About Us

Banana Sail Sydney began as a weekend adventure sailing company, taking people out on our bright yellow sail boat (just like a Banana!) for swimming and scuba diving trips. At the time, Martin was the principal technical diver at another commercial diving company. During COVID-19, clients began contacting him directly for boat maintenance, leading us to transition into the commercial dive operation we are today.

Martin is a highly experienced and qualified SSI Dive Instructor, Commercial scuba diver, and boat captain. Originally from Galapagos Islands, Ecuador - Martin has more than 25+ years of extensive marine experience including:

  • Cruise Director and Dive Manager of chartered live-aboard cruises in the Indonesian archipelago

  • Spearheading underwater conservation efforts in Ecuador, Indonesia, and West Papua New Guinea with renowned Conservation International

  • Leading Recreational Dive expeditions and Commercial Fishing Operations across the Galapagos Archipelago.

  • Commercial maritime maintenence and repairs, and general underwater services in across Sydney Harbour since 2015.

Martin has been featured in publications by National Geographic, and Lonely Planet Travel Guide, and has been working as a recreational and commercial diver here in Sydney Harbour for the last 10+ years. Martin takes immense pride in his work and ever since his humble beginnings, has always aimed to provide affordable and personable service to his customers. Martin is also fluent in Spanish, Bahasa Indonesian, and English.

Emily, his partner is Australian born and has been working in the hospitality, tourism and service industry for the last 15 years. With Business, IT and Project Management professional accumen, Emily is the behind-the-scenes and operational engine with whom you’ll most likely be corresponding with, and your go-to person for any new quotes, general inquiries or questions. She is a PADI certified Rescue Scuba Diver, a keen fisherwoman, and has grown up on Sydney’s waterways since she was a child earning her boat licence at just 14 years old. She is also fluent in Spanish.

Both Martin and Emily co-owned and ran a dive agency in the Galapagos Islands, before settling down and calling Sydney home in 2015. More recently, they welcomed the birth of their daughter Isabela in 2023!

Banana Sail Sydney is a small, locally owned business.

We are a small, family-owned local business dedicated to caring for your boat as if it were our own. As fellow boat owners with a private vessel on the harbour, we understand the challenges of keeping your boat in top shape year-round—we know firsthand that those barnacles grow back so fast! Martin personally dives every boat, and if any issues arise, we’ll do everything we can to make things right, becausewhen you book with us, you’re supporting a young family that truly values and appreciates the work. We hope to hear from you soon!