OUR TEAM

Our professional fun-loving kite team live and breathe kiteboarding. For us, the stoke is no joke.

THE STOKE IS REAL!

Tom, Amber, Lou, Kaylam and Dieno form the backbone of our fantastic kite instructor crew. We are ably supported on the beach and on the jet ski by Ketlyn or Kevens while Philip will often step in to help advanced lessons and help guide our downwinders and safaris. It is common to see other members of the Big Blue Collective guide team setting up to ride at the end of their day as many of the team love to ride whenever they can.

TOM, our head instructor

has been riding, teaching, and running advanced clinics for over 20 years in some of the most amazing spots on the planet. Tom has chosen Turks and Caicos because for him, “its the best place on the planet to teach kiteboarding.” Tom is the author of the best-selling kiteboarding book “Learn Kiteboarding Faster” and many of his readers come to TCI and Big Blue to have a lesson or advanced coaching session with him because he keeps it simple. Tom is incredibly positive, enthusiastic, patient and encouraging but most off all passionate about making sure everyone is stoked!

AMBER

is an IKO kite instructor from Belgium. She speaks Dutch, English, French and a little bit of Greek. Amber learned how to kite about 5 years ago in Portugal and it turned her life upside down. For her “kitesurfing is the ultimate feeling of freedom”. Her strapless surfboard is her weapon of choice, but she also loves to go for a twintip session if the wind is on really blowing hard.

As an IKO instructor she has been teaching in Belgium, the Netherlands, Zanzibar, Greece and now Turks & Caicos. What she loves the most about teaching kitesurfing is: “to pass the stoke to my students and see them fall in love with this amazing sport just like I did”.

When she is not teaching or kiteboarding she likes to be creative, collecting broken kites to give them a new life with her sewing machine turning them into unique bags, jackets, key rings and so on.

LOU

is from the South East coast of the UK and is a level 1 and 2 IK0 kite instructor. Lou’s energy and passion for kiteboarding is utterly infectious. As she aptly puts it; “you can’t buy happiness but you can buy a a kite and that’s pretty close”. For her bringing people closer to nature and joy is the best part about instruction. While it is hard to get her off her surf board when the waves are up.
She brings a wealth of experience to our team. She has kite surfed and taught in a variety of beautiful locations including Cape Town/ South Africa, Cape Verde/ West Africa, Mexico, Brazil, Philippines, Greece and at home in Camber Sands.
When she is not on the water Lou will either be staying fit in the gym or balanced doing her yoga.

KAYLAM

along with Dieno is one of the two first local Kiteboarding instructors of the Turks and Caicos Islands. He brings a new energy and infectious enthusiasm to the team and has qualified as IKO instructors with support from Big Blue Collective and training from our head instructor Tom. Kaylam studied Marine Biology in the UK and like the rest of the team is completely addicted to Kiting and loves teaching giving excellent detail in his lessons. Kaylam has progressed to an advanced riding level in record time. When he is not teaching or boosting airs, he has fast become a key member on boat charters, kayak or paddle board ecotours and is also one of Big Blue’s most knowledgeable guides bringing amazing local authenticity to our team. We love him, you will too.

DIENO

like Kaylam is easily recognizable from the beach just from his riding style or as Dieno might say “It’s his Steeze”. Also, a IKO instructor and one of the two first local Kiteboarding instructors of the Turks and Caicos Islands, when Dieno is not riding or teaching he is proudly the Turks and Caicos national soccer team goal keeper so if you are lucky enough to have Dieno as your instructor or as your Jetski driver then you are truly in safe hands. Dieno’ rapid progression says as much about his athleticism as it does of his application, and you will often see Dieno performing sone insane kiteboarding acrobatics usually with a huge friendly smile on his face. Dieno is also one of Big Blues top guides and is as passionate about teaching and guiding ecotours.

PHILIP

has spearheaded Big Blue’s kite evolution since 2008 helping to bring the sport to Long Bag with its’ ideal side on shore conditions. It is a place he and the few earlier windsurfers, like the late Mike Rosati, used to windsurf in the early days. Today, When he is not guiding trips, or back at the Big Blue base, Philip supports the kite team behind the scenes and also guides and leads advanced downwinders and safaris. It is common to see him at the end of the day, rigging up his kite and riding with his beloved dog, Kaya – the islands’ original kite runner.