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It was never any far stretch of the imagination that I would end up where I am today. With a Grandfather and Father both active divers with the Army Corps of Engineers…. diving was something that was just another aspect of my childhood like Big Wheels and Popsicles. It was only with my growing up that I realized I had been given a gift. A gift from two wonderful men, who inspire me still today. My Grandfather was the first hard hat diver on the Ohio and Green Rivers. A small man of stature, it is amazing to me as I look at photos of him…how he handled that big ole’ Mark V with ease. He was a pioneer in the diving industry. He braved a world few dared to enter in this area, at that time. By the time I came on the scene, it was my Dad who was the diver/pioneer in the family. Many times did I watch him climb down a ladder into the mighty, muddy Ohio to fix the lock gates or move debris that was hung up on the bear traps at the Owensboro Locks and Dam, which is now English Park. My Dad was a much larger man, compared to Grandpa, and handled that equipment effortlessly. Observing this, one Halloween I decided I wanted to go as a diver and wear the Mark V helmet….so Dad said okay…ready…set…I’m letting go now! On it goes and clunk… down I go…head down and feet up….Grandpa got a chuckle out of that. Okay, so we had to rethink the costume! Time would pass and eventually, that Mark V did indeed rest on my shoulders and as I looked through the little round window with the brass cage protecting it…I was seeing a small glimpse of what would become my life. A Sunday tradition: The Undersea World of Jacques Cousteau! Sitting together on the couch, my Dad and I would talk about the day when I could dive with him. I wanted to play with a dolphin, swim with a sea turtle, see, with my own eyes, the beauty and awe of this place that will never be seen by some. On the yearly Panama City Beach vacation…we began our adventures with snorkeling. It was here that I was taught to be in awe of, but more so, to fully respect the ocean. Finding hidden treasures of sand dollars and shells, catching glimpses of sting rays and having my first in a long line of encounters with jelly fish was great but soon it wasn’t enough and my desire to explore this world…with a tank…became quite overwhelming. Funny how life gets in the way of dreams sometimes…school studies, college and a career all diverted my attention for a while, but my Dad waited patiently for the day when Scuba would once again resurface in my list of priorities. Indeed it did and he didn’t have to wait all that long. My brother and I got certified together…and oh the stories I can tell you about that…but I’ll save it for another edition of “My Fins”. After certification, our first family “diving” vacation was Grand Cayman. I saw my first sea turtle and needless to say I was hooked! I have been head over hills for this sport ever since. I couldn’t wait to get back and take the next class available and then another and another. Today, it is the love of scuba diving and the fact that I can share it with anybody who wants to try, that motivates me….everything else…is icing on my cake. Don’t ever think I don’t know how lucky I am...I do. Because of that, I feel it is my responsibility, maybe even my destiny to pass diving on. Life takes funny twists and turns…but eventually…we end up where we were meant to be. Scuba diving is not something to be kept secret and everyone should get to take at least a peek at this underwater world and the lucky one’s, we get to stay a while. Yes, this is my “career” but it is more so what makes me who I am…it defines me. Thousands of people dive today because I was given the opportunity to show them how. How awesome is that? I am blessed. I get to show people a new world. I get to show them how to do things they never thought they could. I get to offer encouragement to students, with a wink or a hand squeeze, when they aren’t sure they can clear that mask, but I know they can. I get to certify the kiddos of students I certified years before… yes, that means I’m older than dirt…but age is just a number…it’s not what defines a person. I get to see the excitement in a student’s eyes the first time they see a fish, any fish. I get to hear the squeals of excitement after someone’s first ocean dive. I get to help people smile. I get to help people overcome challenges and fears that have limited them all their lives. I get to help people relax. I get to live a dream everyday and I get to share others’ dreams as well. I get the rare opportunity to help people live outside the box! I LOVE MY JOB!!! So, the gift of diving that was given to me by those two wonderful men whom I love so very much….I promise to pay it forward as long as I am able! Grab your gear and come diving with me….I promise it will be an adventure!
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