Meet the team of Splash Dive Center 

The Splash Team

Patty Ramirez and Ralph Capeling are committed to establishing Splash Dive Center as the best dive center in Belize. As owners of Splash Dive Center they want to ensure that our customers have a memorable experience in Belize and that our customers become ambassadors for Placencia, Belize and Splash Dive Center. They are here because of the beauty of Belize both on land and in the sea and are committed to protecting this very special environment on land and underwater. They form an innovative management team open to environmentally friendly ideas that focus on generating employment with a strong emphasis in valuing local labor and skill, continuous support of staff training and programs geared towards community development and education. Through the past 12 years that Patty has lived in Placencia she has become very acquainted with this small community that has led her to put together a great environmentally conscious team. Splash staff and guides are all licensed Tour Guides by the Belize Tourism Board. We invite to you to get to know a bit of ourselves and to venture with us into some serious fun underwater and topside.

Licensed Belize Tour Operators and PADI Divemaster and Instructors

Patricia Ramirez

Patty holds a Finance degree from the University of Honduras with 10 years of banking experience, courses in interior design and 20 years in sports, swimming, marathons and triathlons. "Patty Padi", as we call her, learned to dive in the year 2000. It was not until 2001 that she decided to go further in her diving career and while working for Nekton Pilot Diving Cruises she became a Dive Master. She advanced further in 2003, becoming a certified Dive Instructor and Emergency First Response Instructor. 2007 was a great year for Patty as it was the culmination of the love for diving and discipline that earned her the title of PADI Course Director becoming the only woman in Belize to achieve such a title.

Patty keeps herself fully occupied between Splash, her involvement in community projects, her efforts to enhance children's lives through her Splash Kids Club and her recreational diving. Patty fell in love with Belize's marine diversity, inland attractions, the melting pot of cultures and languages, and geographical beauty. Patty wants to show you its natural wonders and amazing people.

Ralph Capeling

Belize is not just a country with one of the lowest population densities in the world but it is also a country with an excellent environmental strategy. 47% of Belize's land area is protected by law. We have the 2nd largest Barrier Reef in the world and the most diverse ethnic melting pot in Central America. This is what brought Ralph Capeling to adopt Belize as his home in 2005. He retired to Belize from Canada after a very successful 40 year career in the oil business that has taken him to all the continents in the world except Antarctica. He learned to dive in Indonesia, did the Rescue Diver course in Canada, Dive Master course in Belize, and became an instructor in Utila, Bay Islands, Honduras.

Ralph is a PADI Master Scuba Diver Trainer who became acquainted with Splash through Patty’s Splash Junior Club that teaches local kids whose parents cannot afford diving lessons. Ralph was so impressed with the community, environmental commitment and ethics of Splash that he asked to become an investor of Splash. Splash warmly welcomes Ralph and thanks him for his contributions not only to the community but for his efforts to move the Splash Team to one of the top diving operations of Belize and in the Western Caribbean.

Warren Garbutt

Warren was Ralph's Dive Master Instructor in Belize and was later asked to join the Splash Team. He is calm and methodical and has over 10 years of extensive experience in Belize's marine ecosystems. Because of his methodical and sequential thinking qualities, Warren ensures that all of our equipment and boats are in first class condition. You may also run into him acting as a boat captain or diving instructor. He is also a licensed tour guide.

Noel Villanueva

Noel has been involved in Placencia's tourism industry for more than 10 years and has proven himself through time to be a flexible and ever evolving pioneer. He is our driver, guide, diver and our most reliable bilingual component with a great perspective of Belize and its people. Originally from our sister nation Honduras which also boasts magnificent diving and snorkeling, we welcome Noel for another year of serious fun.

Prince Gongora

Meet Prince, the guy with the most contagious laughter who has absolutely no trouble sharing it with you - just wait until you hear him laugh and you'll agree with us. Senior Dive Master and licensed tour guide for 9 years, born and raised in Placencia, Prince is an expert seaman with a gifted personality and charisma. He enjoys every dive with you and could even take you out for a day of terrific fishing.

Randy Tucker

A senior captain and expert in Belize's waters and Cayes, he has been captaining our waters for over 10 years, crisscrossing our reefs from North to South and from East to West. The man of time and punctuality who becomes one with the sea, intuitive and knowledgeable about our sea and marine ecosystems, Randy will take you to the best snorkeling and dive sites with his constant concern for a smoother ride and your joyful smile at the end of the day. "If you are happy, I am happy," he says, "if you are not and you are in my boat, I need to do something about it."

Gareth Langsworth

Gareth came home to Belize from Canada and recently joined Splash to captain our Belize built 39 foot custom dive boat, Princess Pam Pam. He has 12 years of top experience captaining Belize's water, is a dive master and a licensed Tour Guide. He started his career in tourism as an expedition sea kayaker. Born and raised in Placencia he has seen and experienced the growth of our tourism industry as well as the changes that are gradually taking place and shaping the uniqueness of the Placencia Peninsula.

Mary Tucker

Our island chef and connoisseur of traditional Belizean dishes. With Mary on board you will get to taste a truly delicious island picnic lunch or barbecue and the best scallop potatoes... it is ok, feel free to ask Mary for more as she always does her best to make sure that you will be energetic for your afternoon dive or snorkel.

Pablo Mendoza

Raised in Belize and in Puerto Barrios, the nearest Guatemalan City just south of Belize's Southern border, Pablo is a key component of our administration and logistics. Guide, Captain and Dive Master with a passion for the sea, Pablo is gradually working towards his SCUBA instructor certification. When asked why he has decided to become an instrumental part of Splash his reply was short and concise, "Learning and success."

Max Canelo

Max and Pablo work in unison as their work requires careful planning and a tight team work to ensure that all logistics flow smoothly with the main objective being your enjoyment and your ultimate experience. Max is a Dive Master with an exceptional aura of Belize's diverse melting pot who will get you the exact equipment you need to ensure that you have a comfortable dive or snorkel. Max is also the keeper of our new state-of-the-art air compressor and tanks. He and Pablo are the personalities in our Sales Office, daily operations and the keepers of the best maintained equipment.

Nedia Chaplin

Nedia has been with us for 5 years as a Dive Master, Dive Instructor and Licensed Tour Guide. Nedia is a soft heart who is always willing to help, learn and share what she knows. She was particularly impressed with our commitment and willingness to teach diving to the children from Placencia that are the future custodians of our beautiful marine environment.

Come and meet our fun and professional team!