Roll call: Any old NASDS divers out there?

[ScubaGypsy]

NASDS Diver Certification Card T1662, 06/1986, NASDS Open Water Diver U3245, 10/1986. Both certifications from RI Academy of SD (former Viking Dive Shop in Middletown, RI) with Instructor Larry Silvia OWI #146.

These were both fine classes with much more in-depth than present BOW and AOW programs.

 

[Cachip]

NASDS Diver Certification Card EE13200 05/1977, certification from Diver's Den Inc, Santa Barbara CA, by Jim Neihouse OWI 1378.

 

[LowFin]

Yes. Just joined the board. I was 16, 1975. I took the OW class from a LDS in Lansdale, PA. Our first open water dives were in a local quarry, may have been Bainbridge, and then we did 4 more shore dives in Newport, RI. Very cool.

I remember we practiced rescues during our quarry training dives. Including mouth to mouth resuscitation in the water and continued the resuscitation when we got the "victim" on shore. Was that a standard item taught in the NASDS OW certification? I do not remember the instructors' names but they were good solid instructors and divers.

 

[burdettl]

# s7354, April/72 Panama City Fla. Instructor was Ronnie Groom

 

[Luku]

Found my old logbook.

 

[Al Storm]

This is a reply to above message posted by LowFin.

We also practiced mouth-to-mouth resuscitation in the ocean employing a surf mat, and continued onshore (with more success) once we beached the victim. We had a solid NASDS instructor and safety was a major focus of our certification.

Al Storm
NASDS certified in 1975
Anchor Shack
Hayward, CA

 

[CptRex]

OK, I'm dating my self here:

1974
Aqua Shack
West Carrollton, Ohio
NASDS Card #: Z2636

 

[k11dorf]

NASDS Basic H2902, 1980; OW I9128, 1981; my Dive Coordinator (DM) was three digits: #247, 1982. Four of us began our careers with National Diving Center, Washington, DC while we were all undergraduates: Ted Green, Owner of the OC Diver in Ocean City, MD and one of the finest Tech Divers/Instructors I know; Dr. David Doolette, co-author (with Tom Mount) of the IANTD Technical Diver Encyclopedia; and Mark Gordon, President of Odyssey Marine Exploration in Tampa (Treasure Quest on Discovery Channel).

 

[diverdavids]

Hey Mike:

I too was NASDS open water certified in 1976 (at the age of 13) by Jim Gilligan of Gilligan's Isle Dive Shop in Philadelphia. My original card was like a credit card, and after all those years of being run through a credit card press, it finally broke apart. My wife mistakenly threw the pieces away sometime in the late 1990s, so I got a replacement. I still have my original Jeppesen dive manual.

I always got a kick out of dive shop employees questioning the validity of my card, since my instructor's name was Jim Gilligan. They thought it was a joke. Both my dad and I tried to track Jim down, but we haven't been able to locate him. I would love to touch base with him again.

David

 

[matt2112]

Hi,

I still have my "Expert Divers Total Information Card!" It's the gold one with the little information chip and social security number. I was certified at Scuba Quest in New Orleans back in 1988 by Ann Ward.

Ann Ward (my instructor and girlfriend at the time) moved to Long Beach, CA to work for John Gaffney at the NASDS headquarters in Long Beach on Willow Street. I soon followed to finish college in CA.

Gaff (John Gaffney) and I became pretty good friends over the years. I actually rented the upstairs unit in his duplex near NASDS headquarters. His mom lived downstairs. Seems like a hundred years ago! I can still remember visiting Gaff at his house in Seal Beach. It was like a diving museum. He always had a story for everything there. I still have a spear gun with an original Riffe's reel that Gaff gave me. It was originally Jay Riffe's gun. I also have a Z-90 regulator that NASDS used to sell. Does anyone remember Z-90???

Anyway, NASDS and John Gaffney were way ahead of their time in my book. I do miss Gaff! Rest in peace my friend...

Matt