Roll call: Any old NASDS divers out there?

[Old Indian]

OWI #635

 

[Sam Miller III]

@Old Indian

What year and where did you receive your SSI Platinum Pro 5000 diver award ?

Do you recall who sponsored you?
SDM

 

[CathyCA]

NASDS U 6825. Certified at Dive N Surf in Redondo Beach by Al Hornsby OWI 1457 in Feb, 1977. Al was/is a renowned photographer and executive with PADI. I took the class in winter and was the only person who had never put on a wetsuit or dove before. Most were in the class just to get certified after years of diving. The only other female in the class was a 14 years old and her dad was a commercial diver. It was a great class and of course I learned a lot. We did shore dives at Veteran's Park and took the Westerly to Catalina for the final dives.

I still use my plastic card, it has held up. I don't have microfilm, it must have been before they started using it.

Captain Larry asked in this thread back in 2010 if Joe Stitch was still around. I saw Joe at the memorial service for Bob Meistrell a few years ago (or possibly it could have been at Bill Meistrall's service or both). I also saw Jim Ingram from the Westerly at one of the services, he was one of the best boat captains ever!

This has been a nostalgic thread for me to read, really enjoyed it.

 

[Sam Miller III]

Joe is alive and well as of a few years ago -- He is living in Florida and running the family RV park

Which memorial service did you attend for Billy? The family or his last wife's Lora Lee... What a mess!
sdm

 

[CathyCA]

Joe is alive and well as of a few years ago -- He is living in Florida and running the family RV park

Which memorial service did you attend for Billy? The family or his last wife's Lora Lee... What a mess!
sdm

Both of the services I went to for Bill and Bob were the family's at Seaside Lagoon.

 

[Sam Miller III]

I suspect my term was not quite appropriate -- there was some issues would have been better
Perhaps better to PM rather than being public
SDM

 

[Casey Carscadden]

New to Scubaboard, first post
First time certified by two knuckle head friends 1969- They said dive down 30 feet, drink a bottle of coke and eat a banana and we will certify you. After that nonsense - I was certified free as part of my California Lifegaurd training NASDS Basic diver 1971,San Diego State U classes NAUI Basic then Advanced Diver in 1974, PFI Instructor 2017
NASDS OWIC #456 by Tony Zimos & Dick Hammas - think it was summer of 1978? Dive shop was San Diego Divers supply Run by Murph & met John Gaffney many times.- I was dive master on the "Marijuana Express" 1980 true story.
Dive boats - Bottom Scratcher, Sand Dollar, Truth, Conception, Coral Sea many times
Certified over 600 divers 1978-1983
Commercial Diver SEA Enterprises 2 years, Life gaurd 6 summers
As a civilian I trained Navy Seals 4 times in 20 years 1977-1997 in water combat and CQB at Coronado Amphib Base San Diego 2 times, Belieze, Central America, Mare Island , San Francisco Bay/Delta.
Many stories to tell about all, fond memories of Tony Zimos, one time he threw me up against the wall during OWIC for questioning him in front of the class, another time we got completely hammered at a strip club the night before our class final, Another time Diving Sand Dollar (or was it Bottom Scratcher? - identical boats)Tony and Dick assigned students to single up all lines before leaving a dive sight - but one drop off bottle was left hanging off aft and got wrapped around the prop shaft which got bent bad, used one prop the rest of the trip.
Great times - Many stories over a lifetime diving Oceans, Lakes, Rivers, Deltas
Anyone else have more stories about Tony, Dick, Murph, John?

 

[afdgf]

:mooner:Hey out there I went through Bill Walters class in Whittier, Deep water at Horse Pastures near Huntington Beach, Ca zero visability, and I remember my buddy could only clear his ears by puking, sure did attract the fish.
I dove Cancun Mex and Red Sea Israel 2007 no boat needed walked intto 16 feet of cyrstal clear water and saw more species of fish.......this was my high point dive.

Im 56 now and am a liveaboard my 52 ft Cat

Safe diving to all
Jim

My brother and I were also certified at the Whittier shop which had a view area to see the pool underwater. This was 1967.

 

[PT4476]

Advanced open water with Dave Rennie in Ottawa, mid 70's. Card is long gone, no Idea of my cert number.

 

[annezimos]

Anyone else have more stories about Tony, Dick, Murph, John?

If anyone is interested in an update on Tony, Dick, Murph, Hardy - please reach out to me. Thanks - Anne Zimos