About Us
"Ain't no egos, no egos under water."
Col. Bruce Hampton
Born and raised east of the Mississippi, I was certified to dive in California more than twenty years ago. Since then I have earned a B.S. in Conservation Biology and made my way as a USFS Wilderness Ranger, and a Veterinary Technician. I have worked in the scuba industry for over a decade as a divemaster, instructor, equipment technician, and even subsurface boat hull technician for operations in Oregon, Arizona, and most recently, California. It was there that I found a top-notch mentor in Glynn Palmer. In a cosmic alignment of shared subject interest, attention to detail and overall work ethic, and mutual respect for taste in music, Glynn was able to help me disassemble my understanding of diving and reassemble it from a technician's perspective.
Scuba is a small world, and I have been very fortunate in the colleagues I have been able to find and learn from. When I look back on my path, those outstanding individuals form a chain that has linked me to my present, like a line in a cave. It went like this;
Jeff Powelson of Aquatic Sports, who helped me disassemble-reassemble my first regulator and gave me my first job in a dive shop, where I met...
...Adrian Knight, who taught me early on in my diving career that experience in this business should promote caution and not arrogance, a philosophy I embrace, so I decided to move someplace warmer to "go pro" and found...
...Sean Kiesell, my first pro-level certification instructor, with whom I have thoroughly enjoyed working/teaching/diving/friending all these years, from the low-viz murk of Lake Pleasant and Lake Mojave, to the gin-clear waters of the Bahamas, to the rock and roll of Wreck Alley and Catalina off the California coast, which is where I was certified as an Instructor and met...
...Achilleas Yerou, who was earning his Instructor certification at the same time and seemed super-cool, a theory I was later able to verify as fact after moving to Los Angeles and finding Achilleas instructing for Malibu Divers where he helped me catch on as an Instructor and I met...
...Matteo Indelicato, also known as the Singing Instructor, Merger of hearts and minds, and my personal lobster hunting BFF, who knows most everyone that's anyone in SoCal, and so he did me a solid and mentioned my name to...
...the Legendary Mr. Palmer, and the rest is a montage of hoses, chrome, and oddly-shaped tools I can't believe I recognize, set to the music of The Who's Live At Leeds (or Eye of the Tiger if that was "the who?").
And who encouraged me to interview at a dive shop in the first place, and embark upon a new career in a glamorous, unlucrative field that offers physical danger and niche employment opportunities despite having a full-time job to maintain, herself, and two small children to care for together?
This wonderful woman! Kaitlin is the yin to my yang, my Missing Piece (Oh, we roll!), and just about the coolest person I know (lucky me!). You may get to speak with her as she helps me with administrative stuff I would generally suck at or loose track of while I keep straight what port plugs take which O-rings, etc., so you guys get gear that works as it should. She handles projects for larger companies that dwarf my operation so she helps me for "fun", but she also surfs travel porn like a 16-yr old John Muir and plans trips for my students and clients as well as our friends and family. If you are looking to travel, be it diving, non-, or somewhere in the middle, Kaitlin would be happy to consult with you.
Kaitlin also nurtures two beautiful children I get to take credit for, too, as well as our two Siberian Huskies and the newest PNW Hoffman, Everest the Maine Coon. Many talents, blessings, and good vibes flow from this hip, hip lady. Respect!
