Founder of Big Blue Diving has passed away.

It is with extreme sadness that we announce that the founder of Big Blue Diving has passed away on the 1st January 2022, age 55. He lived his life a pioneer. He leaves this life a legend.

Michael was only 24 years old when he decided to open one of Koh Tao’s very first Dive Centers. It was a business he knew very little about, in a country he couldn’t even speak the language on an island very few people had ever even heard of. By age 34 he was the founder of one of the most successful dive resorts in the world, fluent in Thai, and an island founding father in the tourism and scuba diving business.

In 1991 Michael opened up Big Blue Diving with his business partner P’Pon. Within 10 years together they had established one of Thailand’s premier dive resorts. Michael had branched out and now offered accommodation food & drinks. And from here the seed of many business ventures sprouted.

He opened Big Blue Diving Khao Lak in 2003. He also bought into SSI around this time and introduced it to Koh Tao. He became a real estate agent & a restauranteur, and a beach lounge. He invested in an English magazine in Thailand, a little bakery, a laundromat a nail salon and a retail store. His business success is widely known & his legacy will be one of eternal success & respect.

But a businessman this successful can often show characteristics of ruthlessness, greed, selfishness and are known to flout their materialistic wealth. But Michael was the opposite in every respect. He lived in rented apartments or hotel rooms, he wore Big Blue shirts, boardies & flipflops. He carried his laptop in his Big Blue Bag for life. He was an incredibly caring individual. He would always make time to pop in and pay visits to old friends and acquaintances. He’d stay in contact not for any other reason than he cared about you. He was incredibly generous and would pay friends medical bills, offer business loans to start ups, charity donations, community projects, fundraisers. He loved his beach dogs and he made sure they were treated well and he always made time for them even jumping up from meetings to play with the dogs.

Our meetings were often long. Michael would look at a situation from all angles and would take his time to resolve the issue calmly, patiently, fairly & honestly.

He was a man who respected people. Animals. Nature. He was an incredible man who inspired you, got the best out of you and made you a better person. His life was short but he achieved more than most will ever do. He leaves behind a legacy. A man who followed his heart & his dreams. An inspiration to us all. To follow your heart and follow your dreams.

Live & let Dive

Rest in peace Michael.