialist, Advanced Buoyancy, Underwater Pumpkin Carving, Dry Suit, Boat, Wreck, Deep, Computer Nitrox, Underwater Hunter/Collector, Computer Diver, Snorkeling, Adult, Child, Infant Emergency Care, Bloodborne Pathogens, Oxygen Administration, Basic Freediver, Intro to Tech, Nitrox

SDI & PADI OWSI Instructor

I started diving when I was 18 and fell in love with diving.  I love the challenge and adventure of all aspects of diving.  I’ve been able to dive in the Mediterranean, Caribbean, Great Lakes and many of the local dive spots in the Midwest.  I enjoy teaching, working and meeting new people and sharing my enthusiasm for diving with them.

SDI/TDI Instructor Trainer, PADI IDC Staff Instructor

SDI Open Water Instructor

SDI, PADI Assistant Instructor

I have been diving since I was 13 and became a Divemaster in 2009. I love to share my passion for diving with new students. I enjoy both local and Caribbean diving and I love to capture the underwater world through photography. Lanie's passion and enthusiasm for diving and teaching is truly contagious!

SDI Divemaster

My first exposure to scuba came in 1998 during a trip to Hawaii, when I took my first breaths underwater and knew it was an experience I would never forget. Life took me in other directions for many years, but I finally completed my Open Water certification in 2023. After roughly 150 dives over the next two years, I earned my Divemaster certification in 2025.

I now serve as a Divemaster where I focus on supporting instructors, assisting students, and helping new divers build confidence from their very first descent. I enjoy diving in local quarries, exploring the wrecks of the Great Lakes, and traveling to warm-water destinations whenever possible.

Outside the shop, I run diveotter.com a project dedicated to providing honest and practical guidance for recreational divers who want to improve their skills and judgment both in and out of the water.

SDI Divemaster

Water has been a meaningful part of my life since infancy. At just six months old, my mother was instructed to drop me off a diving board during a swim class (ah, the good old days). While it left her a bit traumatized, it sparked a lifelong connection for me.

I earned my Junior Open Water certification at 14, but like many, life's responsibilties eventually pulled me away from diving for far too long. A few years ago, I returned to the water and made a commitment to keep diving a consistent and fulfilling part of my life. 

As a Divemaster, I'm passionate about protecting our planet and witnessing firsthand how human impact affects the oceans. I believe divers play a vital role in fostering awareness and inspiring action to preserve the underwater world we're so privileged to explore. 

Marketing Manager, SDI Divemaster

I completed my Open Water certification with my husband in 2012 prior to our honeymoon in Mexico. Once I dove in the Caribbean I knew I wanted to do it more! I went on to complete my Advanced Open Water in 2014 while on one of the group trips to Cozumel. Most recently, I completed my Rescue Diver course in 2023 followed by obtaining my Divemaster certification in 2024. I most enjoy diving on group trips in tropical locations while meeting new people and making new connections in the dive community. I love that I get to learn something new with each dive and each conversation. My favorite creatures to spot while diving? Puffers and Porcupines! I look forward to continuing my dive journey and sharing my knowledge and experience with new divers. 

Office Manager, VP of Morale, Advanced Open Water Diver