Iris | SSI & PADI Instructor

Servus, I’m Iris.

I’m originally from Austria, but by the time I arrived at Porto Mari, I had already spent more than ten years working in the dive industry. The Maldives, Egypt, Thailand, Indonesia — I had logged my fair share of miles underwater. I’d been teaching in both the PADI and SSI systems for years.

In 2023, I was actually on vacation in Mexico when I got in touch with Porto Mari. The idea came up spontaneously: why not come over for a few weeks or months to help out? One week later, I was picked up at the airport in Curaçao — and instead of easing into island life, I immediately started helping customers and selling gear in the shop. Vacation was officially over. To be honest, I enjoy working just as much — maybe even more.

At Porto Mari, I joined a young and motivated instructor team. There may have been an expectation that, with my experience, I could offer some guidance or perspective. But honestly? There wasn’t much to adjust. The dive center ran like a well-oiled machine. The atmosphere was relaxed, the organization solid, and everyone knew exactly what they were doing.

Where my background helped most was behind the scenes. Through my experience and network, I assisted with securing a special waiver to run the PADI Seal Team program in the bay — something that’s normally restricted to pool sessions. Small contributions, but meaningful ones.

What I appreciated most was the pace. You could truly take your time with students and divers. Attention, calm, quality — those things mattered. I’ve worked in places where the rhythm was very different. Here, it simply felt right.

I’m quite talkative. In fact, the only time I didn’t speak was when I had a regulator in my mouth. As soon as I surfaced, the conversation continued. For two months straight. I suspect I left just in time before they were completely exhausted by me. 😉

It was a beautiful and intense period in which we learned from one another. That may be the most special thing about this industry: sharing experience, passing on knowledge, and continuing to grow yourself at the same time. And then there are all those shades of blue. I still find myself dreaming about the blue of Curaçao.

And honestly? I’d do it again in a heartbeat.