At Sea Saba we've assembled a talented and professional staff to insure that your dive vacation runs smoothly from beginning to end. Our all-instructor crew can teach you to dive or help you become a better diver or just enjoy sharing our passion with you.  But don't take our word for it --- see what our past customers have to say and we're sure you'll see why Sea Saba makes the difference. We've included these brief profiles here as updates for our many repeat customers and for new customers so that you'll know a bit about us before arriving.  At the same time, we have some regular visiting instructors who assist us during peak periods and a cast of supporting players.  Sea Saba is a PADI International Resort but is also affiliated with DAN, NAUI, SSI, TDI, ANDI and IANTD.  Check out our Training and Courses page for loads of information on learning to dive or improving your diving skills.

The Sea Saba Crew:
John & Lynn, Sue, Bruno, Guy, Alex & Carolyn, Gersh, Martin & Charlotte, Melissa
Visiting Instructors:  Dick & Paula, Lee and Lea,  
Your Drivers:  Garvis, Manny, Junior
Supporting Players:  Chip, Raymond, Kodiak, Seneca and Pinda

John Magor and Lynn Costenaro met in the mid-80's and have made Saba their home since 1989. More than 25 years ago when spending a winter on St. Kitts, John would see Saba almost 40 miles away.  He'd heard many a tale of Saba's dramatic diving but it wasn't until many years and many dives later that he first stepped on Saba.  John's thirst for adventure began as a teenager--leaving his London flat to backpacking trips around West Pakistan, Europe and Northern Africa.  With a portable career as a hair stylist he headed to Ottawa, Canada.  He learned to dive and spent long weekends exploring the Great Lakes, St. Lawrence Seaway, Nova Scotia and British Columbia.  Warm water trips to Belize, Tobago and the Red Sea resurrected his itch to travel. He boarded a schooner and after stops in the Azores and Spain he settled down for a three-year stint in the Red Sea. Next stop was a job in the British Virgin Islands where he met Lynn, who was vacationing with friends.  Only a few months later, Lynn abandoned her corporate NYC job and a daily commute from Greenwich in 1987 for a more nomadic lifestyle with John in Sharm El Shiek, Egypt. They donned drysuits for the next stop in Quadra Island, British Columbia but as winter set in they decided Virgin Gorda in the British Virgin Islands sounded much more appealing.  Lynn became an instructor in 1989 just prior to their departure for Saba which was considered one of the last frontiers of the Caribbean at that time. John and Lynn have been managing Sea Saba since 1992 and eventually "bought out" Sea Saba's founders, Joan and Lou Bourque in 1997.  If it were up to John, he’d be underwater shooting photos all day but more often than not you’ll find him behind the scenes keeping the boats, vehicles, compressors and other operational necessities in order. Lynn is normally in the Windwardside office helping to make your trip special from the point of first contact until after you arrive home.

Bruno Lei is back!   After spending a year with us April 2001-2002, Bruno went on a walk-about.  His first stop was back to Europe to see friends and family and then off to Thailand where he 'crossed over', adding a PADI instructor rating to his SSI credentials.  He next found himself in Australia...well it is sort of on the way to The Maldives.  After another contract with German based Subaqua, we are happy to have Bruno back on Saba.  Bruno's roots lie in Switzerland where his family owns a brick-laying company.  His strong back and useful hands are just icing on the cake.  A capable captain and instructor who also speaks five languages (German, French, Italian, Spanish and English), you never know whether you'll find Bruno on the boat, at the pool or doing a carpentry project.  But for certain, you will always be met by his broad smile and warm demeanor...and, he makes a killer Swiss fondue!

Guy Stewart is a Scotsman but with a softer London accent.  After studying psychology and criminology, Guy lived in Hanoi, Vietnam and taught English.  He learned to dive while traveling in Thailand and quickly gained professional status.  Enjoying two portable careers, Guy traveled to The Philippines, Malaysia, Singapore and Nepal where he reached the Everest base camp.  Heading back west he worked in Grand Cayman where he gained tech diving experience.  Most recently, Guy spent a year diving the wrecks and enjoying the culture of Greece.  All this at the ripe old age of 25!  In addition to his instructor and divemaster responsibilities, Guy is a certified Scubapro and Sherwood technician, making sure Sea Saba's rental fleet is always up to snuff.  Take a dive with Guy and enjoy his calm manner.  His watchful eyes are a comfort to newer divers and appreciated by photographers. 

Alex van der Kroft and Carolyn Caporusso met while both walking about near Cairns, Australia.  Alexander Wilhelmus Johannes Josef van der Kroft  (no worries, he answers just fine to "Alex") was born in Leiden, Holland.  He is a papered Chemical Engineer who monitored quality control with Heineken Breweries--perhaps destined for Saba after all.  Just before heading out to the Great Barrier Reef for his divemaster training, he was introduced to Carolyn, who was on her own dive adventure.  After graduating with a Bachelor of Arts in Theater, she kept her love for the stage alive by acting in avante garde plays around the Chicagoland area.  At the same time, she worked an intensive day job as a paralegal for a large Chicago law firm that specialized in environmental insurance litigation.  Carolyn remains on the board of Home Grown Theater, a company she and friends started two years ago.  Her dynamic personality and natural gift to work well with people drove the firm's top client to insist Carolyn was closer to their London base--giving Carolyn a platform for even easier international travel and eventually closer to Alex.  After their initial encounter, Carolyn and Alex returned home but continued their long distance relationship for two years before rendezvousing again in Mexico.  They made their way southward, stopping to work in Xcalak before continuing on in to Belize and the Bay Islands.  Although soon to be a PADI Open Water instructor, you'll more often find Carolyn in Sea Saba's office utilizing her excellent organizational skills.  Those skills are one reason Carolyn and Alex are Saba's official representatives of Reef Check, an international coral reef monitoring program that not only monitors coral reef health, but does so with the participation of recreational divers.  Sign up for a Naturalist or National Geogprahic course or watch our schedules to join the next Reef Check dive so that you can be a contributor--you can even choose your language (Dutch, English, German and not bad Spanish--Carolyn, too).    And, Alex is living proof that real men can walk tiny dogs...but in his case, it has to be a long leash. 

Martin Street and Charlotte Lord are both from England so one might assume they met there--certainly it would have been simpler but not near as much fun!   Charlotte's Hastings roots are embedded in a family of fishermen dating back 200 years while Martin, though not a true Cockney is from Southeast London.  New to the Sea Saba Team in June '05, neither is hardly new to diving.  With over 4,000 dives each and hundreds of certifications, Martin and Charlotte bring a wealth of experience with them to their new Caribbean home.  Their most recent experience was on the M/V Oleanda in Micronesia's Marshall Islands.  When the U.S. Government opened up a number of WWII wrecks to recreational divers, Martin and Charlotte were the first to bring non-resident divers to the area.  This experience along with Martin's marriage proposal on a tiny private island are added to Marty and Charley's extensive travel logs.  Prior to Micronesia, they traveled through New Zealand and worked as instructors for four years in Sinai diving the Red Sea out of Sharm El Sheikh, Egypt.  Martin's explorations go even further back when he made diving a means of travel through southeast Asia, Greece and from coast-to-coast in Australia, including leading whale shark excursions out of Exmouth.  You won't be at a loss for chat and stories to share with Martin on the main deck or at the helm of Sea Dragon.  Ask Charlotte about the best way to capture an angel fish up close while creating your personalized photo c.d. of your Saba experience.  Charlotte is instrumental in Sea Saba's National Geographic program bringing her interest in photography together with her passion for diving and the environment. 

Gerard "Gersh" Geenty is another Brit but from Kensington, central London where he first gave acting a try as a career.  Having his fun with minor roles on the stage he decided it was time for a more lucrative career--don't worry, this wasn't the diving time frame, first came computer programming which lead to investment banking and eventually to his own consulting firm.  In his harried lifestyle, Gersh enjoyed diving but continued to do annual 'resort dives', never finding time for a proper certification.  When his friends and family grew worried he might be turning in to a tired old git, Gersh took time to breath and completed his Open Water certification with Bahamian icon Jef Fox.  Once hooked, he took a year off and traveled from Thailand through Singapore, Malaysia and Indonesia, ending up in the Whitsunday Islands of Australia.  His next mentoring was with Tony Fontes at Oceania Dive Center, a 5-Star PADI CDC Center.  Working with this dynamic team of environmentally and politically conscious professionals, Gersh advanced his status to PADI IDC Staff Instructor. Step up your diving skills with an Advanced or Nitrox with Gersh--or... for a small consulting fee, he can advise you how to turn your life around before becoming an old git!  

Melissa Schultz is a our newest instructor--new to Sea Saba but not new to the dive industry.  She comes from the Land 
Down Under but also speaks fluent German.  Melissa actually began her dive career while traveling through Europe and Asia. After working in Cypress and Thailand, Melissa headed back to her homeland of Australia to spend time with her family--AND experience Australia's diverse diving.  Her last employer was a considerably larger facility than Sea Saba--72 instructors!!  So Melissa is looking forward to our smaller operation where she can get to know our clients, the Sea Saba way!   In addition to Melissa's divemaster and instructor dutes, Melissa is also an equipment technician looking after Sea Saba's rental fleet of tanks, regulators, bc's--the works!

Dick and Paula Litzel can only be categorized as a role models for all of us here at Sea Saba. Putting life into perspective, Dick sold his business eight years ago and hasn't regretted it once. Dick and Paula spend the winter months on Saba, escaping the harsh winter of upstate New York.  They've been regular Sea Saba customers for 15 years gradually increasing their vacation time to Saba with each visit. Each trip back to Saba brought a new badge of diving accomplishment and 7 years ago both became full-fledged instructors. Dick's natural hard work ethic and many Saba experiences make him a great asset we regularly tap into during our peak season. Retired? Yes. Couch potatoes? Absolutely not--since in addition to their active diving careers, they are nationally ranked triathletes. Sea Saba is proud to say we have a world-ranked athlete on our staff--Dick finished #8 in the world in his age category in 2000 and 2001--check out his photo finish! World Ironman competition held in Hawaii.  Obviously age improves Dick's speed and endurance.  Most recently Dick finished #1 in his age class at the 2003 AND 2005 Lake Placid Ironman as well as several other ironman competitions last summer.  Dick and Paula are off to Hawaii in October!  Too bad the hills of Saba are not the ideal training ground for Dick and Paula or we'd love to have them down here for the other 8 months of the year....

Lee and Lea Fulmer met while Lee was stationed in Germany and Lea was traveling.  He retired from the U.S. Army as a Colonel while Mrs. Lea purchased a small flower shop in Texas which they eventually developed in to a large-scale landscaping business.   In 1998 they sold it all and purchased a 40' motor coach and ran away with their cats.  They now winter as ski bums (and Patrol) at the Taos Ski Valley Resort in New Mexico and summer in Saba!  Mr. Lee made his first dive in 1959 on an Aqua Lung and is now a PADI Master Scuba Diver Trainer.  He and Mrs. Lea, also a PADI instructor, team teach open water, specialty and advanced training courses for Sea Saba in their "off season"--June through October.  Mrs. Lea is an accomplished photographer both above and below and Mr. Lee yearns to perfect videography with a whole new set of toys. When not in the training mode, they are busy upgrading the landscaping at their already popular "Cat's Eye Cottage".  Cat's Eye (circa 1876 Saban cottage) is Saba's most affordable rental in Windwardside.  Enjoy Lee and Lea's company on our boats just diving, or spicing up a surface interval with a famous cliff dive at Torens Point.   

James 'Garvis' Hassell will be among the first to greet you when you arrive at Saba's Jauncho Yrasquin airport. Whether you've booked your trip for a day or a month, let us know your arrival time and Ambassador Hassell will be there to "steer" you in the right direction. Garvis' stands out above the crowd at 6'7" but more often than not he'll spot you first with his uncanny knack of identifying expected visitors. His beige van will be close by and at the ready for your dive gear and luggage. Garvis' roots date back to Saba's earliest European settlers. You can arrange an island tour with him where you'll meet his aunt who'll introduce you to Saban lace, visit his family farmland and receive a quick history lesson about Saba's Fort Bay harbor that he helped build. When your trip is finished, Garvis will reliably pick you up at your hotel or cottage an hour before your departure flight for the short 15 minute trip down the mountain.

Emmanuel "Manny" Lynch sets off on his daily appointed rounds as you're stirring from a relaxing Saban sleep. While you're at breakfast he's making his way towards your cottage or hotel for your daily trip to Fort Bay for another day's diving. Born on Saba and a Hassell descendent, Manny spent much of his youth on Aruba but doesn't operate on island time. Known for his promptness and slow conservative driving on Saba's long and winding road, his new navy blue van will probably be waiting outside your door well before your designated pickup time. Manny's never short on a story or in too much of a hurry to stop for that unique photo opportunity. There's no need for concern when Manny stops and you see money exchanging hands... there's no illicit transaction being conducted because you'll soon find out that he also serves as Saba's local authorized lottery agent where housecalls and deliveries are commonplace. When your boat returns to Fort Bay after diving, you'll see Manny waiting for your return trip.  During the trip back be prepared to stop for those lucky winners. So try your luck, it could be you
October 2003--News!--After 10 years driving for Sea Saba, Manny is retiring.  No worries, he's still on the island but he has handed the business down to his son, Emmanuel, aka "Junior".

Emmanuel "Junior" Lynch...if he appears to have a resemblance to Manny, it's for a good reason. Junior is Manny's son who has returned to Saba after living for many years in St. Maarten.  Junior is far from new to the tourism industry.  He's done everything from being a chef to managing hotel property.  Like Manny he has many a story and as you can see, a wonderful broad smile.  Unlike Manny, he's constantly jumping out of the bus!  Eager to please, Junior is the a West Indian prince who blends the old fashion charm but with new world business sense.  Let him know if you prefer to ride in style with air conditioning or enjoy the tradewinds.  Junior can also arrange taxi tours and is available for any night time private dinner services.

William "Chip" D'Angelo is a face seen only a few weeks per year on Saba.  He has over twenty-two years of experience managing specialty service, engineering and contracting businesses.  Chip learned to dive as part of an Environmental Science program at Montclair State College in 1975.  His first project as an environmental consultant took him to Puerto Rico for nearly two years during which time he dove the region from Vieques to the British Virgin Islands.  Over the years he diversified his business interests from founding a marine search and survey company which introduced the first commercial Benthos ROV to owning a dive shop in New Jersey.  Chip enjoyed a number of Caribbean dive trips from the Bahamas to Mexico during which time he even became a PADI divemaster.  On a trip to St. Maarten in the late '80's, Chip met Wilson McQueen, the first to scuba dive Saba's waters.  Chip and Wilson became friends and eventually Chip became an investment partner in Wilson's ferryboat business which took 'daytrippers' from St. Maarten to Saba.  Chip's 10-year history with Saba is now scaled down to his investment interests with Sea Saba and coming down to enjoy the island.  

Raymond Francis is one of Saba's newest divers. After too many years, we were finally able to convince him to get certified and start exploring the waters of the Saba Marine Park. Born and raised in Curacao, Raymond  is a certified electrician, mechanic and all around handyman who we've come to rely upon in tight situations. He's always been our "behind the scenes guy" assisting John with boat repairs or lending an opinion when necessary. As such, we feel he deserves some recognition here. During our recovery period in the wake of Hurricane Lenny (1999), Raymond's assistance during John's absence (finding and preparing Giant Stride and Sea Dragon) was priceless. Trust us when we say this is one guy you can truly rely upon in hard times. Now that we've finally thrown him to the guys in grey suits at Shark Shoals, you might have the good fortune of a Third Encounter of the best kind with Raymond when he finds time to break away from his busy land-based schedule in favor of his new appreciation of Saba underwater.

Seneca is Sea Saba's mascot...with her very own webpage:  Watch Seneca Grow...  She and her siblings were born in and eventually rescued from a drainpipe in a small town in Illinois.  If you look at her puppy photos you can almost believe the animal shelter (as we did) that her mother was a yellow lab...She's certainly 100% mutt with a mind of her own.  Seneca has adapted well to her new Caribbean lifestyle with fun-filled days of hiking, swimming lessons,,,and often times just 'coolin' out' on the floor.  Her extra long snout seems to make her extra skilled at finding puppy treats in your pocket, be prepared!  Ask for a paw and she'll trade you a treat for a kiss...She sports her diving collar and matching leash and is available to assist you in sizing for your friend at home.

Pinda, is Dutch for Peanut, and as you can see...she is one cool cat--or we mean dog.  Alex and Carolyn's compromised name, Pinda, happens to be an appropriate one for a pooch who was so scrawny that she got busted in a cat trap.  The Saba Feral Cat Program is managed by Judy Stewart, owner of The Saba Peanut (Art) Gallery, next door to Sea Saba.  Carolyn took one look at this tiny, timid creature and fell in love. After a few weeks of good food and affection, a different personality emerged.  Now feared by many locals as the aggressive territorial watchdog, watch your first step when you enter the courtyard at Lambee's Place.  If you come in to the Sea Saba office early in the morning, you never know which of Pinda's friends may be there to entertain you...Seneca can normally be counted on for a good game of tug-of-war.  

Kodiak, born and raised on Saba, was a pure-bred Coconut Retriever and quite popular islander. Never crazy about swimming or the water, he was regularly found in the back of the work truck or handing tools to John while supervising the maintenance tasks. Kodiak died on Christmas Day 2001 but his memories live on.  He  was part of the Sea Saba team, John's shadow and a Saba icon.  Mr. K loved thinking he was the driver but many a visitor chuckled to see him ride the tailgate.