A dream of ours for quite some time as an expedition team was to explore the wild and raw Andaman Islands, an Indian territory that’s arguably closer to Thailand than mainland India itself. For years, we had been eyeing this archipelago, wondering when the time was right for us to make the journey to this spectacular dive destination that so many people before us raved about. We had heard stories of how much of the region was unexplored—completely uncharted and left entirely to the wild. We also had heard that it was some of the best diving in the world by seasoned dive pros and experts, with experience far outweighing our own.

We had the fortunate chance of visiting Ocean Tribe Dive Center, where we dove directly with one of the owners and operator, Saw Dickson—the famed diving legend of the Andaman and Nicobar Islands in India. The dive sites we were exploring were some of the many discovered by Dickson and his brothers, Jackson and Johnny, years earlier during their extensive exploration of the surrounding waters, some of which had raging currents and mega marine life scattered amongst spectacular coral backdrops. These three brothers are the pioneers of the diving community in the Andamans, putting it on the map as, in our opinion, one of the best places on earth to explore underwater. The rumors we heard were entirely true!

Our visit to the Andaman Islands, in partnership with Scuba Schools International (SSI) and Seemant Saxena, the Service Center Manager of SSI India, wasn’t just about island hopping or seeing the quintessential dive sites. It was an opportunity to meet the pioneers who established diving in a country so vast and populated, it’s genuinely a world of its own. Getting the opportunity to dive the Andamans was an honor in and of itself, let alone being personally introduced to true legends of the country’s premier diving destination.

Despite Seemant’s warning about the unpredictability of the shoulder season in the Andamans, with potential for treacherous weather and uncertain visibility, we decided to take the chance to see what India’s far flung islands were all about—while relishing in the opportunity to meet India’s dive icons. So it was off to India for this expedition team.

Our diving experience with DIVEIndia, the Andamans’ oldest dive operator and one of SSI’s top teams, quickly won us over. Compared to our recent dives in Cambodia and Hong Kong, where visibility was limited to about 1 meter at best, Andaman diving seemed like the greatest on earth. With visibility of at least 30 meters plus in some places and vibrant marine life brought in by the currents, every plunge was exceptional, with each one getting better and better as the days went on.

We would soon realize Seemant and the DIVEIndia team were saving the best for last.

The Poayasay brothers, of Karen descent, are credited with discovering some of the Andamans’ most famous dive sites. Dickson shared that the Karen people’s close connection to nature and the sea has made them natural-born scuba and freedivers. Originating from Myanmar, the Karen communities dispersed over a century ago, with some settling in the Andaman Islands. So for the brothers, the islands have always been home, and diving, their life’s passion.

Dedicated to exploring their homeland, the Poayasay brothers have uncovered what the dive community consider the three most spectacular sites in the Andamans: Dickson’s Pinnacle, Johnny’s Gorge, and Jackson’s Bar (all appropriately named based on who discovered them!) And soon enough, we were diving Dickson’s Pinnacle, guided by Dickson himself. The site, an advanced 30-meter dive, was an untamed, uncharted world filled with super-sized marine activity, offering an experience unlike much else in this world.

The site itself was discovered in November 2006 when Dickson and his team accompanied fishermen to conduct search and dive missions in multiple staged locations as part of mapping the area systematically. A sighting of a single turtle going deep led Dickson right to the titular pinnacles. At the time of discovery, Dickson was working for none other than DIVEIndia, which made our experience feel rather full circle.

During our dives, a massive school of about 100 barracuda accompanied us, moving in unison. We were engulfed by schools of the largest bumphead parrotfish, wrasse, and butterflyfish we’d ever encountered, with every kick of the fins revealing yet another vast school or a giant fish swimming just meters away. While we were overwhelmed by the excitement surrounding us and in a state of sensory overload, Dickson was completely in his element, humble, calm and peaceful.

It was hard not to be moved to tears while diving with Dickson. To meet someone so passionate about the ocean and to watch him relish in his discovery, was one of those irreplicable moments in life. Dickson’s unassuming nature belies his significant contributions to ocean exploration and the community, making it a once-in-a-lifetime moment to dive with someone of his caliber and humility.

Dickson’s journey that led him to this site began back in 2003, when he learned to dive alongside his brother Johnny, a skilled freediver capable of holding his breath underwater for around 4 minutes. Though less adept than local freedivers and spearfishermen, Dickson dedicated a year to honing his ocean skills towards this calling. Meanwhile, Johnny’s freediving expertise complemented Dickson’s growing scuba legitimacy, leading to significant underwater discoveries for the pair.

Jackson, a known solo explorer, changed his approach after getting attacked by a giant grouper, emphasizing the importance of diving in groups. Johnny and Jackson started working at one of the first generation Dive Centers in India with Herbert Otto Burri back in 1998—learning from a legend in these parts. And when Dickson started to get involved, following in the footsteps of his brothers, the trio became the new legends of the Andaman Islands over years and years of sea exploration.

The brothers started as boat boys, or deck hands, but gradually worked their way up to become dive masters and instructors via DIVEIndia. Dickson, Johnny, and Jackson were trailblazers, becoming the first dive instructors in the Andaman Islands. Their journey from humble beginnings to pioneering professionals in the diving world marks a significant achievement in the region’s diving history.

When Dickson began diving, it was mainly a hobby leading to exploration, as tourism-based diving was not yet established. With the liberty to use DIVEIndia’s boat, the brothers charted new dive sites with limited technology, resources or even maps. Dickson remembers meticulously recording each site’s coordinates to avoid data loss, with many of the sites being recalled by memory for lack of a better solution.

Their expeditions often involved sleeping in Dunghis—the local, long-shaft propeller or inboard diesel engine boats made traditionally in the Andamans to handle its rough waters—for days. They were equipped with a gas cooker and sufficient water, especially in the northern regions. Dickson estimates his discoveries to be around 40-50 dive sites, and he seemed to look back on those days with a healthy dose of nostalgia.

Dickson’s current day operation, Ocean Tribe, is an SSI-affiliated center he and his brothers established to train locals from the Karen community. Launched in 2018,  after 8 years of gaining expertise with other operators, Ocean Tribe’s genesis coincided with a surge in tourism to the islands—making it both a strategic and passion-driven venture.

Dickson’s goal with Ocean Tribe was (and still is) all about sharing his vision and enthusiasm for diving, bringing people into his world to experience the underwater wonders—especially beginners and those who are not yet comfortable with swimming. For advanced divers, he’s taking them on hour-long voyages over the course of a few days to his family’s named dive sites, showcasing the spectacular underwater beauty of the Andaman Islands.

But we also wanted to understand what Dickson’s take was on tourism in the Andamans, as it was clear things must be different from when he and his brothers were getting started.

As India’s population grows and its diving scene gains recognition, the Andaman Islands have slowly emerged as a popular diving destination over the past two decades. Dickson has witnessed considerable changes in the diving landscape since 2003. He and his brothers have continuously adapted their approach to accommodate the evolving interests and needs of the diving community in this increasingly sought-after location.

“I can see the growth of tourism in the Andamans. When I started, only a few tourists came to the islands. But now, 80% of all the people who come to the Andamans are tourists, and a lot of them want to try diving,” Dickson explained. “As an islander, I have to provide knowledge to all the locals who do not have the education on how to keep the islands clean, and be an example  to the tourists. There’s so much plastic coming from other countries. We need to keep the ocean clean to make sure we preserve the islands.”

Havelock Island, where Dickson’s operation is located, suffers from waste migrating from neighboring countries as well as on-island accumulation due to the lack of waste management programs in place. Debris must be transported to mainland India, a complex task given that the Andamans are geographically closer to Thailand then they are to India. Local operators like Ocean Tribe and DIVEIndia collaborate to seek solutions, focusing on immediate actions like promoting education on ocean conservation to mitigate these challenges and protect their marine environment.

The aim is to keep their office, backyard and home preserved for years to come.

Diving Dickson’s Pinnacle was the hands-down best site we had seen since being on expedition. And after six straight months of diving some of the most incredible places we’ve ever seen, that’s saying a lot. Not only that, but our warm welcoming into the Andaman dive community was by far one of the more rewarding human encounters we’ve had the privilege of experiencing.

Meeting diving legends who have shaped the industry in countries with some of the world’s best sites is both gratifying and humbling. Diving with pioneers opens our eyes to what the planet was like years ago. And their stories of past baselines inspire us to act towards restoring these sites. Insights from people like Dickson are crucial for understanding what it will take to revive these underwater worlds to their former glory.

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