Roll call: Any old NASDS divers out there?

[diane meredith]

Hi! I saw your post. I attended the NASDS Instructors college in the summer of 1978. Had Tony Zimos, Dick Hammes and Tomm Wilson as instructors. I am OWIC 412.

 

[diane meredith]

Hi Timmmm I dove off the Bottom Scratcer with Bob Eul in the late 80's! Tried to buy a tshirt but couldn't find them, don't know if it's still working out of San Diego. Cheers , Dorothy.

Yes, I remember diving off Bottom Scratcher an Sand Dollar dive boats the summer of 1978. Great times!

 

[mdb]

Hi! I saw your post. I attended the NASDS Instructors college in the summer of 1978. Had Tony Zimos, Dick Hammes and Tomm Wilson as instructors. I am OWIC 412.

LA County had great training and NASDS also very complete training. I was fortunate to be certified @ San Diego Divers Supply in 1971. Still diving today. The quick courses now "teach" divers who, in many cases, are not confident and do not continue diving. Would you learn to fly with a weekend course? We had five weeks of class room/pool and 5 open water dives just for a basic cert. and then lots of encouragement to continue training.

 

[jlconley]

For all the NASDS people. We lost two this month. Tony Zimos passed away on August 2nd and Bill Hardy passed on the 9th.

I attended the college in 1981 (OWIC 569) and have stayed in contact with Zimos over the years. I went to his memorial last Sunday on the beach in Coronado. There were a few of us college people in attendance telling stories of Tony, which wasn't easy because we had to keep it kid friendly. I had talked to him on the phone a few weeks back and one thing never changed was the sound of his voice. -Dee Covert

Tony was one of those people that would change your life for the better. If you accepted his help. He changed mine at the NASDS college in the summer of 1982. He changed so many lives for the better. He will never really be gone as long as there are those of us that remember him are still around. OWIC 605

 

[Babbles]

Permission to come aboard!
First post, sorry so long-winded:

I got certified with AquaSpace in Huntsville, Alabama, in 1976. Cliff "Demi" McClure and John Harkins were the instructors. McClure was a former Astronaut (NASA), and was super hardcore on the scientific and physiology side, to the point of failing people who couldn't "do the work". They made us run miles and miles, tore all of our gear up and threw it in the pool (to be reassembled, as a group, underwater), tread water forever, would almost drown us without notice or warning, etc, etc. They had an AmeriCruiser Greyhound bus, and would take 30 or so people down to Panama City or the Keys at least twice a month. Cliff had been in the ManHigh program in 1958, and had ascended to a height of 98,097 feet, IN A BALLOON!! His body temp went to 108.6 as I recall. He and his people took life support very seriously. Cliff passed back in 2000, here's a link to his CV: International Space Hall of Fame :: New Mexico Museum of Space History :: Inductee Profile

To say the least, he and NASDS taught me how to stay alive, and when to call a dive. I have done NAUI, SSI, and SEI since, for AOW1&2, MD, EANX, Rescue, etc, but I got my baseline fear from these guys. Forever grateful, as I have seen lots of tragedy in progress, over the years. How do bad instructors sleep at night, anyway? Sorry so long-winded, I miss these people.

 

[Ross Horton]

Ross Horton SDI170

 

[jlconley]

First time posting. Wow what an old thread. I was certified NASDS in 1979 at Aqua Center in Aurora Illinois. went to the dive instructors college in San Diego In 1979. Tony Z. AKA Anthony George Zimonostopatoppalis not sure of spelling but close Dan Smith from Denver Divers, Dick Hammas (professor at SD state) and Connie, Tony's girlfriend at the time (taught Physiology) were the instructors. Went on to work at SDDS after the collage and worked ther for about 2 years. Kevin Murphy AKA Murf the surf or spiderman. and Bill Hardy were the owners. Was a great time in my life. Taught lots of people to dive through that store and taught at the college a couple of times. Live in Jupiter FL. now and still dive almost every weekend. I would love to know where these guys are now and how they are doing. Scott R OWIC 473

Hi Scott,
I went to the college in 1982 (OWIC 605). And lived in Jupiter from 86 till 96.

 

[Patrick Patterson]

Just curious if there is any of us left

OWIC 493 went to the instructors college in 1980. Also OWI with PADI and SSI. Now living in the Philippines. Opening dive shop soon.

 

[laguna]

OMG! I attended the NASDS Instructors college in the spring of 1978. I also had Tony Zimos, Dick Hammes and Tomm Wilson as instructors. I am OWIC 397. Does anyone know how I can get an instructor card through a current organization?


Thanks!

 

[coralcruiser]

OMG! I attended the NASDS Instructors college in the spring of 1978. I also had Tony Zimos, Dick Hammes and Tomm Wilson as instructors. I am OWIC 397. Does anyone know how I can get an instructor card through a current organization?


Thanks!

If you still have the one you got from NASDS, contact SSI and see if they will give you one.