Greetings, I'm slowly waking from a long sleep, and beginning to return to my natural habitat. I was first certified in 1974 by the YMCA (still have that card). Dove a little during my college days (or daze), and picked it back up in '79. Got involved with a 5 Star shop in NJ, and moved up to AOW, Rescue, specialties and finally Divemaster. Moved to Atlanta in '86 and hooked up with an ITC and moved up to OWSI in '87. Spent the next 10 or 12 years teaching and living underwater... until I could no longer afford the dues and insurance and maintenance costs due to a dwindling clientele from over-saturation... and also when kids entered into the picture, so I retired.
Fast forward 12 years or so, my older son wanted to learn how to use my "off-limits" gear, so I brought him to a local shop where he completed a Jr open water course. He "liberated" s set of my class gear and soon discovered my addiction to Nitrogen. Sadly he dropped out of it for a while while training for his career as a Paramedic. Meanwhile (back at the homestead) my younger son got the bug, got him thru the course, but never managed a trip for certification. A couple years later he went on a trip and finished the open water portion and is also fully infected. (I must be a bad influence.)
Now my older son has gotten associated with an instructor (one of his Medic friends) and is wanting to dive in with both feet... His enthusiasm has re-sparked a flame... now if I can only get my tanks hydro'ed and find my old double-hose....
Fast forward 12 years or so, my older son wanted to learn how to use my "off-limits" gear, so I brought him to a local shop where he completed a Jr open water course. He "liberated" s set of my class gear and soon discovered my addiction to Nitrogen. Sadly he dropped out of it for a while while training for his career as a Paramedic. Meanwhile (back at the homestead) my younger son got the bug, got him thru the course, but never managed a trip for certification. A couple years later he went on a trip and finished the open water portion and is also fully infected. (I must be a bad influence.)
Now my older son has gotten associated with an instructor (one of his Medic friends) and is wanting to dive in with both feet... His enthusiasm has re-sparked a flame... now if I can only get my tanks hydro'ed and find my old double-hose....
