John Pears has pioneered diving in the Inhabane area. He arrived in Inhabane over 10 years ago with a boat and a fishfinder and has since found all of Tofo Scuba's pristine reef and is still discovering more.

John Pears started diving in 1982 with the completion of his entry level qualification with British Sub Aqua. He became a NAUI dive master in 1992 and at that time purchased a Scuba diving resort in Margate, on the lower South Coast of KwaZulu-Natal in South Africa.

In 1993 he qualified as a NAUI instructor (#17544) and in 1994 he qualified as an IANTD Advanced Nitrox Instructor (#1499) and mixer blender.

In 1995 John completed his Department of Transport Commercial Skipper ticket and for 5 years he ran a successful dive charter on Protea Banks, specializing in shark diving. He also hosted a number of film crews on the annual South Coast sardine run.