Hole in the Wall in Jupiter

[ConchyJoe]

Anyone know if Frank Hammett is still around?

Dan,

I know this is a really old post, but thought I would respond. Frank retired from diving quite a while ago. I have known him since I was a kid, and my parents were certified as NAUI instructors with him in June of 1969 in Lucaya. I don't know that he went anywhere without his bang stick.

The Palm Beach Fin Divers would have a fish fry every year at Phil Foster Park, and Frank would almost single handedly supply the fish. Of course he would get most of it from Hole, as well as other spots only he knew of.

He ALWAYS had the most interesting stories to tell. And if you happend by the shop to pick up tanks late in the afternoon, you would quite possibly end up at his house behind the shop for dinner, or at Italian Village until it closed. As a kid, diving since I was 11, he fascinated me to no end, and he knew it. He loved to tell stories about coming face to face with sharks, and huge morays.

I think there were 3 pioneers in SCUBA Diving in the Palm Beach area. Frank was the tough guy with a huge heart that almost always pushed the envelope. Norine Rouse (RIP) was the golden girl of PADI, and taught thousands to dive, as well as championed the turtle nesting cause in Palm Beach County. Rustie Stuke taught thousands how to dive under NAUI, I bet hundreds of thousands of kids to swim at the YWCA, but more importantly how not to drown, and was an early veteran of group dive charters to places like Cayman.

 

[SSharkk]

Thanks Bob:

I think you might enjoy reading these postings about Norine Guest Book - Norine Rouse

One correction though, Norine was a firm, and vocal backer of NAUI. She was also a fan of the BSAC. She was not all that enamored with PADI. She believed their standards were set too low.

 

[ConchyJoe]

Thanks Bob:

I think you might enjoy reading these postings about Norine Guest Book - Norine Rouse

One correction though, Norine was a firm, and vocal backer of NAUI. She was also a fan of the BSAC. She was not all that enamored with PADI. She believed their standards were set too low.

Thanks for the info Shark, I sit corrected. I always thought she started out teaching NAUI, and ended up teaching PADI at some point. I never dove with her, but my Mom always admired her, and there was certainly collaborative stuff going on that we were all involved in.

I have to say I had a wonderful childhood because of diving, and got to dive places people only read about in Skin Diver Magazine.

It is A LOT different now...

Happy Holidays,

 

[danvolker]

Dan,

I know this is a really old post, but thought I would respond. Frank retired from diving quite a while ago. I have known him since I was a kid, and my parents were certified as NAUI instructors with him in June of 1969 in Lucaya. I don't know that he went anywhere without his bang stick.

The Palm Beach Fin Divers would have a fish fry every year at Phil Foster Park, and Frank would almost single handedly supply the fish. Of course he would get most of it from Hole, as well as other spots only he knew of.

He ALWAYS had the most interesting stories to tell. And if you happend by the shop to pick up tanks late in the afternoon, you would quite possibly end up at his house behind the shop for dinner, or at Italian Village until it closed. As a kid, diving since I was 11, he fascinated me to no end, and he knew it. He loved to tell stories about coming face to face with sharks, and huge morays.

I think there were 3 pioneers in SCUBA Diving in the Palm Beach area. Frank was the tough guy with a huge heart that almost always pushed the envelope. Norine Rouse (RIP) was the golden girl of PADI, and taught thousands to dive, as well as championed the turtle nesting cause in Palm Beach County. Rustie Stuke taught thousands how to dive under NAUI, I bet hundreds of thousands of kids to swim at the YWCA, but more importantly how not to drown, and was an early veteran of group dive charters to places like Cayman.

Hi Conchy Joe,
Frank created some of the best dive expereinces in my life, and I would like very much to give back a little something to him for Christmas---but have not seen him for years..do you know how I could find him?
Thanks,
Dan Volker