Hello folks,
I just found this site. Some very informative and interesting discussions.
I’ve been diving since the 60’s. I’m still diving.
A few of you may know me as Dakota Fred on the Discovery series Gold Rush White Water. A 17 years old, I bought some used scuba gear and a $1 pamphlet “How to SCUBA Dive”. Also found a book on underwater logging. (There was no logging in south Texas)
After burning through 10 or 15 tanks of air, and getting used to the double hose regulator (remember the show Sea Hunt?), I found a dive crew that were going out to the “rigs” in the Gulf of Mexico. I got invited to go offshore and the rest is history.
After years of spear fishing, I got hired to do underwater pipeline work, and underwater piling repair. I then spent the next 10 years in the Gulf of Mexico, Intracoastal Canal, and Mississippi River doing a wide variety of work....pipeline, salvage, explosives, cutting up steel, underwater welding, (I’m not a welder), ...and sadly, body recovery on the Luling Destrehan Ferry disaster.
After 35 years of above water pile driving and related business, I retired,.....and went Gold mining!
I now dive for gold.
Oh yeah,...I’m now 77.
So there’s hope for everyone. Just keep yourself in reasonably good shape. Your health is the most important thing in life.
Fred
