Who knew he or she was a diver?

[Johnoly]

Nascar's Jeff Gordon, & Jimmy Johnson.

Half the Hedrick's team scuba dives !

 

[ibj40]

Nascar's Jeff Gordon, & Jimmy Johnson.

Half the Hedrick's team scuba dives !

As does retired Nascar driver Tony Stewart.

 

[tridacna]

I have it on good authority that Kim Jong-un has dived to over 500 feet on a half-filled Al 80 and successfully wrestled a wild Orca while doing so. This was on his first check out dive. On his second dive in Boesmansgat he dropped to 1000 feet on a single Nitrox tank while fishing for a rare freshwater sardine.

 

[Kimela]

I went searching for celebrity divers and found this old(er) thread. What fun! We were on a boat once with Judge Alex and his son. Nice guys - good divers. That's the biggest celebrity we've run into diving.

 

[Steve_C]

Not sure who it was but the most impressive dive boat I have seen was in Baltimore harbor. Was walking along the dock and saw a medium sized freighter at the end of a pier. Door open in the side and a couple of crew sitting there. As I walked over, before I got close, I noticed a 30 ft boat and other big boy toys on top. Chatted with the crew. It was a private boat for diving and fishing. They would get the call to go to X somewhere in the world. At X the owner and party would helicopter in and use it for his base of operations.

 

[electric_diver]

Actor Dennis Haysbert dove Bikini Atoll in 2004 according to this:
Bikini Dive/Tourism Information

Scroll down to see a picture

 

[tridacna]

Not sure who it was but the most impressive dive boat I have seen was in Baltimore harbor. Was walking along the dock and saw a medium sized freighter at the end of a pier. Door open in the side and a couple of crew sitting there. As I walked over, before I got close, I noticed a 30 ft boat and other big boy toys on top. Chatted with the crew. It was a private boat for diving and fishing. They would get the call to go to X somewhere in the world. At X the owner and party would helicopter in and use it for his base of operations.

I was given a tour of a super yacht last year. Forget the 4 decks, countless watercraft, 40 foot tender and umpteen bedrooms and extras.

It had a hydraulic dive platform that dropped down to 15 feet so you could do your SS while seated. Naturally. Then your dive buddy (ex Nay Seal) would push a button and the platform would rise to deck level. The 4 ex-Seals were FTEs. Boat had a nitrox membrane compressor.

 

[Wingy]

EARHART, Amelia

Amelia did it first.

 

[BDinSH]

I was listing to a podcast on a long drive last night. Actually, I listened to like 30. But one thing that stuck out to me from one of them was this quote:

"'Castro was an avid scuba diver...' One of the ideas was to put a colorful seashell on the seabed. 'And the shell would be so beautiful that Castro would feel compelled to pick it up and look at it, and then it would blow up and kill him.'"

I heard this listening to PRI's The World. Here is a link to the transcript: A secret sonic weapon in Havana? Scientists say 'no way.'

I don't know if it's true, nor do I want to initiate a debate on American Cuban policy. However, I did find it interesting that Castro was an avid diver. It made me wonder what other famous/infamous people not normally associated with diving are also divers.

I'm sure some of the many dive pros on SB must have taught or led some famous/infamous people on a dive or have some interesting stories. Who else have you encountered diving? Who has some interesting yarns to share? Who met a star before that person was famous? What were they like?

This maybe as bit off OP's intent.
I read somewhere to be eligible the President of Palau has to be a scuba diver, and scuba diving is now a requirement in high school curriculum. Anyone know if it is true?

 

[Wingy]

I've been told the Sultan of Ternate is a Diver, have no reason to doubt the source.