Marine Biologist in: Huvadhoo, Maldives

[vc_row][vc_column width=”1/1″][vc_column_text]This is a Life&Dive ProDiver interview. These interviews are given to dive professionals from all around the world to provide you with an idea of their lives, job situations and opinions about the diving industry.
The interviews do not intend to insult employers or damage the reputation of their dive centres. They merely try to provide an honest picture about the working conditions in diving destinations all around the world in order to provide young and aspiring professionals with a helpful overview.

If you like to contribute an interview yourself, please contact us under mail(at)lifendive.com

[/vc_column_text][/vc_column][/vc_row][vc_row][vc_column width=”1/1″][vc_separator color=”grey”][vc_gmaps size=”300″ link=”#E-8_JTNDaWZyYW1lJTIwc3JjJTNEJTIyaHR0cHMlM0ElMkYlMkZ3d3cuZ29vZ2xlLmNvbSUyRm1hcHMlMkZlbWJlZCUzRnBiJTNEJTIxMW0xNCUyMTFtMTIlMjExbTMlMjExZDI1NTMzOC42NDk3MTM2NTE0OCUyMTJkNzMuMyUyMTNkMC40OTk5OTc1NDk5OTk5OTk5NiUyMTJtMyUyMTFmMCUyMTJmMCUyMTNmMCUyMTNtMiUyMTFpMTAyNCUyMTJpNzY4JTIxNGYxMy4xJTIxNWUwJTIxM20yJTIxMXNlbiUyMTJzJTIxNHYxNDIxODQzOTc1MjI3JTIyJTIwd2lkdGglM0QlMjI2MDAlMjIlMjBoZWlnaHQlM0QlMjI0NTAlMjIlMjBmcmFtZWJvcmRlciUzRCUyMjAlMjIlMjBzdHlsZSUzRCUyMmJvcmRlciUzQTAlMjIlM0UlM0MlMkZpZnJhbWUlM0U=”][/vc_column][/vc_row][vc_row][vc_column width=”1/2″][vc_column_text]Name:
Liko
Age:
30
Nationality:
German
Languages:
German, English, Greek, French & Spanish
Number of Dives:
500+
Where:
Huvadhoo, Maldives
Contract:
1 year contract
Position:
Marine Biologist & Divemaster
Salary Range / US$:
1500-2000 US$
Board / Accommodation:
Both provided by the club resort.
Duty and free time:
one day off per week[/vc_column_text][vc_single_image image=”225″ border_color=”grey” img_link_target=”_self” img_size=”400×300″][vc_single_image image=”973″ border_color=”grey” img_link_target=”_self” img_size=”400×300″][/vc_column][vc_column width=”1/2″][vc_column_text]Type of operation:
Dive centre
Size of operation:
Around 20 employees including water sports staff
Location of operation:
Dive centre is on the club island, but belongs to private company
Job characteristics and/or special duties:
As a divemaster I guided dives and gave pool introductions, and as a marine biologist I gave a weekly evening presentation at the main bar and served as marine biological snorkelling guide. Additionally, we had to cook for the guests once a week (live cooking), as the dive centre was located in a club resort – “Club Med” style.
More courses or more guiding?:
The operation offered everything from diving courses, over excursions, to big game fishing, kite-surfing courses and loads of other water related sports
Mode of Operation:
The boat dives were conducted from top of the line, modern and fast diving dhonis, while the snorkelling spots were reached by traditional dhonis. Of course the guests were also guided around the beautiful house reef.
average # dives per day:
I only stayed for 3,5 months and made 150 dives, which is around 1,5 dives a day[/vc_column_text][vc_column_text]Medical care situation:
There was a doctor from the Philippines on staff that I never needed. The next deco-chamber was in Gan all the way to the south and for everything else one would have to go to capital, Malé. Even there however, you will have a difficult time finding qualified doctors, but at least it is affordable. Girls, be warned, it’s an Islamic country and gynaecologists help you to get pregnant but don’t care about other problems you might have. Sad but true.
Visa Runs:
Only necessary, if your employer doesn’t manage to get your work permit in time. Then usually to Sri Lanka – “fly-in, fly-out” style.
Government administrative duties:
Medical check and official work permit, both usually organised by employer
Lifestyle:
Employees were provided with simple but tidy rooms with AC and their own showers. The rooms where situated in the staff village in the centre of the island, where guests were not allowed.[/vc_column_text][/vc_column][/vc_row][vc_row][vc_column width=”1/2″][vc_single_image image=”218″ border_color=”grey” img_link_large=”yes” img_link_target=”_self” img_size=”400×300″][/vc_column][vc_column width=”1/2″][vc_single_image image=”222″ border_color=”grey” img_link_target=”_self” img_size=”400×300″ alignment=”right”][/vc_column][/vc_row][vc_row][vc_column width=”1/1″][vc_column_text]Your opinion:

The biggest disappointment of the job was the lack of life, there was none. Living in a club hotel is already something not everybody can deal with; being the paid friend of your guests. But doing this on a tiny island where you simply cannot escape the situation, apart of staying in the tiny staff village, renders this task nearly impossible.
Even during your free day, you had to be available to the guests when you decided to stay in the guest area. The only other option was to stay in the staff village, which eventually started to feel like a prison in paradise.
But of course it was not all bad. The salary was really good and if I had been instructor already, it would have been even higher. The Maldives are a great place to make good money. And if you can offer the “marine biologist/dive instructor” combination and speak a couple of languages at the same time – well, then it’s time for pay-day.
Being the official marine biologist of the island also provided a really high social standing. The management as well as guests ask for your advice, opinion and have loads of questions about all those little critters that swarm the surrounding ocean. So that felt pretty cool.
Because my time on the island was short, only 3 and a half months, I cannot say whether the job as marine biologist would have gone beyond the state of evening presentations and guiding snorkellers. To make me stay longer, I would have wanted to get a chance on a scientific project and not just being the scientific clown of the guests.
Ultimately, I left because of the life restrictions due to the club concept and my girlfriend that had stayed home. Especially because of my girlfriend, I recommend anyone to work in such an environment, only if your partner comes along.
Nevertheless, the time spend on the island paid of as I managed to take enough pictures (~4.500) to publish a dive guide about Huvadhoo Atoll.[/vc_column_text][/vc_column][/vc_row][vc_row][vc_column width=”1/1″][vc_column_text]

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