I used to go out with Norine's operation as a teen on the Mispah. That was before the rained down tons of wrecks all over the place. It was worth the drive up from the three or so wrecks off Ft. Lauderdale at the time. I last dove were her on the Hole In The Wall with a boatload of 60 plus year old divers in about 1992. I was on air, dove a conservative profile, did a conservative safety stop and still got a niggle hit. The only one on board too with issues. A carry over from trimix diving in those days. She was a unique lady.
I started my Basic Naui course with Chuck at Divers Haven in 1971 and finished it at Underseas Sports south of the tunnel when he set up the first shop. There were a lot of real interesting personalities in the business in those days to be sure. I remember Bryan and Mary, did they take over Surf Sun and Fun on the beach just south of Sunrise before buying Chuck out?
Slate and I went through the YMCA ITC together. It was a real long course, seems like 12 weekends at FAU. I commuted from USF, it was a good excuse to head back home to the SE. Intense intriguing course though, learned a lot. I was surprised to see how much the content had been dumbed down many years later. Have we lost the capacity, mass marketing pressures overwhelmed things or what? I guess the same could be said about normal academia in some cases too. Not a great trend.
When I was a kid ...
I used to carry may tank rigged up in a dive bag, walked down the beach between lifeguard stands when they we're looking, sank the bag fast and walked out into deeper water. When I was at neck level, ducked under and walked out to the first reef using the regulator to gear up. The beach patrol didn't allow solo divers, they were quite strict about it too. Couldn't always find a buddy when conditions were right. Would reverse the process on the way in. Once I am fairly certain the legendary Capt. Gene Bergman of the FLBP chased me out free style on the surface. Fortunately, I out ran him on the bottom. Had an ongoing disagreement of sorts going with him for years over diving access. They would make up rules, I would comply, then they would make up new rules when I was ready to go and on. Thought about release nurse sharks near the beach from a cage, digging a lion trap for the jeeps, dumb stuff kids think up. He wasn't that bad, then again, he never caught me either. The good old days?
Norine Rouse attended part of my NAUI ITC back in the day. Grand old lady.
I wasn't at UnderSeas Sports when Chuck started it, but I worked for the second owners for most of the time that they owned it. Who remembers Bryan and Mary Brooks and their kids? Most people thought I was one of their kids as well. Great memories.
I was also one of Slate's first customers, bought some stuff from him back in '78 when he first opened.
OK now I feel old!!!
