Every year, we appoint a select group of passionate ocean lovers and protectors to join the PADI AmbassaDiver team. These individuals are chosen because of their dedication to marine conservation and their ability to inspire others to care about our oceans. Today, we want to introduce one of our 2024 AmbassaDivers, Captain Jason Chambers.
Hailing from Australia, Captain Jason Chambers has made a significant mark as the youngest Captain of the Below Deck franchise. With over twenty years of experience navigating the high seas, he has brought a unique blend of leadership and charisma to the two seasons of Below Deck Down Under.
But Captain Jason’s love for the ocean goes beyond his career as a yacht captain. He is passionate about marine conservation and uses his platform to inspire a new generation of ocean lovers, making him an ideal choice as a PADI AmbassaDiver.
We caught up with him for an exclusive interview to learn more about his journey, the joy he finds in scuba diving and his current projects.
Growing up in Australia, Captain Jason had easy access to the ocean but fell upon his career as a boat captain almost by chance. “After traveling around many continents, I stumbled across the industry through a fellow traveler. With my trade skills as a plumber and mechanic, I found myself working as an engineering assistant on a yacht. I moved into engineering, and then, at 28 years old, I was asked to become the Captain of that boat.”
Since then, Captain Jason has forged a successful career on superyachts worldwide. As we can see on the popular reality show, it’s a tough job, with long hours and many responsibilities. However, it does allow him to be out on the water every day. “What the ocean means to me is an endless place to escape and explore. When working on the ocean, it feels like time just stops, and it’s a vast space that requires a lot of respect.”
Even during his downtime, he still makes time for the ocean. “I try to catch up on being a father, and I enjoy adventures, anything to do with nature. But predominantly, diving is in every schedule.”
“My first experience diving was in the Bahamas, during which I was confronted by a large barracuda and quite a large sleeping shark, which inevitably led me to want to see more.”
Captain Jason’s love for diving has only grown over the years. He’s just completed his Rescue Diver certification course in the Philippines, so we asked him what was next. “I’m very comfortable now being a Rescue Diver; I’m happy to gain experience on this level for some time. But the deep blue abyss is calling, so I feel some deep dives might be ahead.”
As viewers, we have have followed Captain Jason Chambers to some of the most breathtaking diving locations over the two seasons of his hit TV show. “Being Australian, the Great Barrier Reef is an iconic diving location globally. It’s a great location to showcase what Australia has to offer under the water.”
And although his work keeps him busy on board, he still finds time to jump in when he can. “I take every moment I can to jump in the water when on charters. Having spent the last eight years in remote locations in Asia and the Pacific, it’s an amazing experience to enjoy what’s under the water and also to tell the charter guests what they can experience.”
When we asked Captain Jason to share his favorite dive site on the Great Barrier Reef, he responded with, “the area surrounding Lizard Island and the Ribbon Reefs.”
Yet, his most memorable dive was at Ningaloo Reef in Western Australia. He explains, “[This is] where in one small accessible location, you can be confronted with tiger sharks, nurse sharks, turtles, humpback whales, and whale sharks, all within the stretch of one reef.”
As a PADI AmbassaDiver, Captain Jason wants to inspire others to care for the ocean. “Diving allows you to understand the enormous effects that the ocean has on the environment, and it gives you respect for the effects of the tide, depending on the moon and also human activity. It’s not until being underwater and seeing all this that you have an understanding of mother nature, and what we as humans can do to respect marine life and how important it is for our survival.”
But his mission goes beyond the ocean. “I believe in making a positive impact and wanting to contribute to the betterment of societies around the world.”
As well as being a PADI AmbassaDiver, he works closely with other organizations and causes.
“I’m working closely with two foundations. One is educating communities in reusing plastic waste to build classrooms that have been ravaged by earthquakes, Classroom of Hope. The other foundation is Mares Foundation, who are delivering literature showcasing marine life to entice poverty-stricken children to gain more ocean awareness.”
Image courtesy of Mares Foundation
Classroom of Hope is a cause that is close to Captain Jason’s heart, as he explains: “It’s funny how the Classroom of Hope and I met after building a resort and watching the plastic waste wash up on the beaches in the Philippines. I was looking for a solution. In Indonesia I found COH and Block Solutions that build classrooms out of 100% recycled plastics. Providing good educational tools for children, not just to understand the plastic waste pandemic but also how education can provide an alternative future.”
As an Ambassador for Classroom of Hope, Captain Jason has helped raise AUD $80,000 in four months to rebuild an Indonesian school damaged by an earthquake. The school will provide education in a safe space and sanitation for children without bathrooms.
And this is only the beginning. “If I could continue doing that and bring such a project to the Philippines, that would be something my daughter would be proud of in the future.”
Do you want to make an impact on the oceans and beyond, too? Start by changing your life and becoming a diver.
Not only will you experience the beauty of the underwater world. You’ll also gain a deeper understanding and respect for marine life and their habitats. Who knows, maybe next year you could become one of our AmbassaDivers?
This October, PADI Club members are invited to join Captain Jason Chambers for a week-long adventure in La Paz, Mexico. From 12-19 October, 2024, the reality TV star will be diving with PADI Club members, giving a fireside chat and answering all your burning questions. In addition, trip guests will enjoy three dives a day, exploring sunken wrecks and diving with sea lions. Join PADI Club to get more info and book this trip or to take advantage of the other money-saving membership benefits.
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