OP
Thanks DSD. You sure have had an interesting career!
My first diving job was working with Dr. George Benjamin to explore, photograph and map the South Bight Blue Holes of Andros in 1971. After that, I went into the Navy as a diver and did a stint with Fleet Diving Unit (Atlantic) before being assigned as a Diving Officer to DCIEM in 1972. At that time Dr. Joe McGinnis and Bob Landry were involved in kick starting Seneca's U/W Skills Program, so while at DCIEM, I also ended-up lending a hand there part-time as an instructor. I also assisted with the hyperbaric chamber; which was installed in 1975.
As DCIEM was primarily a research centre, my time was focused on several military and civilian projects in Canada, the U.S. and internationally. I ended up working with the CSA, NASA, the U.S. & Royal Navies, as well as numerous universities and hyperbaric/hypobaric research centres.
Although I signed up to be a diver, DCIEM's function included the operation of a hypobaric facility, subsequently I was sent on "non diving related" military training / selection programs such as: survival training, free-fall parachuting/HALO, fighter pilot selection and a segment of the NASA Astronaut training program as a test subject in preparation for Canada's development of their Astronaut program in 1983.
Another part of my "job description" was to act as a diving resource to the Canadian judicial system. This required me to act as an expert witness for a number of diving accidents in Canada.
I left DCIEM in 1985 and opened a trade school in British Columbia to teach commercial diving and opened a small commercial diving business (servicing the port of Vancouver and the logging industry). I also had a recreational diving charter company and a dive shop in Abbotsford. The trade school also operated a program that certified recreational scuba instructors.
In 1990, I was asked to develop the underwater emergency breathing system program for the Canadian military, which necessitated me attending the USN and RN schools. I also was asked to develop the Coast Guard Rescue Swimmer Program and I managed these training programs under contract until 1995.
In 1995 I went to work as a saturation diver / Supervisor for Cal Dive and later worked as a Diving Superintendent for Global until 2005. At that time I was in-charge of the Asia Pacific/India diving operation, where we had one MSV, two DSVs (all with saturation systems), a number of SS/MG systems and various construction & support vessels (pipeline burial, underollers and other marine construction equipment).
In 2005, I became self-employed as an underwater project consultant working for Big Oil (mainly Exxon-Mobil and BP Global). I plan to retire this year and get involved in a dive business someplace warm.
Of the people/places that you've mentioned, I've done some consulting work for Hibernia and know Phil at Can Dive (Joe McGinnis introduced us during his North Pole and Breadalbane projects). I also know Dave and Mike. Mike's done well with the Sea Hunter series and has featured a few of the wrecks outside of Halifax that I've been on.
It's interesting that you were on the U/W Canada tour to DCIEM in 1979. I believe it was in 74 or 75 that I arranged for U/W Canada participants to take the first tour of DCIEM. I was on the OUC Board at that time and we weren't sure if there would be enough interest. It ended-up being quite popular, so it became part of the program for several years. I often gave the tour, but I'm not sure about 1979 (old age I suppose)? It would have either been me or my Chief.
My first diving job was working with Dr. George Benjamin to explore, photograph and map the South Bight Blue Holes of Andros in 1971. After that, I went into the Navy as a diver and did a stint with Fleet Diving Unit (Atlantic) before being assigned as a Diving Officer to DCIEM in 1972. At that time Dr. Joe McGinnis and Bob Landry were involved in kick starting Seneca's U/W Skills Program, so while at DCIEM, I also ended-up lending a hand there part-time as an instructor. I also assisted with the hyperbaric chamber; which was installed in 1975.
As DCIEM was primarily a research centre, my time was focused on several military and civilian projects in Canada, the U.S. and internationally. I ended up working with the CSA, NASA, the U.S. & Royal Navies, as well as numerous universities and hyperbaric/hypobaric research centres.
Although I signed up to be a diver, DCIEM's function included the operation of a hypobaric facility, subsequently I was sent on "non diving related" military training / selection programs such as: survival training, free-fall parachuting/HALO, fighter pilot selection and a segment of the NASA Astronaut training program as a test subject in preparation for Canada's development of their Astronaut program in 1983.
Another part of my "job description" was to act as a diving resource to the Canadian judicial system. This required me to act as an expert witness for a number of diving accidents in Canada.
I left DCIEM in 1985 and opened a trade school in British Columbia to teach commercial diving and opened a small commercial diving business (servicing the port of Vancouver and the logging industry). I also had a recreational diving charter company and a dive shop in Abbotsford. The trade school also operated a program that certified recreational scuba instructors.
In 1990, I was asked to develop the underwater emergency breathing system program for the Canadian military, which necessitated me attending the USN and RN schools. I also was asked to develop the Coast Guard Rescue Swimmer Program and I managed these training programs under contract until 1995.
In 1995 I went to work as a saturation diver / Supervisor for Cal Dive and later worked as a Diving Superintendent for Global until 2005. At that time I was in-charge of the Asia Pacific/India diving operation, where we had one MSV, two DSVs (all with saturation systems), a number of SS/MG systems and various construction & support vessels (pipeline burial, underollers and other marine construction equipment).
In 2005, I became self-employed as an underwater project consultant working for Big Oil (mainly Exxon-Mobil and BP Global). I plan to retire this year and get involved in a dive business someplace warm.
Of the people/places that you've mentioned, I've done some consulting work for Hibernia and know Phil at Can Dive (Joe McGinnis introduced us during his North Pole and Breadalbane projects). I also know Dave and Mike. Mike's done well with the Sea Hunter series and has featured a few of the wrecks outside of Halifax that I've been on.
It's interesting that you were on the U/W Canada tour to DCIEM in 1979. I believe it was in 74 or 75 that I arranged for U/W Canada participants to take the first tour of DCIEM. I was on the OUC Board at that time and we weren't sure if there would be enough interest. It ended-up being quite popular, so it became part of the program for several years. I often gave the tour, but I'm not sure about 1979 (old age I suppose)? It would have either been me or my Chief.
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