Director

Hi my name is Robert Johnston, no relation to Lee but we are in the family way with our baby Perth Scuba and me being the other co – owner.

I started diving a long time ago because I enjoyed being in and around the water.  I guess I was a typical open water diver.  I dived just for the fun and passion of being under water.  I traveled internationally a lot with work and generally ended up under water whenever I could fit it in while I was away.  Opening a dive store was the furthest thing from my mind.

I used to visit Lee at his previous place of employment as a customer way back then and we started to discuss the need for a dive store in Perth that was customer focused, friendly and had a great dive club with lots of dive trips both domestic and international.

With Lee’s experience and flair in retailing Perth Scuba was born.  Lee and I had both come up with the same business name of Perth Scuba unbeknownst to each other.

I have spent most of my working life working internationally all over the world in some great spots and some not so nice spots.  One thing I know for sure is that there are very few places in the world that equal Western Australia for diving.  WA has a vast variety of premium dive locations.  Albany, Rottnest Island, Rockingham, Beach dives off Perth, Swan River, Dunsborough, Coral Bay, Ningaloo reef, Abrolhos Islands, Shark Bay are all great spots in WA to name a few.

It also has one of the best climates for diving.  I feel very privileged to be part of the WA dive community.  Of course there are other great dive locations around the world to dive as well.  Dive Travel was one of the key points in our business plan and I think Perth Scuba has achieved this goal.

I have been privileged to be on a few awesome dive trips with the Perth Scuba crew to Great White Sharks South Australia, Shark Cave Rottnest.  What a pleasure and honor to dive with these great majestic creatures. Truk Lagoon Micronesia, Solomon Islands, Vanuatu, Sipadan Borneo, Bali and the pinnacle being Antarctica.  What a great expedition that was.  I still have quite a number of places I’d love to dive.

Best ever dive:  Without a doubt was in Antarctica snorkeling with the leopard Seals and diving with the huge Ice burgs.  Check out some of my photos in the Perth Scuba Antarctica gallery.

Worst ever dive:  Was my first dive. It was winter in New Zealand in 1976. Just after I’d seen the Jaws the movie.  A friend and I went beach diving using another friends borrowed gear.  We didn’t even know how to set the gear up or that you needed to be certified as an open water diver.  Hence the dive was a disaster; the visibility was about one meter. I could not even lift my head up as I had my tank to far forward but worst of all I had just watched the original Jaws movie and the theme music was playing in my head load and clear.

Why I love diving: Diving is my passion.  When I’m underwater I am in another world where mobile phones don’t work and underwater creatures live.  This is their world and we are the guests.  Being underwater is a very special experience for me and difficult to explain to a non diver but another diver understands.  Being an avid underwater photographer helps express and explain the passion.

Hearing new divers talk about their first experience in the water and seeing people overcome their fear of night diving.  Night diving is the best.

I think we all need to support the establishment of marine reserves around the world so we will leave a healthier marine environment for future generations.  The Ocean can’t sustain the continued rate of depletion of marine life.  So help us support project aware and any other organization to protect marine life.

Come dive with us at Perth Scuba!