Gaye Dülger

My field of education, which is Social Sciences and Literature, did not inspire me to go in that direction. During the times I was working abroad, I became interested in scuba diving thanks to my roommate. I had decided to start diving as soon as I came back to Turkey since I was not able to back there. With the help of my connections I was able to enroll in a suggested diving center with the closest class and diving start date. My goal was to be underwater as soon as possible. Since 1999 I have continued to my adventure without departing from diving. Diving was very similar to skiing which I started when I was 5 and competition life I got into when I was 6 in the way of being a group sport which gave me much joy. My competitive skiing life continued on for 20 years professionally. During that period I have placed Turkish Champion 6 times, got many high rankings and local first places.

I have over 50 medals. After my career in competitive skiing, I have tutored in courses to many grade school and middle school children so that they could be raised as competitors. I have been awarded certificates of appreciation for my voluntary contributions to Ankara Mountain and Winter Sports Specialization Club.

I was interested in track and hall sports semi-professionally. I started aikido. I’m still pursuing hall sports and aikido till this day.

Spending a majority of my childhood skiing on mountains was substituted by the motorcycle which gave the same feeling years later which is the wind hitting you from the front. I have been riding my motorcycle with the same enthusiasm and pleasure as if it is the day I have bought it. I have chosen Harley Davidson as my 4th motorcycle since the philosophy and the drives intrigued me.

I attend the tours abroad or in Turkey with my motorcycle. By doing this, I never have to disassociate from the feeling of wind hitting my face which unlocks the feeling of being free and the feeling of being one with nature.

Besides dives, I have delved into the occupation as well. In 2001, with my One Star Instructor brevet I officially started to give lessons in a diving center as an authorized instructor. I have been continuing ever since without stopping.

I became a TSSF/CMAS 2 Star Instructor Diver Guide.
In 2005 EFR - Medical First Aid, Child and Baby First Aid and AED Use Coaching trainings.
In 2006 I became an Open Water Scuba Instructor by succeeding in the PADI exam in Turkey. I became a Master Scuba Diver Trainer the same year
In addition I am also Deep Diving, Underwater Photography, Night Diving, Search and Rescue Diving, Ruins Diving, Material Maintenance Expertise, Altitude Diving, Nitrox Diving, Boat Diving, Oxygen First Aid, Current Diving, Underwater Creature Identification Diving, Digital Underwater Photography, National Geographic Diver, Perfectly Neutral Swimming, Coral Reef Conservation Diving and AWARE Speciality Diver Specialist instructor.
I also specialize in Technical Deep Diving.
Since 2007 I have been training and giving courses on PADI Instructor Courses with my director Necat Coşkun as well as PADI Assistant Courses. After his heartbreaking passing, I continued my job with Oray Ercan being awarded of the directory role.
I have founded Nereids Diving Center in 2008 and have accomplished to be a 5 star diving center of the PADI system which is the most valid system in the world.
I have successfully enrolled and finished the 3 Star Instructor Education Course by Turkish Underwater Sports Federation. Since 2010, I have been teaching the Instructor Educating Courses by the TUSF in addition to helping my friends initiate a career in this field.
In 2008, I have been selected as a Technical Board Member by the Federation. I am still volunteering at the Turkish Underwater Sports Federation Education and Exam Board even after my job as a board member was over. I also take part in Underwater Surveillance competitions.
In 2013 I had been elected as TUSF 2nd District Representative from the elections carried out in the Ankara - Eskişehir - Konya region after the federation decided to divide the country into 18 districts due to the intensity in dive centers. Furthermore, in a meeting where all representatives are invited by the federation, I had been elected as the Diving Centers Board President and had continued my volunteer work in sync with other representatives

In August of 2013, I founded Nereids Sports Club which shares the same name as our diving center.

In order to bring athletes into underwater sports and support diving in Turkey I started to work with our board immediately.

I have participated in the “Three Star Instructor” courses given by our federation and included many instructors to our field.
I gained the right to educate “Guide Divers” by attending the Guide Diver Instructor Seminar.
By supporting the “Guide Divers Instructors” seminar I have positively contributed to the number of guide divers.
I have lead the committee responsible to prepare the material for “Expert Diver” course materials within the federation.
I have given speeches at many “Expert Divers Instructor” seminars all over Turkey.
I have supported our one and only printed underwater magazine in Turkey which is “Deniz Magazin” as well as writing articles to make people familiar with the sea life

I have provided training and seminars in many organizations both in Turkey and Northern Cyprus.

I have dived in thousands of times in Turkey and around the world. I had written and am still writing to highlight the importance of those areas by mentioning their deep structure. I have given presentations on many high schools and universities about introduction to sea life, underwater archeology, underwater structure and creatures.

In 2018, I have attended the first “Disabled Diver Instructor” seminar by the TUSF and qualified for being a disabled diver instructor.

Our students carry the highest grade, 87%, in the exams carried out by the federation all over Turkey.

All of the instructors I have educated either have their own business or work professionally within the field.

I still continue to give and attend seminars on research and development, raising leaders, founding an organization and managing group and team members.

We continue our program with the instructors who decide to go with me in our diving club.

We also sell Federation and PADI approved and manufactured gear since we are a franchise.

We also have an equipment maintenance service.

My first aim while starting to be a diver instructor was to safely bring the people up with a smile on their faces.

In my opinion, scuba diving should only be done for pleasure.

My next aim was to guide the way to the colleagues who would like to pursue the same mission. I believe that one day the diving sector in Turkey will be equal to the worlds’ with the trust I give to my students and the professionals.