Martha
Watkins-Gilkes, originally from Mississippi, is the owner and operator and established Fanta Sea Island Divers in 1979 on the island
of Barbados. She now makes her home base on the island of Antigua. Link
Martha
is a graduate of Mississippi State University and holds an MA degree.
She is
a certified PADI (Professional Association of Diving Instructors) Master Diving Instructor
(#13683). She has been diving for over 30 years and instructing for over 20 years. In
addition to the certification of an open water instructor she holds instructor ratings in
Medic First Aid, Underwater Photography, Wreck Diving, Night Diving, Deep Diving,
Underwater Collecting, and Equipment Repair.
High-level
diver ratings also held are through the International Diving Educator Association (IDEA),
Confederation Mondiale des Activities Subaquatiques (CMAS), the British Sub Aqua Diving
Association (BSAC) and the Young Men’s Christian Association (YMCA).
In
January 1994 Martha was presented the Platinum Pro 5000 Hour Diver Award for logging scuba
dives over 20 years in a variety of fresh and salt water locals, including cave, cold
water and tropical diving.
Martha
has dived all over the world, including the Red Sea, South Pacific (Hawaii, Yap, Fiji,
Palau, Papua New Guinea, Truk, Micronesia), the English Channel, throughout the Caribbean
(Belize, Saba, Dutch West Indies, Lesser and Greater Antilles islands, Venezuela and
surrounding Islands, the USVI and the BVIs, and the Galapagos).
Since
1994 she has served as the Diving Liaison Officer of the Antigua and Barbuda Historical
and Archeological Society, and in 1998 was admitted as a fellow member of the Explorers
Club of New York City. For 20 years she has worked as an underwater model and assistant to
international underwater filmmaker Stan
Waterman.
She is
a photojournalist specializing in underwater photography and dive travel writing, and has
published "A DIVING GUIDE TO THE EASTERN CARIBBEAN". A sequel to
this guide will be published in the very near future. Link
Martha Watkins-Gilkes
Martha
also owns and operates FantaSea Island Expeditions, a dive travel company
specialising in exclusive travel to exotic dive destinations. Additional information is
available upon request. Link
Martha
inducted into the Women Diver's Hall of Fame! Link
Martha now elected President of Women Divers' Hall of Fame! Link
New! Martha receives Wyland
Icom Award Link
New! Martha receives Diver
Of the Year in Environment at Beneath The Sea Link
