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Tigerbeach
07-25-2007, 07:23 AM
Hi everyone; I am Anthony.
Boy, this takes me back to great and wild days as a Scuba Instructor!
I was in the water 6-7 days a week, for years.
I wouldn't shower on my days off just so I wouldn't have to get wet.

I grew up in Laguna Beach, in So Cal. I grew up surfing, diving, and sailing.
I went to Pepperdine and studied Business.
After college, I started training to teach, then became the Head Dive Instructor teaching surf entries to students at Laguna Sea Sports in Laguna Beach. A few years later I was on Oahu and began my own company, the Owner / Operator of Aloha Dive in Hawaii Kai.
We were crazy! On days off my safety divers and I:
Did everything you have ever heard of, and then some.
Drank beer underwater. Smoked pot underwater. Dove 240' deep on air. Snorkeled over a mile in full dive gear. Free dove 100'. Blew perfect air rings. Found rare sea shells. Hid from big sharks. Breathed straight off the tank valve. Took our tanks off, and pushed them ahead of us through tight cave openings. Ran into big whales. Dove wrecks. Messed with ALL sea life. (Like filling puffer fish with compressed air) Got laid underwater. Laughed off thousands and thousands of pounds of pressure, etc.

During work we pushed ourselves relentlessly. NO accidents. Ever.
We didn't lose dive gear. Ever.
We trained ourselves and conditioned ourselves constantly.
We used UDT fins, only.
I had 5000 dives in 6 years. I spent about a month each year underwater.
I taught hundreds and hundreds of students.

We taught our students self reliance, common sense, and unbeatable swimming skills like neutral buoyancy and body positioning. Even back in the '80's, people in the industry thought we were nuts. They just wanted to certify everyone and their Grandma and then sell 'em a bunch of gear.
I didn't care about that; I wanted people to learn to play safely.
And have half as much fun as I did!

I trained at the following establishments:

- Naui College. San Juan Capistrano, Ca 1981 Naui # 8319 (With Jim Hicks)
- US Coast Guard Captains license course, Oahu, Hi 1984
- PADI crossover course. PADI Collage Santa Ana, Ca 1985
- Taught 5 Specialty courses (Wreck, Photography, Deep, Search and Recovery, Night)
- Master Scuba Diver Trainer, IDC Staff Instructor,
Emergency First Response Instructor
- Master Instructor Training, Course Director training. 1987

I moved back to California a few years later and got a land job.
I am coming up on 20 years after teaching! I still have my UDT's!
(contact Greg for some real fins! parsimony@earthlink.net)
What an amazing swim I had!
ASW

Zero
07-25-2007, 09:33 AM
G'day and welcome aboard.

Matt

acelockco
07-25-2007, 01:47 PM
Sounds like a most impressive resume'

Now if you are willing to train 2 new DM's that are very serious about diving, you could have 2 great employees at that dive shop of yours if it is still active.

Anyway welcome to our forum. I see you have already jumped right in which is great. If you need anything give a shout.

Ace

Carp_dm
07-25-2007, 02:13 PM
Welcome! When did you find time to sleep?

Sarah
07-25-2007, 02:36 PM
Welcome Anthony!

lottie
07-25-2007, 03:21 PM
Hey Anthony, welcome aboard.

Tigerbeach
07-26-2007, 12:59 AM
Thanks for the warm welcome!

Ace, I am in Real Estate development, in Branson Missouri.
I left So Cal to ride the wave that is beginning out here.
I'll do this, then retire in 9 years back to Newport Beach.
I'll still dive for fun, on vacation, but don't plan to become professional again.
It is beautiful out here; my 11 year old and I are enjoying our transition.
All the best,
ASW

acelockco
07-26-2007, 01:24 AM
I am glad you are enjoying what you are doing now. I am sure there is a LOT more $$$ in real estate than diving, but then again I am sure money was not the most important thing at that time.

Now the big question, is your 11 yr old going to be your new dive buddy when he/she becomes 12? I am sure 12 is still the minimum age for dive training.

Ace

fooddude
07-26-2007, 05:45 PM
Anthony,

Welcome abord. I'm sure you have some great stories that you will share (next Hemmingway, perhaps?)

I look forward to your experience.

Tigerbeach
07-28-2007, 04:20 AM
BTW, My kidlet is a little fish; I took her to the beach every summer of her life.
Plus swim classes, surf lessons, snorkeling, and boogie boarding.
Of course she and I will dive together!

("Yay!" She says; she is in my lap watching...);)

Papa Bear
08-24-2007, 02:13 AM
Hi TB I am Papa Bear and I have been wet all my life and going down sense 1972. This is a twelve step program and I am still on step 9! I have known of my addiction for years and even though I can't stop taking it up my nose I get by with a little help from my Buddies. No matter how I try I can't shake it! I know you have been here, but it looks as though you have it under control. I have a hundred bottle a year or more habit. Sometimes I find myself exhausted after a 25 bottle run with my ears ringing and my blood on the verge of boiling! I am finding it harder and harder to live on land between fixes. This habit is expensive and takes me way from my family and forces me to have friends who are hooked to some extent or another. I know that I will be an Aquaholic for the rest of my life and all I need is more Buddies and to see that I get what I need! You are just the type of person that I need to associate with:eek: