Power Scuba: What's our angle in all this?

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Power Scuba

Supreme Benchwarmer
ScubaBoard Supporter
Scuba Instructor
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566
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Location
San Diego
For every scuba org/club/group I've ever belonged to there is always the attendant thought: What's their angle? What are they trying to accomplish? Are they upfront about the money they take in (and what they do with it)?

Regarding myself and this fast growing scuba group, the answer is simple: I want the divers in San Diego (and beyond) to stay in the sport. As an instructor I see far too many people get certified and then never dive again... or not dive for years after their cert course and think they can jump right back in the water safely.

That saddens (and sometimes scares) me.

I tend to dive a lot, so I thought, "Why not create this group and help bring people together? I'm going out diving ANYway!". I enjoy diving and I enjoy being around people. I'm kinda social, love parties and happy hours, love the ocean... and love keeping people in the sport. I have no ulterior motives.

I wanted to make a pure, no-profit group. (The IRS approved us for 501(c)(3) non-profit status in Oct 2012.) Thus, TRUE COST SAVINGS could be realized by our members.

You'll hear me voice support (on behalf of the group and myself) for environmental issues as well as eco-minded, ocean-focused, non-profit orgs like the SD Oceans Foundation, Coastkeeper, and Surfrider from time to time... without getting preachy. I hope you'll consider lending them your direct support. The fish populations locally are a small percentage of what they were just 25 years ago when I first started diving (as an 8 year old!) and I'd dearly like to see something done about that as well as see more people speak out about it.

In very plain language: There is strength in numbers. If I can guarantee to a boat that I can fill her up each and every time, what do you think their tendency will be regarding giving us amazing prices? Indeed. We currently (as of this writing) have 1,500+ members and are growing fast. Think of us as a CO-OP (co-operative). CO-OPs get great deals based on their numbers. So can we. That is one of my goals for this group.


This is my pledge to you (along with my full disclosure):

I will not profit from this Group monetarily nor will I hawk/shill/roust for any commercial operation. I am a part-time scuba instructor. This Group is entirely separate from my work teaching scuba and I will never cross the line into conflict-of-interest territory... in other words I will not actively use this group to get students.

Anyone who wishes to is most welcome to talk to me about my motives and goals for this group anytime at all. I again welcome you all to this group and hope to see you on a dive soon.

Bill Powers





As some of you have yet to meet me, I wanted to include a short bit about me:

Bill in Yanks Cap.jpg


I've lived in San Diego nearly all my adult life (though I was born and raised in New York). I came here with the Navy in 1980 and decided there weren't many better places to live. I've been involved in the defense industry since 1993 and currently work as a logisitcs engineer for a large corporation in Carmel Mountain Ranch (North San Diego county).

I was certified to dive in 1984 in the Philipines and have been an oceans advocate (to one degree or another) ever since. I became a shark divemaster for a dive store on Catalina in 1996 (part time) for a short while and became a scuba instructor in 2004. I taught dive lessons for the single largest scuba shop in Southern California until August of 2009 when I became an independent instructor. Currently I teach under the moniker, Bill Powers Scuba Lessons (found on Meetup.com).

I have, at one time or another, been a:

o Co-chairman for the American Cancer Society Relay For Life program
o Vice-Project Lead for San Diego Ships 2 Reefs
o Public Affairs Officer with Naval Coastal Warfare Group 1
o Wildfire volunteer for Volunteer San Diego
o Emergency First Response Instructor
o Team lead for various engineering projects with past companies
 

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