Hello from Humboldt CA!

[Jhathaway]

Hi all, I am a freediver and spearfisherman who got interested in doing more than just breath-holding through Humboldt State's dive program. Little did I know that I would be so in love with scuba diving that I would switch my major from marine bio to dive leadership, minoring in scientific diving! I just finished that program this spring with my NAUI divemaster and AAUS accreditation and am currently working with UTD coaching as I make the transition into the more technical side of diving.
I love diving Mendocino and Monterey, but my bread and butter really is shallow and dirty sites like Trinidad Bay in Humboldt. I'm looking forward to potentially moving to Monterey within the next year or so and would love to hear about any of your own personal rec to tec transitions!
I look forward to becoming a part of the amazing community of Scubaboard!
-Jeremy

 

[Sam Miller III]

@Jhathaway

Welcome to SCUBA Board !

I have always had great admiration of the divers that graduated from the NAUI program at Humboldt
a tribute to outstanding instructors and hard work

sdm

 

[Jhathaway]

@Jhathaway

Welcome to SCUBA Board !

I have always had great admiration of the divers that graduated from the NAUI program at Humboldt
a tribute to outstanding instructors and hard work

sdm

Thank you for the warm welcome! I feel lucky to have had such dedicated and caring instructors

 

[sea_ledford]

If you started out freedving, went through the HSU program, and LIKE diving Trinidad, like... by choice, you'll have no problems with any tech classes.

I was in undergrad at HSU with Rich Alvarez, we did everything from Advanced up to Instructor together. He was a year behind the rest of us that took the ITC (with Dennis Graver, whom I sure @Sam Miller III knows), so he stuck around and inherited the dive program! It is certainly the better for it!

 

[drrich2]

Welcome, Jeremy. Glad to have you at ScubaBoard. Quite a few California divers on the forum. Got a question regarding this:

...as I make the transition into the more technical side of diving.

I only have rec. diving experience and training, so I'm asking out of curiosity. What aspects of technical diving draw you? The deeper depths, longer dive options with deco., possibility of silent 'no bubbles' diving with a rebreather, or what?

 

[Sam Miller III]

I was in undergrad at HSU with Rich Alvarez, we did everything from Advanced up to Instructor together. He was a year behind the rest of us that took the ITC (with Dennis Graver, whom I sure [U]@Sam Miller III knows), so he stuck around and inherited the dive program! It is certainly the better for it![/U]

I knew Dennis Graver very well as a youth -- even prior to being certified as a NAUI Instructor. For several years he was rather visible in SoCal dive events often appearing at the then well organized LA Co events .

After being certified as a NAUI instructor for several years He with out notice. very suddenly disappeared ..

The rumor was he moved to PNW -- Where? Did he begin teaching at Humboldt State ?
Where is Dennis now ?

<<<Rumor was he retuned to his heritage and became very active in his LDS (Mormon) Church >>>

Can you verify any of this ?


SDM

 

[Jhathaway]

I was in undergrad at HSU with Rich Alvarez, we did everything from Advanced up to Instructor together. He was a year behind the rest of us that took the ITC (with Dennis Graver, whom I sure @Sam Miller III knows), so he stuck around and inherited the dive program! It is certainly the better for it!

That's really cool to hear! He's got some fun stories to tell from back in those days about Tahoe diving and giant stride entries from the Coral Sea and the Trinidad pier. Its fun learning the history of scientific diving and the connections from people like Conrad Limbaugh to DSO's like Rich and yourself!

 

[Jhathaway]

What aspects of technical diving draw you? The deeper depths, longer dive options with deco., possibility of silent 'no bubbles' diving with a rebreather, or what?

I'm not sure where I want to take my dive career but I do know that I want to keep learning and experiencing new perspectives in diving. Also the environments of these places that you can't visit through many other means, like the geology and biology of caves fascinates me!

 

[Sam Miller III]

@ jharhaway stated

" Its fun learning the history of scientific diving and the connections from people like Conrad Limbaugh '
~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~
FYI

Connie passed away in March (?) 1959 in a French Cave
Connie & Andy (Andrus Buckwald) Rechnitzer (google him) were responsible for SIO training

The late great Jim Stewart assumed the position of SIO DSO CDO immediately after Connie's passing
and held that position until his retirement -- sadly he passed about 5 years ago

True scientific dive training did not become a reality to mid to late 1960s -- in some cases 1970s

SDM

 

[sea_ledford]

I knew Dennis Graver very well as a youth -- even prior to being certified as a NAUI Instructor. For several years he was rather visible in SoCal dive events often appearing at the then well organized LA Co events .

After being certified as a NAUI instructor for several years He with out notice. very suddenly disappeared ..

The rumor was he moved to PNW -- Where? Did he begin teaching at Humboldt State ?
Where is Dennis now ?

<<<Rumor was he retuned to his heritage and became very active in his LDS (Mormon) Church >>>

Can you verify any of this ?


SDM

He was living in the PNW when he taught our ITC, and that was in 1996. I don't know what his current status is.