Has anyone met one of the diving greats such as Gary Gentile?
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I've met many of the "famous" names in diving, but while I remember them, the bigger question is Would they remember me? Sadly, I'll bet most would not. In no particular order:
Mike Nelson (aka LLoyd Bridges), Jacques & Jon Michael Cousteau, Wes Skiles, Hillary Viders, Stan Waterman, Richie Kohler, John Chatterton, Sheck Exley and Bernie Chowdhury. Not to mention the many gentlemen in Special Forces whose fame must be forever obscured.
Meeting these people doesn not make me special in any way, but meeting them have enriched my experiences. None of them were snobby in any way - just regular people who excel at what they do.
Safe Diving,
George
Mike Nelson (aka LLoyd Bridges), Jacques & Jon Michael Cousteau, Wes Skiles, Hillary Viders, Stan Waterman, Richie Kohler, John Chatterton, Sheck Exley and Bernie Chowdhury. Not to mention the many gentlemen in Special Forces whose fame must be forever obscured.
Meeting these people doesn not make me special in any way, but meeting them have enriched my experiences. None of them were snobby in any way - just regular people who excel at what they do.
Safe Diving,
George
NOVIZWHIZ
Contributor
what was so cool about my meeting Rodney Fox, I read the story "Attacked by a Killer Shark" about Fox's attack in Reader's Digest 1963.....I was 10 years old at the time. It was absolutely the most awesome thing I'd ever read...I'd always wanted to be a diver and for some reason that story made me want to dive even more...I kept that issue for a long time - might STILL have it around here somewhere. Then he did a National Geo video on sharks - "The Fox and the Sharks" and one segment he dove with a friend / dive partner of mine from here in Beaufort diving for meg teeth. I saw the video later and was like "DA-YUM! That's Rodney Fox!" my friend was like - that's me and I'm like yeah but THAT'S RODNEY FOX!!!!
OldNSalty
Contributor
You met Cousteau?!? Can you share anything about that. I ma not one who is impressed with 'famous people' normally but he was definately on my list of people I would like to have lunch with...to bad it will never happen now (not that the probability was much greater then zero when he was alive)
I heard a comedian once say that he ran into him in Paris and he was very rude but then again, that was part of his act...
DennisS
Contributor
I dove with the Cousteau team off of Bimini in the early 70's. Phillipe had the team there to film the lobster migration. They came by PBY, Jacques wasnt with them. We were in the marine tech program at Miami Dade supporting them and Bill Hernkind's lobster study. Rick Frehsee was shooting for Nat'l Geographic and our instructor.
I don't remember the show/seminar but I stood next to Jacques at a urinal. Neither one of us said anything.
Drank really crappy wine with the crew aboard the Calypso when it was in Norfolk for repairs.
I don't remember the show/seminar but I stood next to Jacques at a urinal. Neither one of us said anything.
Drank really crappy wine with the crew aboard the Calypso when it was in Norfolk for repairs.
Hey Dave, that's not fair... I'm a legend, but only in my own mind! The only reason people remember diving with me is because of the incredible silt trail I kick up... I have good, sturdy German legs and never mastered the frog kick!
I've worked on and off with Jean Michel Cousteau since the mid 70's and helped get him a land-based site here on the island to run a series of programs at. I consulted for him and his father when they produced the two hour special on the Channel Islands as part of "Cousteau's Rediscovery of the World" series on TBS in the mid-80s, receiving credits in the film. JMC certainly knows me after all this time. Because of that he mostly tries to avoid me. In the early Cousteau programs Dr. Sylvia Earle was a fellow lecturer and staffer. She was also a member of the board of the small private school I taught marine biology at in the 1970's. Dr. Richard C. Murphy, former V.P. for Science and Education at the Cousteau Society is a long-time friend as is Pam Stacey who wrote many of the scripts for their TV documentaries and books.
I've dived as Wyland's buddy (at his request, go figure) so he could film giant sea bass off our coast. He saw a 14' great white shark swim close by on our dive, but I was unaware of it until we returned to the boat.
I've dived with Guy Harvey during the filming of his "Portraits of the Deep" episode on the great whites at Guadalupe. We were both guests on a small scientific research trip to Guadalupe Island. He filmed in one cage and I filmed in the other. I was especially pleased when he used a lot of my footage in his show.
I agree with George that meeting or knowing these people in no way makes ME famous. However, I do feel I have been fortunate in doing so and I relish the long-term friendships with some of them.
This post was from 2001? I wonder why I didn't post earlier???
PS DennisS... you drank really crappy wine on Calypso? You should have been on Alcyone. I expected fine
French wines and croissants but instead they had fine California wines and powdered sugar donuts!
I've worked on and off with Jean Michel Cousteau since the mid 70's and helped get him a land-based site here on the island to run a series of programs at. I consulted for him and his father when they produced the two hour special on the Channel Islands as part of "Cousteau's Rediscovery of the World" series on TBS in the mid-80s, receiving credits in the film. JMC certainly knows me after all this time. Because of that he mostly tries to avoid me. In the early Cousteau programs Dr. Sylvia Earle was a fellow lecturer and staffer. She was also a member of the board of the small private school I taught marine biology at in the 1970's. Dr. Richard C. Murphy, former V.P. for Science and Education at the Cousteau Society is a long-time friend as is Pam Stacey who wrote many of the scripts for their TV documentaries and books.
I've dived as Wyland's buddy (at his request, go figure) so he could film giant sea bass off our coast. He saw a 14' great white shark swim close by on our dive, but I was unaware of it until we returned to the boat.
I've dived with Guy Harvey during the filming of his "Portraits of the Deep" episode on the great whites at Guadalupe. We were both guests on a small scientific research trip to Guadalupe Island. He filmed in one cage and I filmed in the other. I was especially pleased when he used a lot of my footage in his show.
I agree with George that meeting or knowing these people in no way makes ME famous. However, I do feel I have been fortunate in doing so and I relish the long-term friendships with some of them.
This post was from 2001? I wonder why I didn't post earlier???
PS DennisS... you drank really crappy wine on Calypso? You should have been on Alcyone. I expected fine
French wines and croissants but instead they had fine California wines and powdered sugar donuts!
OldNSalty
Contributor
I did meet Guy Harvey-I just didn't think of him as famous but I suppose he is. I use to run a sporting goods company and he came in to sign stuff. He was very nice and interesting to talk to but I am certain he forgot my name 5 minutes after being introduced.
Great to see that MCPO Carl Brashear is remembered by our community. I had the honor of meeting him, as his son was a member of my National Guard unit. He was truly a great man.
Here's a link to a tribute that we published upon his death.
A Tribute to Master Chief Boatswain’s Mate Carl Brashear
Here's a link to a tribute that we published upon his death.
A Tribute to Master Chief Boatswain’s Mate Carl Brashear
Buoyant1
Contributor
I met NetDoc, Muggsy and HowardE at BTS this past year! heh heh heh!
I also talked to Richie Kohler at BTS LAST year for a few minutes.
I also talked to Richie Kohler at BTS LAST year for a few minutes.
What a lot of people don't know is that Guy is not "just" an artist, but an avid diver and a marine biologist with a PhD. He has his "Portraits from the Deep" TV show and also is involved in a number of scientific investigations, especially relating to billfish.
Of course we scientists don't get the celebrity status that cave and deep wreck divers do. Good thing or I'd have to start fending off all those lovely groupies (or was it groupers in my case?).
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