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Spotlight on the Placencia BTIA
Splash Dive Shop
Splash Dive Shop was established in 2000 and was originally located in front of Sonny’s Hotel in Placencia but after two years relocated to its present site down at the Main Dock in Placencia Village right where the sidewalk begins.
Splash Dive Shop has become a favorite of diving and snorkel groups. Its operator, Patty Ramirez - a PADI Scuba instructor, is so enthusiastic that she has adorned her finger and toe nails with the Dive flag. She not only is conscientious about tourist safety, she is known for her hospitality. Patty takes pride in assisting Splash Dive Shop’s tour guests in having a fun-filled vacation and also one that meets their budget packages. She arranges restaurant reservations for dinners that are a fun filled friendly occasion and meet guests’ taste and price range.
With a background of 10 years in accounting, graduating in Finance from the University of Honduras, courses in Interior decorating and 20 years in sports (swimming, marathons and triathlon), Patty learned to dive in the year 2000. It was not until after Hurricane Iris in 2001 that she decided to go further in her diving career, first sitting the National Tour Guide Training Program and then while working for Nekton Pilot diving cruises she became a Divemaster. She advanced further in 2003, becoming certified as both a Dive Instructor and an Emergency First Response Instructor.
Patty has achieved Course Director (PADI Instructor Trainer) status - PADI’s highest level and is one of two trained to that level in Belize. She teaches about 13 specialties: Nitrox, Deep, Navigation, Photo, Video, Night, Naturalist, Emergency First Response, Oxygen Provider, Marine Life Injuries, Advanced Oxygen, First Aid for hazardous Marine Life Injuries and Automated External Defibrillators, for Scuba Diving between others. She also teaches regular classes in Open Water, Advanced Open Water, Rescue, Master Diver, Dive Master and Assistant Instructor.
Between other jobs in the dive Industry, Patty has worked with Nekton Pilot, Sun Dancer II (Peter Hughes Diving), The Belize Aggressor III (Aggressor Fleet) and she tries to apply what she learned in those places to her business.
Patty’s dream is to introduce the amazing, safe, fun sport to as many curious, enthusiastic and adventurous, young and old people as possible. Patty wants to share the magnificent underwater world of Belize now and with future generations. With that in mind Patty began Splash Junior's Club. It started 4 years ago with the idea of giving the chance to local children between the ages of 10 - 18 years old to learn the beautiful sport while learning about the environment. The intention was the give them an opportunity to develop a passion for something that could turn into a career after they graduate from high school. The program allows them to start from Open Water diver and continue their career one level per year. Children get to go out diving whenever we have space available on our trips. At the moment 50 local children have been certified - most of them at the Open Water level. About 15 are Junior Advanced Open Water and about 10 have been taken up to the Rescue level.
Make a stop at Splash while you are here in Placencia. Not in Placencia? Visit Splash’s website at www.splashbelize.com or call 501-523-3058.
