Has anyone met one of the diving greats such as Gary Gentile?

[OldNSalty]

I knew about his PhD. I recall he said one of the hardest things he did was decide to paint rather then teach-not that he didn't like painting but he also liked teaching. In the end, I think the money won out as his art has made him rich.

 

[nereas]

I was wandering if anyone had met one of the great living lengend divers such as Gary Gentile?
What makes them so great and based on your meeting what was your impression of them?

I have met A.G. His greatness derives from his thinking innovatively outside of the box. He is also a very kind, polite person who gets along well with others.

I have also met Wings S. He is a quiet guy, and a legend in tech diving.

Regarding Gary G., I have not yet met him, but I have read several of his manuals and books. He is a proponent of always having a snorkel in the open water. I agree with his views and procedures. They are timeless and sound.

 

[nereas]

Here's me with the champ
http://scubaboard.com/pics/natasha/index.html
:sunny:

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The requested URL /pics/natasha/index.html was not found on this server.

 

[mike_s]

Fun thread ... but is this a record? Reviving a thread that's been silent for OVER 7 YEARS! I'm amazed ScubaBoard was even around back in 2001.

.

When I saw this thread I was like 'Holy crap, this thread is OVER 7 YEARS OLD!"

I think you might be right that this might be a record for reviving a dead thread.

 

[TSandM]

I have met Michael Kane, who is mentioned in one of the books about the Andrea Doria. He wasn't at all what I expected -- I was envisioning a skinny, pasty, vegan GUE instructor, and found a talkative, friendly, colorful man who welcomed me into his house and told me stories of how a hard-core NJ wreck diver got converted to DIR.

I've spent a good bit of time with Andrew Georgitsis, who isn't a diving "legend", but has certainly done some truly amazing things (check out the Red Sea Explorers website for the cave dive at 300+ feet that they did). Andrew's vocal, opinionated, a good story-teller, and an absolutely superb instructor.

And I took my Cave 1 class from a man who isn't a diving legend, because very few people have heard of him. And that's the way he is. But his team has pushed tremendous distances into the caves of the Yucatan, and is working steadily and tirelessly to promote cave and water conservation in the Riviera Maya. Danny Riordan doesn't have time to become a legend -- he's too busy diving and teaching and educating.

 

[Dive-aholic]

I have met a few divers whose names would probably be recognized here by some. However, I'm not going to drop names. My main reason is that there were a few that I thought were pompous a$$es. My opinion of them changed quite a bit once I met them. The funny thing is the interaction wasn't even one I had with them, but just watching them in a room full of people and how they interacted with others. I believe had I just met them in a less public setting they probably would have acted differently and I wouldn't have this opinion. However I got to see them without the act. I was disappointed to discover that some divers that I once had a lot of respect for didn't deserve that respect. But, hey, it just goes to show you that people's accomplishments aren't worth respect in themselves.

 

[Jim Ernst]

Sorry Gary...

John Chatterton and Richie coller rule!!

Shadow divers ROCK!

 

[ApexLongimanus]

like many others i saw kohler, chatterton, jablonski and most notably hans hass at BTS.

however, my only really "close encounter" was running into and having a chat with steve bogaerts in mexico last year.

 

[letterboy]

When I saw this thread I was like 'Holy crap, this thread is OVER 7 YEARS OLD!"

I think you might be right that this might be a record for reviving a dead thread.

Usually I get yelled at for reviving old threads . . . HMPH . . .

 

[TSandM]

Yeah, but this is a good topic, even if it was started a long time ago!