GTMO Puts the Cuba in Scuba!

GUANTANAMO BAY, Cuba (May 16, 2008)-The hurricane season comes and goes. Joint Task Force personnel swap out with their replacements. Carbs are in. The temperature starts getting into the mid-90s everyday. A Taco Bell opens. It drops back down to the mid-80s everyday. A Christmas is celebrated in a Hawaiian shirt. Another season of “American Idol” goes by. Turkey vulture is served for Thanksgiving as a terrible joke. Certain members of “the Rolling Stones” are still inexplicably alive. Carbs are out.

If life teaches nothing else, it’s that some things change and some things stay the same.

The tenuous political situation of being stationed on U.S. Naval Station Guantanamo Bay means facing challenges that change week by week.
On the other hand, the water’s kinda nice.“At any given time of the year the water temperature’s between 80 and 84 degrees Fahrenheit,” said Dana Swope, Professional Association of Diving Instructors certified master scuba diver trainer. “It’s always a good time to go diving.”

Gitmo’s Morale, Welfare and Recreation office offers a wide range of scuba opportunities for residents, from beginners all the way to those looking to get their master diver qualification. It all starts at the Ocean Enterprises dive shop.“This is the hub,” said Bill Keenan, PADI instructor. “You can get everything you need here, from equipment to instructors.”

Experienced residents advise that prospective scuba divers begin by exploring the snorkel sites around Gitmo. Jesse Keenan, dive shop manager, suggests coming in and talking to the staff before making any purchases or decisions.“There are tons of options,” said Ms. Keenan. “Before you start scuba diving you need to get your boots, fins, mask and snorkel. You don’t have to get the best-of-the-best. It can run from 150 dollars to 300 dollars, so we can work with you to figure out what’s good for you. ”

Upgrading from snorkeling to scuba is a simple process. MWR offers the PADI open water certification course for $240. OWC is the basic qualification and allows divers to descend to 60 ft. “Open water is the basis for safe diving,” said Mr. Keenan. “After that you can move right onto the advanced or adventure class.”

The advanced open water diver class, also known as the adventure diver class, is available for $153. Consisting of five specialty dives, advanced open water will allow divers to descend to 100 ft., navigate and perform night dives. It is also an excellent first step to adding specialties to dive resumes, such as digital underwater photography, equipment specialist and dive propulsion vehicle operator, among others.

Advanced divers can continue to become rescue divers and master divers. However, the fundamental reason Gitmo residents are learning to dive is the same reason the instructors teach: diving’s fun.“Even though I do make some money from teaching, it’s very little compared to how much time I put in,” said Swope. “I love to share and it thrills me to see the faces of my students when they come out of the water after seeing their first manta ray, touching a sea turtle or seeing a moray eel. I cannot count how many people who, after their first dive, say ‘Why did I wait so long to do this?’”

To purchase equipment, start a dive program, find a list of instructors or to learn more, contact the dive shop at 75336.

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Above: Sarah Cleveland, Kazuaki Sugiyama and Paul Hurlburtt prepare to enter “the Slot,” a dive site off the coast of U.S. Naval Station Guantanamo Bay, Cuba.

Guantanamo Bay has an extensive dive program, offering certifications ranging from open water diver to master diver. JTF Guantanamo conducts safe and humane care and custody of detained enemy combatants. The JTF conducts interrogation operations to collect strategic intelligence in support of the Global War on Terror and supports law enforcement and war crimes investigations. JTF Guantanamo is committed to the safety and security of American service members and civilians working inside its detention facilities. Photo by Navy Petty Officer 2nd Class Nat Moger.

ScubaMagazine.net thanks each and every past present & future member of our military for their dedication, service, sacrifice and patriotism.