Roll call: Any old NASDS divers out there?

[tech3324]

Certified NASDS Z8682, May 1974, Burbank, CA. Can't remember the name of the shop but instructor was Masa Watanabi.

 

[drjtprice]

OK, brand new to this forum and using my first post to resurrect a 9 year old thread. Don't ya just love guys like me?

First Certified NASDS by Greg Ballard of Scuba Sciences in PHX (others there Paul Wagonseller, Dan Walsh, Steve Nisky & Dan Bollander)
Attended the NASDS Instructors college in 79 or 80: Instructors were Tony Zimos, Richard "Dick" Hammas and I think Tom Wilson. My number...OWIC 426
Worked at Scuba Sciences, Phx and Tempe; San Diego Divers, La Jolla store only; Aloha Dive Shop, Honolulu; North Country Scuba, Laconia NH

Haven't dove for a while and lost ALL my dive stuff (equipment, C cards, log books...) in a house fire in 2006. Only thing left of my at pac was a mound of reformed lead shot.

I read this thread front to back and really enjoyed all the stories of Tony Z, San Diego Divers, Kevin Murphy, John Gaffney. Thanks for those great memories. Anyone remember diving off the Bottom Scratcher and Sand Dollar dive boats (San Diego) owned by Bill Johnston?

Thanks again for the stroll down memory lane.

Hi Tim, I remember you (and your car back then!). I was certified open water with Greg Ballard, then Paul Wagenseller for Advanced Open Water and Dive Coordinator. Dan Walsh went on the skipper the Bottom Scratcher and made great homemade pizzas. I remember those two boats well, as well as their advanced water balloon launcher....

I stopped diving for a while but dove last two weeks ago. Still, since SSI is not replacing cards I think I will take a Nitrox course next time I am in Australia, or go ahead and do 5-6 adventure courses and apply for Master Diver - I assume my Dive Coordinator would be 'equivalent' for rescue diver (I actually was in the same class with Bob Eul and taught all of them their lifesaving skills).

 

[drjtprice]

Wow...sure fun to read through the previous posts. Certified 1989 through Scuba Sciences with Bob Eul.

Was in the same Dive Coordinator class with Bob Eul and worked several dives with him.

 

[coralcruiser]

I certified through Bob Eul

 

[Rred]

My original C-card (which I use to scare the help at dive shops and boats) looks a lot like the "regimental condom" if you know that old joke. Cracked, faded, no mention of any "rating" on it because the old c-card meant "Just shut up and fill the man's tank, the rest is on him."

And either because it was NASDS (and they encouraged practices like panic screening) or because it was a university gym course, we got taug

 

[Sam Miller III]

Certified NASDS Z8682, May 1974, Burbank, CA. Can't remember the name of the shop but instructor was Masa Watanabi
.

~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~
Masa and I were friends fist via LA County Underwater Instructors association, and later via NASDS.

I never visited his shop but recall in the dust of my memory that it was "Aloha Dive Center" or possibly "Aloha Underwater sports shop"

As I recall he purchased the shop from "Bob Belknap" an early LA County UW Instructor.

I certainly enjoyed Masa and his infectious smile

SDM

 

[tech3324]

I never visited his shop but recall in the dust of my memory that it was "Aloha Dive Center" or possibly "Aloha Underwater sports shop"

Yes! That was it, Aloha Dive Center. I don't know this for sure, but I heard that Masa had died in a diving accident in Hawaii.

 

[Sam Miller III]

Masa Passed way years ago --possibly 20 or more years ago.

"As I recall " It was a disease process - Cancer --but tooo many years has passed to be certain
SDM

 

[sleach]

What fun reading all this, it does take you back. I got certified in 1969 at a NASDS dive store in the San Fernando Valley.

I heard about the fire and record loss, but if I remember correctly I think we go an LA County certification also. It seems like the card was pink. Does anyone have any information on that or remember anything like that. I wonder if there are any records available through LA County.

It was Luke, Dave, Mike, and I. We did the open water dive on the back side of Catelina and it was really cold, for the first minute or two anyway. I think we did it in January.

Also, I remember the plastic card was a new thing and I think it cost $5 or $10 extra which was a lot for a 16 year old kid. I only got the paper card they initially issued.

 

[Rred]

In 72 we received embossed plastic cards, no idea if there were any options. A few years later when I wanted to replace it (badly cracked) they had gone to the plastic cards with a microfiche insert and wanted something like $45 for them. (Don't recall the details, just the sticker shock.)

The 1972 cards had no indication other than "certified". No OW/AOW/ other conditions on them.