Early Roots in California
I was born in Los Angeles in 1958 and grew up under the California sun. After graduating from Loyola High School in 1976, I followed a path that felt both creative and practical—earning a degree in Construction Technology and Management from the College of the Redwoods. For over a decade, I built custom homes across California. I loved shaping spaces from the ground up, but something deeper was calling.
A Life-Changing Dive in Cozumel
In 1990, I got my scuba certification and made my first trip to Cozumel. That visit changed everything. The reef, the people, the sense of purpose I felt underwater—I knew I had found something that would reshape the rest of my life.
Joining Sand Dollar Sports
By 1991, I had the credentials to work as a diving instructor in Cozumel. Not long after, Suzanne Fernandez, the founder of Sand Dollar Sports, gave me the opportunity to join her business. In 1992, I came onboard, and a year later, she asked me to step into the role of General Manager and business partner. Those early years were a whirlwind. Together, we grew the company from just 12 people to over 130 in only four years. It was hard work, but it felt right.
Protecting Cozumel’s Reefs
In 1996, I helped co-found the Cozumel Reefs National Park and ANOAAT (the Association of Aquatic Tourism Operators). Both were major steps toward giving Cozumel’s reefs the protection they desperately needed. A year later, we opened a dive shop at the Reef Club Cozumel—not just to serve divers, but to educate them. That same goal—education—has guided nearly every step since.
A Partner in Life and Conservation
I met my future wife, Angelica Contreras, in 1996, and we married a year later. She had moved to Cozumel from Mexico City in 1987 to pursue her dream of becoming a divemaster. Inspired by Jacques Cousteau as a child, Angelica fell in love with the ocean and did her first scuba dive at age 7 in Acapulco. After relocating to the island, she became a certified PADI Open Water Diver in, then a divemaster, and in 1989, a PADI Instructor. During her instructor training, she met German Méndez—the founder of the Cozumel Coral Reef Restoration Program—who was her IDC staff course director. Angelica is also a passionate conservationist and avid photographer.
Photographs by Angelica Contreras
Growing Through Education and Partnerships
Over the years, I’ve continued my training, earning instructor-level certifications from IANTD, PADI, NASDS, NAUI, and DAN. But certifications were just part of the journey.
A year after I became a Mexican citizen in 2004, Hurricane Wilma hit our island in 2005 and devastated the reefs. I joined efforts with Royal Caribbean and Jaime Sweeting to create a sustainable tourism program, using Reef Balls to help restore damaged coral areas. By 2006, we were working with groups like Coral Reef Alliance and Conservation International to set sustainability standards for marine tourism. I’ve always believed that if we’re going to invite the world to see these reefs, we also must protect them—for the ocean’s sake and for future generations.
Leadership in Marine Conservation
In 2009, I helped the Marine Park develop safe lionfish removal strategies and training. Around the same time, I joined MARTI (Mesoamerican Reef & Tourism Initiative) as a board member and advisor, working to unite Cozumel’s tourism sector under a more sustainable vision.
One of my proudest collaborations began in 2010 when we launched the Golden Diver Foundation, recognizing divers who go above and beyond to protect marine ecosystems. Each year, we’ve honored inspiring individuals like Jacques Cousteau, Sylvia Earle, and young change maker Zoe Anderson.
Coral Restoration and Technological Innovation
In 2017, we partnered with German Méndez and the Cozumel Coral Reef Restoration Program to expand coral education and volunteer opportunities. That same year, we collaborated with Bio Rock and Colleen Flanigan of Living Sea Sculpture to install “Zoe,” a Bio Rock structure designed to accelerate coral growth. We even installed a live-stream underwater camera to bring Cozumel’s reef to the world.
Sustainability as a Core Mission
In 2018, we began working toward sustainable business certification through Travelife. It took three years, but we did it. With the leadership of our Sustainability Director Cristina Mota, we continue to set new environmental goals every year. For us, sustainability isn’t a trend—it’s a responsibility.
The Pandemic and a Renewed Purpose
The COVID-19 pandemic was a turning point for many of us. For our team, it was a reminder of how interconnected everything is. Since then, we’ve doubled down on marine education and sustainability. In recent years, we’ve grown into a real community leader, offering educational experiences both on land and at sea.
Looking Ahead
I’m proud of the partnerships we’ve built—with NGOs, local government, academic institutions, and fellow businesses. Each one has helped shape this mission into something bigger than me. It’s no longer just about diving—it’s about inspiring the next generation to protect what we love.
Currently, we are busy working to protect Villa Blanca reef from destruction by special interest groups.. Cozumel’s beloved Villa Blanca Reef is under urgent threat from the proposed construction of a 4th cruise ship pier—right on top of this thriving coral ecosystem. The majority of the local population don’t want this to happen so we started a GoFundMe campaign to raise $20,000. We used these funds to commission an independent marine biologist to produce a science-backed environmental report that can challenge the flawed and misleading government study currently being used to justify the project. The report is now in the hands of SEMARNAT in Mexico City. We are trusting they will make the correct decision and shut the project down.
If you, like me, care about preserving the beauty of coral reefs, please help us in this fight. Share about our fight with others.
