About Us
Welcome to Blue Oasis Dive Centre Ltd!
We are your local shop for all your scuba diving and snorkeling needs in Winnipeg. No matter if you are just looking at taking your first breaths underwater, or you are an experienced diver, we have something for you! We offer a wide range of courses, equipment sales, service and rentals, as well as local and exotic dive travel.
Blue Oasis Dive Centre is a Scuba Schools International (SSI) Diamond Dive Centre!
SSI Diamond Status recognizes dive centres that make a commitment to excellence and leadership in the categories of:• Business Practices & Ethics
• Quality Assurance
• Education Commitment
• Customer Service
• Diving PassionOnly Dive Centers and Dive Resorts recognized as the leaders in their marketplace can be considered for the SSI Diamond Status. Read more here: https://www.divessi.com/safety_quality
MEET OUR TEAM
JASON HERLICK
OWNER / DIVE MASTER INSTRUCTOR
Jason Herlick has always been captivated by the water, and has been creating underwater pictures since he was a child. A deep fascination for exploring new places drew him towards the underwater world. Jason was so eager to learn how to dive that he was the very first student certified in April of 2005. The temperature outside was only 1 degree above zero, but he couldn’t wait a moment longer to become a diver!
JANET BIER
DIVE MASTER
/ ASSISTANT INSTRUCTOR
Janet Bier has enjoyed the water since she was a child. Her father taught her how to swim in the pond on their farm. Janet would ride her bicycle 7 miles into town to swim at her local pool. She loved to watch Jacque Cousteau on television with her dad who was also a water lover.
As an adult she loved snorkelling and discovering the underwater world. She earned her open water certification in 2016 and has been actively exploring the ocean ever since. Her and her husband Budd have travelled to many exotic locations to scuba dive. She also enjoys diving at West Hawk Lake during the summer and teaching others the fascinating underwater world.
KEITH DELISLE
DIVE CONTROL SPECIALIST
/ ASSISTANT INSTRUCTOR
Keith Delisle became a certified open water diver at West Hawk Lake in 1997. His first ocean experience was the Queen Charlotte Islands in beautiful British Columbia. He was so fascinated at the abundance of marine life with their vivid array of colours on display that he has been hooked ever since. Over the years he has travelled to many exotic locations such as Roatan (Honduras), Grand Cayman, Belize, La Paz (Mexico), and Jamaica. Keith loves sharing his passion with others, and helping them become skilled and confident scuba divers, so they too can experience this amazing underwater world.
MICHELLE WETTON
ADVANCED OPEN WATER INSTRUCTOR
Michelle Wetton’s fascination with the underwater world started as a child. After feeling a certain kinship with Ariel from Disney’s “The Little Mermaid”, Michelle decided that she wanted to be a mermaid when she grew up!
Michelle earned her open water diver certification card in 2005 at West Hawk Lake, MB. She immediately fell in love with diving, and would spend every weekend at the lake that year until it froze over! Not long after that, she began teaching scuba diving to help share her passion with others. Michelle especially loves teaching diving to children and young adults.
BUDD BIER
DIVE MASTER
/ ASSISTANT INSTRUCTOR
Budd Bier has had a passion for water ever since he can remember. As a child he grew up camping in Alberta and spending summers near and in the water. Budd was certified in 1990 in the Mediterranean Sea while he was on a peacekeeping mission in Cyprus for the Canadian Armed Forces. Now that he is an Assistant Instructor he cannot get enough of the ocean. He believes the underwater world is therapy at its finest. He is a veteran traveller, with his wife Janet by his side, to many spectacular locations in the world. They have enjoyed diving the waters of Mexico, Bali, Dominican Republic, Bonaire, Roatán and Thailand just to mention a few. Budd loves to spend time at Blue Oasis and be part of the atmosphere of diving. He wants to help share the passion.
CASSANDRA KIERNICKI BOMMERSBACH
DIVE MASTER
Cassandra Kiernicki grew up reading National Geographic magazines and fell in love with underwater photos. As she grew older she became more aware of the environmental issues that went along with the photos. After graduating high school she knew she wanted to focus her career to help protect the underwater world. Upon starting her degree in the Environment she became certified in June of 2013 at West Hawk Lake, MB and is currently working on completing her Dive Master Certification.
ROBIN LARKINS
DIVE CONTROL SPECIALIST /
ASSISTANT INSTRUCTOR
Robin Larkins became a certified open water diver in 2008. He had tried diving several times as a high school student, and knew from that point on that he’d be a diver one day! Since being certified in British Columbia, Robin has travelled to La Paz (Mexico), Turks & Caicos Islands, Fiji, St. Kitts, Saba, Bonaire and Grand Cayman. He enjoys traveling and looks forward to the next adventure!