From Adam Ashraf Maldivian PADI Master Instructor and owner of PADI 5 Star Dive Center, Dive Desk in Male.

As a Master Instructor, I have had the priviledge of staffing at Instructor Development Courses led by Platinum Course Director Mark Soworka of the Dive-Careers.com, based at Maldives' pioneer Dive Centre in the resort-island of Bandos Maldives, since 2017. Maldives February 2021 IDC posed many challenges due to COVID-19 pandemic: From having to relocate IDC to an inhabited-island guesthouse, losing candidates from travel restrictions to 10 out of 14 participants having to undergo a 12-day quarantine that doubled the time and expense for them; Maldives' first IDC of the year was an unprecendented commitment to professional level training by all participants involved with all ten instructor candidates making it through with flying colors!

To my team of Dive Desk staff instructors Bob and Jumba, to the now certified PADI Instructors YD, CJ, Athti, Aiman, Immy, Arif, Sharif, Caro, Modu and Mippu, to the most patient, down-to-Earth and knowledgable Course Director and mentor Mark Soworka, and to the Examiner Matt Wenger, a very big thank you for making it a memorable and successful IDC/IE. A very special thanks to Maamigili Council and our host Shamoon at Shamar Dive and Guest House for the warm hospitality and logistical support.

Looking forward to our second IDC of the year scheduled for 18 May 2021. I am proud of seeing dedicated young people taking up diving as a career, and I feel honoured to be part of their PADI journeys.  To join our IDC experience in the Maldives contact either

Ashraf on +960 7937738 / This email address is being protected from spambots. You need JavaScript enabled to view it. or Mark directly on This email address is being protected from spambots. You need JavaScript enabled to view it.