About Scuba Travel Ventures

Gene Dold

“When I think about going on a dive trip, I get excited about what marine life I should expect to see. But I also like to learn about the location or geography of the destination and its people, culture and history. So for me, it’s fascinating to learn that the former British Colony of St. Lucia’s two main towns have French names, or why English is the primary language of Honduras’s Bay Islands, when the rest of the country speaks Spanish, or why North Sulawesi, in Indonesia, is primarily Christian in an otherwise Muslim country. My favorite destinations really are based upon my interests and mood at the time and what type of experience I am looking for and how long I have for travel. I thoroughly enjoy helping clients explore their world and meeting their needs.”

Gene was first introduced to the ocean in his youth, growing up on Catalina Island, where during the summers he regularly dived for coins. At 15, he got certified as a Junior Scuba Diver and later in his adulthood, he became a PADI Dive Master. He went on to become an Instructor and then went to work for STV.

Patchara (Chim) Carlson

“My diving experience is extensive, going back to 1982. I probably have over 3,000 dives logged dives, so a long time ago, I stopped counting and keeping a log book. I’ve dived in Thailand, Malaysia, the Maldives, Indonesia, the Philippines, Palau, Truk, Fiji, Tonga and Egypt. I’m hoping to add the Solomon Islands and Papua New Guinea in the near future.”

“Chim” was born in Thailand, and has been living in the United States for almost 20 years. In her native country she was a diving pioneer, becoming Thailand’s first female NAUI Instructor and NAUI’s first female Instructor Trainer. Those feats are impressive, but even more so for someone whose first profession was architecture. She is also an avid hiker, camper and snow skier."

Mike Arellano

“I first got certified 1991 in Roatan, in the Bay Islands. I liked it so much there, that I worked a couple of years as a Dive Master and dock manager. When I was young, I began accompanying my oldest brother on abalone, scallop and spear fishing dive trips in Southern California and Mexico. I became curious to find out what fish were really doing down there, after the divers would surface and tell me about all the different kinds of fish there were. Now, my pleasure is sharing my diving and cultural experiences with clients who are looking to take dive trips in areas such as the Caribbean, South Pacific and Asia.”

Tom Gorman III

“I help dive shops, dive clubs, families and individuals plan their next dive adventures. I’ve logged more than 2,000 dives and have traveled to more than 50 countries worldwide, leading dive tours. In my hometown, Laguna Beach, Calif., I helped start and run the Laguna Sea Dwellers Dive Club, which has more than 200 members. I still lead about four to six trips a year and have even been fortunate enough to have some of my underwater photographs published.”

Twenty-five years ago, Tom was certified as a Dive Master. He ran his own dive travel business before coming on board two years ago, with the STV family.