Ken Kurtis
Contributor
Chamber Day 2025, Roy Hauser, & more
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'Twas the Sunday before Chamber Day and all through the house . . .(please scroll down for details)
PLENTY OF STIRRING GOING ON - None of that "not a creature was stirring" stuff in this household. As I'm sure you can understand, given that this is Chamber Day HQ and the event is a mere three days away, the pace of activity around my place picks up as we've got final mailings to do, signs to print up, DM instructions to give out, and all kinds of stuff relating to both Chamber Day as well as Chamber Eve, not to mention the Flying Dutchman and the Chamber Challenge. But it's all for a good cause which is keeping our Catalina Hyperbaric Chamber going. If you haven't pitched in yet, there's still time. Just go to www.chamberday.org, hit SIGN UP NOW at the bottom of the page, and off you go!!!
WEATHER IS LOOKING GOOD FOR WEDNESDAY - This little storm system (that actually brought some rain over the weekend) will be gone and its shaping up to be a really nice day. Highs in the upper 60s to low 70s, mostly sunny through the day, and then a pleasant evening to cap it all off. Those of you diving on Chamber Day should have a pleasant ride over to Catalina, and those of you joining us for Chamber Eve should have a pleasant drive to Long Beach.
MIXED - I'm sure you understand putting on this event is a LOT of work but it's also very gratifying to see our entire local industry come together for the greater good. Chamber Day is the largest singe-day scuba charity event in the United States. It involves about 1,000 people when we count those of you who participate, those of us who volunteer our time, as well as the boat crews, Chamber volunteers, and Aquarium staff. It takes a lot to make it all work but the payoff is a safer diving community overall and that makes it all worthwhile.
IN MEMORIAM - One of the aspects we added to Chamber Eve a few years ago is an "In Memoriam" segment, like they do at the Oscars, acknowledging divers no longer with us. While putting it together this year, I got a call from Glen Fritzler letting me know that Roy Hauser, who founded Truth Aquatics and was a pioneer in California-style liveaboard diving, passed away in March, just shy of his 80th birthday. We'll feature Roy on Wednesday night but Glen also wrote a eulogy/obituary for Roy and since we won't be able to read it at Chamber Eve due to time constraints, with Glen's permission, I'd like to share it with you here:
Roy Hauser was born on March 20, 1945, and was just two weeks shy of his 80th birthday when he died on March 10. Roy began his career with dive boats in 1956, obtained his captain’s license in 1966 and quickly became a well-known name around the San Pedro dive boat fleet.
In 1970, Roy and two partners purchased the 57-foot Truth charter fishing boat and transformed it into one of the premier dive boats of its time. But in 1973, Roy decided to go out on his own and build a new Truth, a larger, more comfortable boat at 65 feet in length. Innovations on this boat made it the flagship of the California dive boat fleet.
Another tragedy struck in 1977 when Roy suffered a severe case of the bends, which left him in a wheelchair for the rest of his life. Despite this, his “never give up” attitude was what he was most known for. He taught countless people the importance of perseverance, inspiring them through his own strength and determination.
In 1980 Roy formed a partnership with Glen Fritzler and built the 75-foot Conception. This boat became a cornerstone of Truth Aquatics, symbolizing the duo’s dedication to excellence in the diving world. As business boomed in the 1980’s, the Vision was added to the fleet, offering more creature comforts and becoming a hit for extended trips.
Roy retired from diving in 1998 but continued to work hard around his home, enjoying the company of friends in Santa Barbara. His dedication to his community and the love for the ocean remained a central part of his life. Roy’s legacy of resilience and innovation will forever remain a beacon in the dive community.
And that'll do it for now. Have a great week, hope to see you Wednesday, and let's go diving soon!!!
- Ken
