Jim Mims

[mderrick]

Sheri Daye has written it well... Sheri Daye

Quoting Sheri in part...
"The dive industry lost a special person yesterday -- Capt Jim Mims. For many years, he was known for owning Ocean Diving dive shop, teaching technical diving, and running charters. He introduced many people to diving, and I know he will be remembered with fondness by many in the South Florida community. He had a colorful personality, a quick wit, and was deeply patriotic. He was an eternal optimist and cheered everyone up around him. [..] He passed from organ failure and complications from contracting water-borne bacteria. His ashes will be scattered in the ocean and we will schedule a Celebration of Life event when it can be done safely. My deepest condolences to his mother and to his wonderful son, Rief, and his family. He would want us all to carry on, but he will be greatly missed.

 

[jadairiii]

Heard on Facebook the passing of Jim Mims. For those that dont know the name, he was an icon in technical diving in the "early days". His dive shop, Ocean Diving, in Pompano Beach was the epicenter of South Florida Tech diving, mix gas fills, gear and instruction. His boat, the Reef Cat, was the first real tech diving boat in South Florida that consistently went to all the deep spots. If you were diving with him in the 1990's he immediately became your friend. Any dive trip with him was an adventure and you would see every one on the boat, from Tom Mount to George Irvine and everyone in between.

On a personal note, Jim was my Technical Nitrox and Technical Deep Air Instructor in '94-'95, and as I said, once you met him he immediately become your friend, I would hang out as his shop all the time during that time, avoiding work. He will be missed.

.

 

[OceanEyes]

Very sorry to read this, but “liked” the original post because it was the way I learned of Jim’s passing. The information is good, though the news it bears is tragic.

Jim brought me out for my first visit to the Hydro Atlantic wreck almost 30 years ago, and I’ve admired and respected him ever since.

Just the other day I was chatting with an old friend who recounted one of Mims’s more shocking inventions, the Havanalizer. Jim was enjoying a rather large and pungent smelling cigar in his shop when a customer came in lugging a pair of tanks. The labels on the tanks had fallen off and this gent wanted to identify and re-label the one with O2 and the one with diluent. Jim slowly opened the valve on one of the tanks and placed his lit cigar in front of the flowing gas. A jet of flame erupted and streaked half way across the room before Jim shut the valve, and stated, “That one’s the oxygen.”

 

[Wookie]

Very sorry to read this, but “liked” the original post because it was the way I learned of Jim’s passing. The information is good, though the news it bears is tragic.

Jim brought me out for my first visit to the Hydro Atlantic wreck almost 30 years ago, and I’ve admired and respected him ever since.

Just the other day I was chatting with an old friend who recounted one of Mims’s more shocking inventions, the Havanalizer. Jim was enjoying a rather large and pungent smelling cigar in his shop when a customer came in lugging a pair of tanks. The labels on the tanks had fallen off and this gent wanted to identify and re-label the one with O2 and the one with diluent. Jim slowly opened the valve on one of the tanks and placed his lit cigar in front of the flowing gas. A jet of flame erupted and streaked half way across the room before Jim shut the valve, and stated, “That one’s the oxygen.”

I wondered who would tell the story of the havanalyzer.

 

[mderrick]

Jim was full of humorous tales, my favorite was one regarding a former student that had decided to change gender and wanted all their C-cards reissued. Never knew if it was true, and too politically incorrect to repeat here, but the manner in which he told the story made it of no matter. Jim's operation, and the technical diving community it supported, was literally the reason I moved to Pompano Beach from Alabama shortly after 9/11.

 

[NAUIdvr1]

Me with Jim Mims in May 2000 heading to the Hydro

 

[jadairiii]

Great picture of Jim! If that was July 16, I was on the boat that day.

 

[Kay Dee]

Having been on what has amounted to extended shore leave for some time now, I was saddened to come back aboard and hear of Jim's death. My sincere condolences then to all his family and friends. Of little cheer it might be, but let me repeat that Jim was very well regarded by anyone who knew him, and his dive center 'HQ' there in Pompano somewhat legendary to say the least. Certainly a gentlemen and a very able skipper and diver to say the least.

As others here, I also did many dives with Jim in the early 90's, when I lived on and off in Florida over several years during my many levels of 'technical' diver and instructor training.

As matter of fact I did my first trimix dive of my trimix course (being 'Mounted') off Jims boat in 92 or 93 (but had done plenty of deep air with him prior to that). And as luck would have it, or not as the case may be, on that very first trimix dive one of Jims very good friends, a spearo (not on our trimix course) diving on air on the RBJ /CC - whose name I can't recall now - took an o2 hit and died on the bottom while we were just meters away. We saw it all happen in slo-mo as it were. Mount tried diligently to save him, but he was dead within moments, literally. Well, that's what happens after all I guess when you mistakenly switch to pure O2 at the best part of, what, 75m / 250 odd feet (yeah, so much for diving with independent doubles where you had to switch regs at depth). After we had all surfaced, Jim went down and recovered the body. Twas a sad day for all. So that very first trimix dive on the RBJ/CC showed me first hand what I was getting myself in for. Seems it was a pretty serious business that technical diving stuff.

Anyway I digress; back to Jim. No doubt some of you have seen it, but below is a quite realistic sketch (circa how those wrecks looked in that early 90's time frame anyway) Jim did of the RBJ & CC (the red dot marks where the tragedy described above took place). Brings back fond memories of Jim, and a not so fond memory of that dive.

So Jim, long may you run!

 

[sdalcher]

Dove with Jim in the early 90's will always have pleasant memories.

 

[Ghetto Diver]

I'm not on here much anymore, but for whatever reason went looking in this sub-forum and saw this.
I knew Jim while working at a dive shop in Beerfield. Filled his tanks many times. Always had a pleasant conversation about what not, particular old gear and tanks.
I did see him come in while he was sick. Still diving. My short acquaintance with him gave me the impression he was going to do it his way. Plus, that is what he said.
May he RIP