The Program Director for the Catalina Hyperbaric Chamber will be recognized during the Saturday Night Casino Party
The California Scuba Service Award was established in 1989 by Saint Brendan Corp. (parent company of California Diving News and the SCUBA Show) to recognize those who have made significant and long lasting contributions to the California diving community. The recipient of the 2008 California Scuba Service Award is Karl Huggins, PhD, Program Director of the Catalina Hyperbaric Chamber.
Karl has been diving since 1977 and a NAUI Instructor since 1980. He is noted for his work in decompression theory and models, which resulted in the Michigan Sea Grant (HUGI) dive tables. One of his most significant contributions to the diving community is as co-inventor of the EDGE dive computer, one of the first commercially viable dive computers.
Since 1992 Karl has served at the USC Wrigley Science Center on Catalina Island as Program Director of the Catalina Hyperbaric Center. Largely under his direction, this facility has become one of the highest regarded hyperbaric chambers in the world and a leader in research and education of hyperbaric medical and emergency response specialists. Karl is the recipient of the 1990 Leonard Greenstone Diving Safety Award and the DAN/Rolex Diver of the year for 1993.
The CSSA is awarded during the social highlight of the SCUBA Show, the Casino Night benefit party. The party is held at Captain Morgan’s bar at 6pm on Saturday night the weekend of the SCUBA Show. This year the party will benefit the California Ships to Reefs (
Old Browser) program seeking to enhance the California underwater environment with the placement of surplus warships on the ocean floor as artificial reefs up and down the California coast.
Participants will “gamble” the night away playing Black Jack, Roulette and Craps. A very popular event is the Texas Hold-up tournament. At the end of the evening participants will “cash out” their chips for raffle tickets for a drawing for thousands of dollars in prizes. Also during the evening is a Silent Auction for thousands of dollars in dive gear and more.
The SCUBA Show is June 21st & 22nd at the Long Beach Convention Center. To learn more visit
SCUBA Show 2008 - June 21st & 22nd @ The Long Beach Convention Center
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