I was curious to see if I could find any news on Tony Zimos, and came across this thread. So many memories! First certified NASDS at The Dive Shop in DC by an instructor couple, Bob and can't remember the wife's name. Fine instructors. The owner was a great guy as well, ex-military, and has since passed away.
Went to San Diego in 1983 for instructor's college, run by Zimos himself and a trainer that was doing his first stint at the college, Bob Marx. Those were the worst days and the best days of my life. I was never in the military, but I think we got a taste of it under Zimos and his SEAL like training methods. He was in a lot of back pain at the time, and I think it could have been a lot tougher on us had he been full strength. I definitely remember the stories, including one where a guy who's chute didn't open, fell on top of Tony's chute and refused to climb down the ropes before they hit the ground. I think he broke both legs. I remember the old equipment stories and about how he watched a friend die from not being able to exhale. Met John Gaffney in LA, hell bent on selling Z-90 equipment. I remember the day with Stan Waterman, one of the great underwater photography pioneers. The grueling days at La Jolla Shores and the Kiddy Pool. Great memories of being out on the Sand Dollar and the Bottom Scratcher, with Tony making seasick kids eat runny eggs.
I came out OWIC #699, thought I was going to work in DC at the dive shop, but got a better offer from the Diving Locker in Pacific Beach, and ended up teaching at the same places I trained. I remember all the Nicklin family, Terry and Flip, and their father Chuck. Even met one of the Cousteau's while working there.
Favorite quote on this thread.....
To my way of thinking, if you have an NASDS cert., you are probably more qualified than most other certificate-issuing-organizations' diving instructors. When I got my cert. (early 70s), NASDS was the ne plus ultra of diving certification authorities. NAUI and PADI were a poor, distant second. And my attendance of the 3rd Divers Instructoral College in Sandy Eggo in the late 70s served to reinforce this view. Tony Zimos ran a very tight ship, and if you passed one of his classes, you were damn-sure qualified to provide training to others....
-RW-
PS: If any of you trained under Tony, did he tell you the story of the clapped-out old Vietnamese broad with whom you had had to, uhhhh, "sleep" in order to be accepted by your SEAL Team brethren? That is one of the most horrifying initiation rites I have ever heard of....
Don't remember that one, but did Tony ever bring in his piercing gear and threaten to pierce someone's privates? Everyone was sure he was going to do it till the last second.... hell, I even helped hold he guy down!!!
p.s. Sorry about the rant... just so many memories!
