Yacht Harbour: 
DIVE BVI STAFF
Yacht Harbour • Scrub Island • Saba Rock
“We are what we repeatedly do. Excellence then, is not an act, but a habit.”
– Aristotle
JEFF MCNUTT
Director of Special Operations
A proud Texan, Jeff has been a Scuba Instructor since 2000 and a Divemaster since 1997. He moved to Virgin Gorda in 2003 after a BVI sailing trip for his birthday. In 2010, he received the prestigious SSI Instructor Trainer rating (meaning he can train new SSI Instructors). In early 2019, Jeff was awarded the Platinum Pro 5000 Instructor rating from SSI. He started out as manager of our former Marina Cay location before being named General Manager of Dive BVI in 2006. Later in 2009, Jeff became an operating Partner of Dive BVI, along with his dive buddy, Casey. Jeff loves being on the water and is known for his awesome mix-tapes he brings on the boat.
Top 3 Dive Sites: Ginger Steps, Carvel Rock, Joe’s Cave (with Kate Winslet as his dive buddy)
CASEY MCNUTT
Managing Director
Arriving with Jeff, Casey has made herself essential as the one in charge of Retail Operations/Human Resources, ordering all of the latest dive gear and resort wear for our locations. Casey also has a fabulous clothing brand called The Filthy Mermaid™ that is available in our shops and in several stores throughout the Caribbean. She recently become an SSI Mermaid Instructor Trainer and enjoys teaching Mermaids of all ages. She enjoys running, time out with friends and her Olde English bulldog, Dixie.
Top 3 Dive Sites: Ginger Steps, Painted Walls, Carvel Rock
Andrea (AJ) Syrett
General Manager
AJ was born in Woking, UK (home of F1 team McLaren). AJ worked in Accountancy for over a decade but it was on a vacation to the Maldives that she realized it was time for a career change. After completing her Advanced Open Water course, she returned to the UK and trained to become an instructor, even though it meant diving in very cold, dark, murky waters (although was better than being in the office). AJ has a passion for Fish ID and Underwater Photography. On her days off, she enjoys going diving (both closed & open circuit and with the camera), cooking and baking, watching movies and shopping (she has a dangerous online shopping habit).
Top 3 Dive Sites: RMS Rhone, Diamond Reef, Shark Point – Scrub Island
Steve Ellefson
Director of Fleet Operations
Steve is a SW Florida native, but has spent the last 14 years in the Caribbean. He’s a multi-tasker on land and in the water, shooting great photos and keeping our boats in top shape. He’s also a fun Instructor with dive experiences from all over the world. He’s a great boat captain as well!
Top 3 Dive Sites: Santa Monica Rock, Carvel Rock, Tobago Canyons
Clayvorne Pope
Locations Manager
Clayvorne is a native of St.Vincent. She moved to the British Virgin Islands in early 1995. Clayvorne first met Jeff and Casey when they were managing the Dive BVI -Marina Cay operation. Clayvorne was the administrative assistant of the island. She is a “people person”, happily dealing with customers daily and always had a smile on her face. She is also super excited about becoming a certified diver in this new adventure.
Rupert Raven
Captain & Scuba Instructor
Rupert is from London, England. In 2005 he went and travelled around the World for a couple of years where he first fell in love with Scuba Diving. He’s got to dive at some amazing places like Phe Phe Island, Thailand, Great Barrier Reef, Australia, Poor Knights island, New Zealand (his coldest dive to date !!), Taveuni Island, Fiji, Sodwana Bay, South Africa, and Hawaii to name a few … seeing Whale Sharks, Manta Rays, Potato Cod Fish and more and boy was he was hooked !!! By 2007 he decided to broaden his love for diving and became a Scuba Instructor having worked in the Bahamas for 3 years as an Instructor and Shark Feeder before heading down to the BVI in January 2011. Rupert’s other passions are sports (too many to mention, but is often chatting to the guests about the games the previous night) and weather !!! Yes that includes going Storm Chasing and seeing some amazing thunderstorms and tornadoes. He’s experienced 7 tornadoes up close so far and yearns to see more.
Top 3 Dive Sites: Santa Monica Rock, Carvel Rock, Tow Rock
Zoltan Birinyi
Captain & Scuba Instructor
Born in Budapest, Hungary, after studying mechanics in college Zoltan went to get a degree in economic studies. He became involved in Scuba Diving by chance. His flight from Asia to Hungary stopped in the UK and was snowed in for a week. He liked the UK so decided to quit his job back home as a sales manager and move to the UK. In the UK whilst working in a hotel, a dive shop opened opposite and thought it would be a good career and signed up for the instructor course without even a try-dive. Zoltan has previously worked in marketing and sales, went to the army as a Helicopter Paratrooper so a career in an extreme sport was inevitable. His biggest passion is sailing. On his days off, Zoltan enjoys CCR diving, watching American Football and doing anything active, he cannot sit still for long.
Top 3 Dive Sites: RMS Rhone, Alice in Wonderland, P.O.S.
Becca Knight van der Werff
Scuba Instructor & Crew Leader
Becca’s first steps into diving were taken whilst traveling Australia in her early 20’s. They were baby steps indeed as she was afraid of the water!! But after a few nervous breaths she fell in love with the freedom she found with SCUBA and the world beneath the waves. Becca was offered a place to help crew on her friend’s yacht on a trans-Atlantic crossing from the UK to the Caribbean – what better excuse to wear that pirate outfit?! Six months later, they had island hopped through the Azores and the Canaries, finally arriving in St. Lucia. She was desperate to get underwater after such a long time above, so she scoured the job boards and soon landed in Saba, a tiny volcanic island in the Dutch Caribbean. After a three month break in Europe she returned to the Caribbean, this time to Virgin Gorda and Dive BVI. So far she’s enjoying exploring our ‘big’ island (Saba is only five square miles!) both topside and below, especially the various wreck sites; and has been lucky enough to be welcomed by eagle rays, sharks, turtles and a dolphin!
Top 3 Dive Sites: RMS Rhone, P.O.S., Dry Rocks East
Kalilah (Lilah) Stephens
Retail Associate
Everyone calls me Lilah, because they said it’s easier to remember. Kalilah was born in the beautiful British Virgin Islands, the place which everyone calls paradise. Kalilah worked with us prior to Irma, and is happy to be back. She enjoys helping her customers, meeting new people, and is quite handy.
Ruby Daniel (Finey)
Retail Associate
Called Finey because, as a baby, everyone in her St. Kitts’ neighborhood said she looked so fine. Finey has been with Dive BVI for over 25 years! As our friendly retail clerk, Finey is so helpful with our divers and shoppers that they often find more than they were looking for! She is the source of all island information so stop by and let her fill you in.
