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 In
1976 I walked off 82nd Avenue into Ocean Sports, met Grant
Stephanson and Brian Thomas, and my life has not been the
same since! After a short talk with Brian I signed up for
a basic scuba course. Then it was 10 pool sessions, course
work and 5 open water dives. My pool sessions were at Confederation
Pool. Somewhere along the line, I was getting so much enjoyment
and fun from it all that I talked Grant into letting me
do two sets of pool sessions – one at Confederation
and one, I believe, at Harry Ainlay where they were also
teaching. I loved it!
In the spring of 1977 I signed up to be certified during
the (then) U of A Spring trip organized by Ron Kirstein,
Aquatic Director at the U of A. It was an absolute blast!
I had purchased my equipment that previous winter and was
into it all, quite literally over my head, with enjoyment.
One of my certification dives was off Henderson Point at
Saanich Inlet – I went in with the group and after
our underwater session I noticed I still had a fair amount
of air left; I dawdled as my buddy surfaced and left –
just then, I felt something pull at my fin – I thought
I was alone – turned and saw a baby seal nip away
at my fin again! I was hooked. I turned and played with
my new buddy; we twisted, turned, dove and generally had
a ball! He, of course, was much better than I; but I loved
every minute of it! Boy, did I catch hell from Brian when
I came out for diving without my buddy and for surfacing
with a near-empty tank.
 During
that same trip was when I met Ron Kirstein,
and a long friendship developed. That trip we dove the White
Lady looking for six foot sponges, we cooked abalone and
ling cod, and we lived diving. We all camped at Thetis Lake
Park and the camaraderie was wonderful. That same trip I
was to take Ron and a few others sailing on my new 25' O'Day
moored at Bosun's Marina – however, that is another
story!
Ron soon had me talked into a Master's and then an Instructor's
course in diving. I jumped in with both feet. It was a great
class and many long-term diving buddies either taught it
or were in it: Ron, Don Wright, Jean Andruski, Klaus, Bob
Bing and so many others. It was a great group! In 1978 I
was awarded my Instructor's Certificate for NAUI, PADI and
ACUC. I then went on to teach with Ron and others for several
years of enjoyable diving and teaching. My pride and joy
in diving was seeing students like Brett Peters moving on
to the Instructor's level and receiving the Gold Certificate
as Top Student.
Some of the best was in 1981 when Ron and I worked together,
with many others as well, to develop a course for disabled
individuals. We had single and double amputees, paraplegics
and people afflicted with MS. We even had Brian Thomas’
brother Ken who had CP! Kenny drank half the pool, but was
amazing in his accomplishments.
We were fortunate: Ron had the support of the U of A and
I was able to get Max Ward, then of Ward Air to donate 25
seats to Hawaii for our group. We also got rooms donated
by the Sheraton group. John Stoneman came with us to do
underwater filming. It was a remarkable experience made
possible by many who contributed time and money. To our
disappointment, it ended unsuccessfully as a result of insurers
for the certifying agencies refusing to provide insurance
to cover the instructing of disabled individuals. What a
shame.
 Later
that year I had the great pleasure of joining Jean Michel
Cousteau and Rich Murphy in Project Ocean Search in Maupiti.
I was fortunate to spend a month with them and their group.
I “baby sat” novice divers, I snorkeled in pristine
lagoons, I free dove with Murphy and locals. I carried cameras
for Scott Fryer, I ran around the island and I made friends
from all over the world (mainly USA). I came back absolutely
hooked on the ocean – both what is on and beneath
its surface. It’s amazing to watch whales and their
calves, to ride the back of sea turtles, to watch the multi-colored
lips of tridacna clams slowly close, and to swim with sharks
among the coral reefs. 3000 photos later…
And that was 20 years ago. Since then I have continued
diving, more recently with my friends Keir, Janet, Doug,
Wayne and Mike. We have shared the oceans in the Caribbean,
the Baja, Tonga, Fiji, the Pacific Northwest and generally,
wherever we have sailed!
 A
crowning experience was in Tonga where Doug, Wayne and Keir
observed the birth of a humpback calf. I was only able to
share vicariously, as I was diving alone doing some photography.
They saw the pod of a bull, two cows (one a nurse) and the
calf – Doug and Wayne got their snorkels and fins
and were in the water as this group passed within about
20 feet of them. An awesome experience; one we still share
and talk of 11 years later!
Perhaps the greatest enjoyment in diving has come from
diving with my sons Jeff and Stu – they were both
certified when I co-owned Northwest Scuba Ventures with
Lou Nixey in 1983. Jeff and Stu had started in the pool
with me and under the able guidance of Lou, were both certified.
Jeff went on to work at and achieve his Dive Master's Certification.
The three of us, along with many friends, have enjoyed diving
in the Pacific Northwest, at Hornby Island and Victoria,
in Hawaii and in the Caribbean and Cozumel. Jeff and Stu
are both excellent divers who love, respect and share our
great oceans. I love diving with them.
So that is what diving has been (and is) over the past
several years. It still brings me enjoyment and will for
years to come – the perfect complement to a life under
sail.
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