The Tribune

Guy Harvey Outpost has appointed legendary dive guru Neal Watson as its director of dive operations, as it bids to plant Outpost dive flags on beachfronts throughout Florida, the Bahamas and the wider Caribbean.

The plan is for Mr Watson to invite a pre-selected group of the region’s top dive operations to brand as Expedition Dive Outfitters of Guy Harvey Outpost.

“For top-of-class dive shops it’s a unique opportunity to add the recognition of the Guy Harvey name to their operation, and increase sales through his huge marketing outreach with little out-of-pocket costs, “ said Mr Watson.

“Our Outpost Resorts’ brand is defined by great customer experiences and services. To make that happen, only the best operators are qualified to join the Expedition Outfitter program.”

Among the inaugural dive operators joining Expedition Outfitters is Stuart Cove in Nassau, plus Mr Watson’s Bimini Scuba Centre in Bimini.

Mr Watson said he will initially reach out to top dive operators in southeast Florida and the Bahamas, before expanding into the Caribbean and Central America.

“Operators will still handle their own reservations, but will benefit from our marketing that will produce a second stream of business through commissionable sales and reservations,” said Mr Watson.

Mr Watson, holder of the world’s scuba depth and distance record, and affectionately known as the ‘Dive God’, has owned and operated a chain of Neal Watson’s Undersea Adventures franchise dive operations in the Bahamas and Caribbean, as well as hotels and an airline charter company.

He is also past president of the Bahamas Diving Association and a member of the DEMA Diving Hall of Fame.

Guy Harvey Outpost is owned and run by Guy Harvey and his partners, Mark Ellert, Bill Shedd and Charles Forman.

Mr Ellert said the ultimate goal of the Expedition Outfitters programme is to marry “top of class” dive operators with Outpost hotel offerings, whether signature resorts or smaller Expedition Collection lodges and boutiques .

“With the Dive God’s advance work and our troops in place to secure the beachhead, when our customers come ashore, I know they’ll be glad to see our flag flying over the Guy Harvey Outpost. They’ve finally arrived and now they’re going to have a great adventure,” Mr Ellert added.

Expedition Collection members include several Bahamas properties, namely the Blackfly Bonefish Lodge at Schooner Bay, Green Turtle Club and Old Bahama Bay Resort & Yacht Club, West End.

Mr Harvey, best known as a marine wildlife artist, angler, scientist and conservationist, is also recognised as a world-class diver.

Last month he was inducted into the International Scuba Diving Hall of Fame.