https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=oqkQxciaJjI
Meet The Team
Clay O'Laughlin
Owner, Boat Captain, PADI Dive Master and SSI Instructor
Clay is a military brat living all over the US and never really settled anywhere until moving to WA State where he became a developer for medical isotopes before he visited Kauai and she called to him. Proud to be on the ground floor of some innovative and successful products for the actual cure of several cancers it was time for a change. Deciding with his wife Blondy to take on such a venture as a scuba diving business was a huge decision but here they are loving the west side of this spectacular island. Clay is currently the only SSI instructor on island.
"Blondy" Kristi O'Laughlin
Owner and General Manager
Blondy is an old school Vegas girl through and through. With loads of energy and always seeing the best in people and situations has gotten her far in life! Marrying Clay in 1996 and raising some kids together, she worked with middle school lifeskills children to the animal industry to co-owner of Bubbles Below sitting at the desk as many hours a week as needed to assure your safety and fun. This job has so many rewards, her favorite is when divers return and are glowing from their adventure with us! Blondy does not dive due to health issues so she crafts in her spare time from making elaborate greeting cards and crocheting with the NHL channel and any time with her 3 dogs and a cat and idolizes Theodore Geisel, aka Dr Seuss!
Tom French
Tom is a part time captain with Bubbles Below, in partial retirement he’s enjoying the land a little more than the sea this past year with us. Having spent a lot of time on Kauai he knows secret adventures about the island he shares with the team! His fishing skills are second to none off the east side shores. We enjoy sharing the day with Tom and hope you can meet him too!
Savanna Kretzschmar
Savanna Kretzschmar comes to us from South Africa as a young woman ready to conquer the world! And she’s doing just that! Humble yet confident Savanna has fast become a member of the team as well as hanai! As a new PADI Instructor she is up to date on the newest teaching trends and the old tried an true ones still taught.
Mercedes Villalobos
Our beautiful Mercedes has been with us since 2019 as a part time PADI dive instructor and underwater tour guide. She has one of the kindest personalities on island and always a gift to have with the certified or certifying divers! Mercedes works for several operations so you may meet her elsewhere, you won’t be disappointed sharing time with her no matter where she is!!
Gordon Willson-Naranjo
Gordon is our man of men! A part time underwater tour guide he spends his down time with Charlie, his aged Labrador. Gordon is our adventurer- from scaling mountains to hiking bogs, parachuting to water adventures, Gordon is the guy to ask about any other activities!! When he came to Kauai in 2019 he began diving with us, he knows the sites and sounds of the underwater world!!
Bubbles Below is blessed to have half a dozen sub-contracted 1099’s to join us as needed. We have a range of options from new dive masters to seasoned instructors, always meeting the requirements of safety and fun!
On any given day there is at least one Boston Terrier at the store! Blondy has retired from selective breeding but still has 3 beautiful girls. Betty is 9 years old, Rosie our 5 year old and Apple Pied is one of Rosie’s at almost 2 years old. During the COVID-19 Blondy went and rolled around in the north shore mud to rescue a feral feline baby, Moki is now domesticated and best friends with Apple and a gift for our family!
Because we are not a 5 star PADI resort we can be your only duel certified PADI and SSI operation on Kauai. The 5 stars means that location has certified at least 5 Dive Masters, we’re okay with this status. Having the only SSI Instructor at our resort is an honor we will gladly share with our qualified PADI Instructors!
Another title only Bubbles Below has is all of our employees are Citizen Scientists available for NOAA, DOBOR, DAR, and DLNR. In short we’re gonna be available through the hotlines to evaluated, photo and stake off hauled our marine life (sunning on the beach). Our marine life is often mistaken as rocks when resting and for the safety of you and them we’ll be available for questions if you see any of us on the beaches.
Special Thanks
We want to thank all of our wonderful divers and friends who have been sending us feedback as well as spectacular pictures of their dives with us! Going through all the pictures, we still found ourselves saying “wow” and reliving those special moments underwater. We are so glad to have been able to share these great memories, and we are grateful that you have chosen to share your adventures with us and others!
