who used to own Man Fridays?

[Beth B]

Steve, do you by chance know who used to own Man Friday diving?

Thanks!

[Phil Bondie]

Hi Beth, A man named Finn. A number of years ago he dove the "Washing Machine" and with another diver never came up. Phil

[Steve Wooler]

Hi Beth

I'm afraid my answer is going to be somewhat convulated because Man Friday Diving was a complicated story.

The dive business was setup and owned by a Scandinavian guy. His name escapes me and I would need to dig into my archives to trace it. Anyway, he went diving one day (with a guest, if memory serves me correctly) and neither of them returned. This was quite some years ago. Well, because no bodies were ever recovered, something like 14-years has to elapse until he can be declared legal dead. I suspect that we must be getting close to that now if it hasn't passed already. So, the business was in limbo, belonging to this guy but with him assumed to have met a fatal accident.

For a few years the business was 'managed' by a Danish couple, Bjorn and Anna (if memory serves). However, they were limited in what they could do as they didn't own the business and with all the uncertainty, they decided to pack up and go home.

The business stayed idle for a couple of years until Caroline Hardy took over management of the Banana Boat Inn. I think she had been diving for some years and was taking more advanced courses with one of the dive shops in Speyside. She eventually rented the Man Friday Diving shop and started operations, but it didn't last long. Recently I've heard that she's started up again under the new name.

[Steve - Sorry Phil, didn't see your answer before I posted my reply. ]

[Beth B]

Thank you both. Terrible about the original owner. I appreciate your post Steve, because it answers some nagging questions I had. I was speaking with a man I respect - an author who has been diving all over the world for 40 years. He said when he came to Tobago, he had used Man Fridays. So I thought perhaps whoever used to run Man Fridays might be a good person to dive with if they were still around. But he said the owners were a married couple. So I was quite confused after reading the first reply to my question. Now I understand he must have used Man Fridays during the period you mentioned when the couple ran it.

Was the Man Fridays shop located in the current Banana Boat Building? Did the current owner of Banana Boat work with the Man Fridays shop when the married couple ran it, or only after the fact? These may sound like irrelevant questions, but I am trying to get something straight in my mind about what I have been told.

Thanks so much to everyone for the info.

[Steve Wooler]

Hi Beth

As far as I know - but Phil please correct if I am wrong - the Man Friday dive shop is situated down on the main Charlotteville beach just after the road 'hits' the beach and turns into the village and has never been associated with the Banana Boat Inn. I believe Carolyn only took over a year or two after the Danish couple left.

[Phil Bondie]

Hi Beth and Steve, Yes Man Fridays is located just down the beach where Steve describes and has never been associated with the Banana Boat. Caroline as far as I know has never run or worked for Man Fridays at least while I have been in Tobago Jan., Feb., & March for the last 9 or so years. Bjorn And Anna again as far as I know were not married and split up after returning to Denmark. Phil

[Susanne Thomsen]

I know a little bit off the couple . Yes they split up after coming to Denmark.

His name was not Bjorn but BJARNE.

After he went home, he visit me for bying cage for his parrot, he took home from Trinidad, and had for many years on Tobago.

Accually he is the man who told us about Tobago, and after that we had to go Tobago, and now we have been there for 5 times. Thank god we meet this man. (thank you Bjarne).

I dont know iff any can use this, but i think you schould have the real name and a little story.
susanne