
Join the adventure
Join the Adventure


Course Director
Aqua Hands founder Thomas Koch, a lifelong adventurer, is known to say, “If you don’t dive, you haven’t lived,” to anyone who listens.
A Texas native, Thomas first jumped into a swimming pool at the age of two not yet knowing how to swim. This started a neverending love of water. In 1995, when The Sonny Carter Training Facility neutral buoyancy lab was built in Houston, Thomas saw scuba divers at work. He promised himself he would be a scuba diver.
In 1996, he took his first diving course and enhanced his passion for water. A Worldwide First Deaf PADI Course Director, and love to dive with sharks and anywhere he could show others the beauty of the ocean.
Article about Thomas:
PADI Blog: Thomas J Koch – PADI Course Director with a mission - 27 September 2015
In Depth Interview with 1st Deaf PADI Course Director Tom Koch - 31 August 2015
PADI ASIA Blog: Thomas J Koch, first deaf PADI Course Director - 26 August 2015



Course Director

Digital Underwater Photographer Instructor

Peak Performance Bouyancy Instructor

AWARE - Coral Reef Conservation

Dive Against Debris Trainer

Project AWARE Instructor

AWARE - Fish Identification



Drift Diver Trainer


Search & Recovery Diver Trainer
Dry Suit Trainer
Self-Reliant Diver Instructor

Boat Diver Trainer

Emergency Oxygen Provider Trainer

Underwater Navigator Trainer

Deep Diver Trainer

Enriched Air Diver Trainer
Underwater Videographer Instructor

Delayed Surface Marker Buoy Trainer

Night Diver Trainer
Wreck Diver Trainer
