Best gift ever!!! That’s how I describe my wife, Susan, and daughters, Shayna and Cara, birthday present of Scuba lessons. I received my Open Water certification in Jamaica in 2002. The next year I earned my Advanced in Hawaii. I didn’t have a dive buddy so I had to rely on group dives. It took 5 years to log 50 dives. By that time, I had moved to Haverhill where I took a job as a Limo driver. One day I was in my sedan where I happened to catch a glimpse of a Dive Flag in my rearview mirror. Later I backtracked to make a true discovery. Discover Diving of Atkinson, New Hampshire. Their weekend fun dives and some travel allowed me to log dive #100 in just one year.
Another highlight of my diving were trips to the Mayan Riviera. First, we went to Cancun. Besides diving we did some excursions. All of them went an hour south thru the area of Playa del Carmen. In Cancun we won a week’s stay there. It was the first of four trips between 2007 and 2015 to some great diving. In 2013 I logged #150 in Playa del Carmen.
I also discovered the Isle of Cozumel. I took the Ferry from Playa to Cozumel each time. I enjoyed that so much that in 2009 we stayed for a week in Cozumel. My wife is not a diver so I limited my trips to three, two tank boat dives. My favorite sites were the Palancar reefs. We didn’t return to Cozumel for a week until 2017.
From 2013 to 2019 diving was scant, an average of only 25 dives per season. Still without a regular dive buddy, my wife encouraged me to look for a diver group. In the fall of 2019, I discovered Metro West. I joined the club the following February. In 2020 besides diving with the club, I met my “Sunday” buddies thru the Dive Society sponsored by Underseas Diving of Danvers. I have been able to give my passion for diving the time it deserves. In Aug of 2021, Steve Bigelow brought me to Cathedral Rock (for the first and last time) to log dive #350. In 2022 I went diving 29 times.
In 2023, I went to Cozumel, by myself, with the Diver’s Den Shop of New Hampshire. I logged 17 boat dives and 1 night shore dive in 6 days. In September, with 6 other club members, I hit a milestone, at my favorite spot Nubble Light. Dive #500! I completed the season with 47 club dives. My goal for 2024 was 50 dives, which I accomplished with 56. It is our club that made this possible.
In 2025, Susan and I went back to Jamaica. We would be there at the end of February and beginning of March. I saw an opportunity to dive in every month of 2025. However, as a wetsuit diver, January first conditions did not cooperate. April’s weather was not much better so my first dive was May 5th. I couldn’t dive most of July due to some medical issues. I’m very close to #600 dive which I hope to log soon at Nubble Light.
We are planning to go to Punta Cana in the DR in February/March of 2026. So it's another chance for diving in every month of the year. I hope Mother Nature will cooperate.
Please join us for the MetroWest Dive Club's General Meeting for the presentation.
Also check out other Meetups in Natick.
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