Wendy Bascom

PADI Open Water Scuba Instructor

Instructor since 2026

Hi, my name is Wendy!

I have to confess that for many years, I thought exploring the underwater world was something reserved for marine biologists, Navy SEALs, and a fortunate few. When I discovered that we could learn to scuba dive simply for the adventure of it, I sought out training for my Open Water certification with ScubaLand Adventures in 2013. I immediately put it to use, booking a Caribbean cruise and arranging dives throughout the trip.

Every dive has been relaxing yet exciting. I have truly enjoyed them for different reasons - from the peace and tranquility to the thrill of new discoveries. And no matter what, my motivation to keep exploring and seeking new adventures keeps growing. What began as curiosity quickly became a passion.

Over the years, that curiosity has taken me diving along the East and West Coasts of the United States, as well as Hawaii and Puerto Rico; throughout the Caribbean, including Barbados, St. Maarten, Grand Cayman, the Dominican Republic, Grenada, and Turks & Caicos; along the coasts of Mexico, from the Mayan Riviera to the Baja California Peninsula; throughout Central America, including Belize, Costa Rica, Honduras, and Nicaragua; and across the ABC Islands of Aruba, Bonaire, and Curaçao. My adventures have also taken me to the Galápagos Islands of Ecuador; Australia; and my beloved Southeast Asia, where I’ve explored the waters of Indonesia, Thailand, and the Philippines.

Along the way, I continued developing my skills, earning my Advanced certification in Aruba, Enriched Air Nitrox in Curaçao, and progressing through the recreational ranks to become a PADI Master Scuba Diver with ScubaLand in 2024.

I’ve been fortunate to experience some truly extraordinary diving: the Great Barrier Reef in Australia; the astonishing Galápagos Islands; the remote Revillagigedo Islands and the cenotes of Mexico; the kelp forest in California; the beautiful reefs and shore diving Bonaire; and Belize’s famous Blue Hole. I’ve also explored wrecks around the world, with the historic shipwrecks around Coron in the Philippines among the most fascinating I’ve encountered.

Some dives became especially memorable because of fascinating encounters with the local marine life. Those include oceanic manta rays and large schools of sharks at Revillagigedo; thresher sharks and the incredible sardine run in the Philippines; nurse sharks in Nicaragua; and marine iguanas, playful sea lions, and schools of thousands of salema fish in the Galápagos. Along the way, I’ve also encountered countless sea turtles, rays, sharks, pods of dolphins, octopuses, seals and many other incredible animals that continue to make every dive unique.

Texas is also an important part of my diving story. Much of my local diving has been at Lake Travis and Spring Lake, with adventures farther afield at Balmorhea and the Flower Garden Banks in the Gulf of Mexico. Diving locally has challenged me to continually improve my navigation skills and become a more aware, confident and capable diver in a variety of conditions.

In 2025, I decided it was time to take the next step and enter the professional side of diving, beginning my Divemaster training with ScubaLand and supporting many classes at Spring Lake and Mansfield Dam.

In 2026, I continued my professional training in Utila, Honduras, where I became a PADI Scuba Instructor.

Over a decade ago, I started diving because I suspected the underwater world would be amazing, but what I have experienced has been even better than I initially imagined. After all these years, I still find myself amazed and surprised by its wonders.

“The sea, once it casts its spell, holds one in its net of wonder forever.”
- Jacques Cousteau

Now, as an instructor, it excites me to help other divers safely and confidently begin their own adventures and experience something truly unique for themselves. I have the opportunity to share the knowledge, skills, and lessons I’ve gained through years of diving while encouraging and helping divers become safe, comfortable, and confident underwater, so they can truly enjoy this incredible underwater world, experience its wonders for themselves, and, hopefully, get hooked... in its net of wonder, forever.

Core Credentials

• PADI Open Water Scuba Instructor
• Divemaster

Specialty Credentials

• AWARE Instructor
• AWARE Coral Reef Conservation Specialty Instructor
• AWARE Diving Against Debris Instructor
• Enriched Air Instructor
• Peak Performance Buoyancy Instructor

EFR Specialty Credentials

• EFR Instructor
• Care for Children w/AED Instructor