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On this page: History | Instructors | Assistants
History
Blue-Water Pursuits was founded in San Jose, California
by Steve and Andrea McCann. They
have developed the business to become one of the most active SCUBA education companies in the South Bay
Area.
Staff

Blue-Water Pursuits is composed of a number of certified instructors, assistant instructors and teaching assistants. The staff is friendly, professional and dedicated to providing the best learning environment and SCUBA experience for all students. Below, you can read about those who are currently helping out with the program--some of the words are their own, some are ours.
Instructors
With over 20 years of teaching experience, Steve is a SCUBA Instructor with four different agencies: SEI (was YMCA), PADI, NAUI, SDI, and TDI
(Technical Diving International). He has certified thousands of students and has taught SCUBA in a variety of venues including Grand Cayman Island,
adult education programs, and local universities. Steve and his wife, Andrea, have traveled throughout the world leading dive adventures with Blue
Water Pursuits. He is currently a NAUI SCUBA Instructor Trainer and an SEI Course Director. Certifications are issued through both agencies. Steve is a full-time faculty member at West
Valley College in charge of the Marine Diving and Martial Arts Programs. He has extensive boating experience and holds a U.S. Coast Guard Captain's
license for a 100 ton vessel rating. Steve has a Bachelors Degree in Business and a Masters Degree in Exercise Physiology/Biomechanics from San Jose
State University.
Shaun has been a certified SEI(YMCA) SCUBA Instructor since 1992 and crossed over to NAUI in 2008. He is also a TDI Nitrox instructor, a
DAN oxygen instructor and an American Red Cross CPR/First Aid/AED instructor. He works with Steve on all levels of scuba instruction including
instructor certification . When he's not diving he works for Cadence Design Systems as an engineer. He has been diving in several locations around
the world including, Cayman Islands, Palau, Truk Lagoon, Fiji, The Galapagos, Cozumel and several trips to the Channel Islands in southern
California.
Scott completed his SEI(YMCA) SCUBA Instructor training in January 2004 and crossed over to NAUI in 2008. He teaches beginning SCUBA, Advanced SCUBA, and Research Diving courses through the West Valley College Marine Diving Education program. His scientific background includes conducting a study on the effects of nitrox on post-dive fatigue. He is also a Reef Check California instructor. Scott spent five summers working as an Underwater Explorers instructor at the Monterey Bay Aquarium and is currently the web developer for the Sanctuary Integrated Monitoring Network (SIMoN).
Matt, aka "Minnie Me", received his first scuba certification the summer of 1999. He continued to enhance his skills and in January 2004, became an
SEI(YMCA) SCUBA Instructor and crossed over to NAUI in 2008. Matt has been diving with Blue-Water Pursuits since his initial certification and can often be found assisting dive classes
at West Valley College. To pay the bills Matt builds custom high-end swimming pools. He enjoys spending time with Tucker, his “rat dog”, mountain
biking and creating things in his workshop.
Dave received his first diving certification in early 1998 and was bitten hard by the "diving bug" and became an SEI(YMCA) SCUBA Instructor in January
2004 and crossed over to NAUI in 2008. He has been diving with Blue Water Pursuits since 1998. He has a Marine Biology degree from San Jose State University, and has been an intern
at both the Monterey Bay Aquarium and the Pelagic Shark Research Foundation.
He has an active interest in all aspects of the Ocean but a particular interest in shark research and preservation. Dave is also a certified AAUS
Scientific Diver.
Assistant Instructors and Divemasters
» Patrick Sosinski
Patrick started his SCUBA career in the spring of 2004 and immediately began assisting teach classes. Patrick is the first student to
complete all leadership courses offered through West Valley College's Marine Diving Education program. He is a certified Assistant Instructor and continues to contribute his skills to the Blue-Water Pursuits program.
Centaur received his first diving certification over 15 years ago and has put his skills to good use as both a scientific diver and assistant
instructor. He has a bachelors degree in Marine Biology from San Jose State University and works for the water district (hey, it involves water!).
He has an active interest in all aspects of the Ocean but a particular interest in shark research and preservation.
Rachel is a certified Assistant Instructor who has been annointed the "official" food director of the BWP staff. She organizes all meals and dinner reservations for the group. It is a tough job, but someone has got to do it!
David is an Assistant Instructor and has been helping with the program for many years.
» Sridhar Nanjundeswaran
Sridhar, aka. "Shredder", has been helping teach courses at
West Valley College and is an active Assistant Instructor within our program.
Steve is a certified Assistant Instructor and helps out with the program whenever he has a chance. You can often find him hanging out at the local dive shop listening in to learn about what's new in the world of diving.
» Kris DrummondKris earned her Assistant Instructor rating in the Fall of 2008. She is also a physical education instructor at West Valley College.
» Peter O'DayPeter earned his Assistant Instructor rating in the Spring of 2009. He actively participates in Blue-Water Pursuits training activities.
» Trish JessenTrish is nearing completion of her Divemaster training. Over the past few summers, she has worked for the Monterey Bay Aquarium as an Underwater Explorers instructor leading kids on surface scuba diving excursions.
» Ben LongcorBen completed his dive education through the Marine Diving Education program at West Valley College and is now a certified Assistant Instructor. He continues to help with Blue-Water Pursuits while pursuing a degree at CSUMB.
©2008 Blue-Water Pursuits, All rights reserved.