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ScubaLawyer
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1982 Dive Trips I ran

Fri Jul 26, 2019 8:57 pm

Just came across a brochure I did for dive trips I was running back in 1982. Not exactly politically correct commentary but I had fun. Thought I'd share. All photos taken by me.

Mark

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"The diver who collects specimens of underwater life has fun and becomes a keen underwater observer. .. seek slow-moving or attached organisms such as corals, starfish, or shelled creatures." (Golden Guide to Scuba Diving, 1968) :D

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luis
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Re: 1982 Dive Trips I ran

Fri Jul 26, 2019 10:36 pm

Wow, that is interesting.

You even offered smoking rooms... :lol:


I notice that "backpacks" were included. I forgot that it wasn't easy to travel with the metal band.


Thanks for sharing that brochure.
Luis

Buceador con escafandra autónoma clásica.

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ScubaLawyer
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Re: 1982 Dive Trips I ran

Sat Jul 27, 2019 1:00 am

Thanks for your comments Luis!
As I recall most resorts I was at back then included back packs on rental tanks. Bob Soto's on Grand Cayman had them available to rent separately if you wanted one. Mark
"The diver who collects specimens of underwater life has fun and becomes a keen underwater observer. .. seek slow-moving or attached organisms such as corals, starfish, or shelled creatures." (Golden Guide to Scuba Diving, 1968) :D

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luis
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Re: 1982 Dive Trips I ran

Sat Jul 27, 2019 8:29 am

I graduated from college in 1980 and I could not afford a lot of trips like these, but I managed to do one trip around 1981 to Grand Cayman. I joined a group from a dive shop in Memphis were I used to help out while I was in college.

We dove with Bob Soto. The resort was pretty basic, which was perfect.

The interesting part is that we all lined up on the back of the resort to make a line to load tanks on the back of a pickup truck. After we filled the bed with tanks we just piled up on top of the tanks to ride down to the boat.

It was a bumpy dirt road and we were sitting either on the tanks or on the edge of the pickup truck (with no place to put your legs). I think about that and I am just so glad I didn’t fall out of that pickup truck with all the bouncing.

The boat was just an aluminum pontoon boat. The water on that side was just flat calm.



That brochure is great. It is also interesting that you arranged all the airfare (from LA).

If those are pictures of you, it looks like you were wearing a Scubapro Stab jacket.

You said in Bonaire, 5 dives a day is not uncommon… That was using tables and no Free Nitrox.

Capt. Don’s Habitat is still there (we stopped by it two weeks ago), but your description of the reef is not the same. It is still good, but I totally miss the reefs from 40 years ago.
Luis

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Re: 1982 Dive Trips I ran

Sat Jul 27, 2019 9:53 am

luis wrote:
Sat Jul 27, 2019 8:29 am
I could not afford a lot of trips like these....
Me neither, that's why I put groups together and used the free spot for myself :)
It is also interesting that you arranged all the airfare (from LA).
Pretty much all of my clients were from California. Didn't exactly have the internet to advertise on.
If those are pictures of you, it looks like you were wearing a Scubapro Stab jacket.
Pics are not of me, but I did take them. Also, I did use a Stab Jacket during that time frame- didn't everybody? :)
I totally miss the reefs from 40 years ago.
Yup!
"The diver who collects specimens of underwater life has fun and becomes a keen underwater observer. .. seek slow-moving or attached organisms such as corals, starfish, or shelled creatures." (Golden Guide to Scuba Diving, 1968) :D

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luis
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Re: 1982 Dive Trips I ran

Sat Jul 27, 2019 10:22 am

ScubaLawyer wrote:
Sat Jul 27, 2019 9:53 am
luis wrote:
Sat Jul 27, 2019 8:29 am
I could not afford a lot of trips like these....
Me neither, that's why I put groups together and used the free spot for myself :)
It is also interesting that you arranged all the airfare (from LA).
Pretty much all of my clients were from California. Didn't exactly have the internet to advertise on.
If those are pictures of you, it looks like you were wearing a Scubapro Stab jacket.
Pics are not of me, but I did take them. Also, I did use a Stab Jacket during that time frame- didn't everybody? :)
I totally miss the reefs from 40 years ago.
Yup!



I used my old Fenzy. I thought it was cool. 8) I used the Fenzy for way too long. It is a horrible must uncomfortable piece of gear... I guess I can be a slow learner when I am wearing something cool. :roll:
I wish I would have done the Stab Jacket phase...


Roughly how many divers used to travel with you?


Did the airlines used to do any group deals back then? I have heard they did some, but I have never seen it.


We have six full days of diving with two boat dives each
day and an unlimited amount of air for beach dives .
Directly in front of the HABIT AT is an unbelievable array
of corals and sea life with a sloping wall that extends
downward to 100' plus depths . Immediately opposite
HABIT AT is the island of Klein Bonaire where a majority
of our boat dives will take place. We do , however, have
occasional journeys up and down the coast to other,
equally lush , dive sites. Klein Bonaire boasts some of the
largest sponges seen in the area and the sight of Black
Coral trees 4 to 5 feet high with stalks the diameter of
your arm are equally impressive .
Dive boats leave directly
from HABITAT's own dock.

I wish the description of the coral trees was still true. :cry:
Luis

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ScubaLawyer
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Re: 1982 Dive Trips I ran

Sat Jul 27, 2019 10:41 am

luis wrote:
Sat Jul 27, 2019 10:22 am
I used the Fenzy for way too long. It is a horrible must uncomfortable piece of gear...
A highly accurate statement :)
Roughly how many divers used to travel with you?
Anywhere from 10 to 25.
Did the airlines used to do any group deals back then?
Absolutely! One free ticket for every ten paid plus 10% off everyone's fare if you had at least 15 people. I delt mainly with Western Airlines and Continental, but others too.

M
"The diver who collects specimens of underwater life has fun and becomes a keen underwater observer. .. seek slow-moving or attached organisms such as corals, starfish, or shelled creatures." (Golden Guide to Scuba Diving, 1968) :D

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luis
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Re: 1982 Dive Trips I ran

Sat Jul 27, 2019 10:54 am

ScubaLawyer wrote:
Sat Jul 27, 2019 10:41 am
luis wrote:
Sat Jul 27, 2019 10:22 am
I used the Fenzy for way too long. It is a horrible must uncomfortable piece of gear...
A highly accurate statement :)
Roughly how many divers used to travel with you?
Anywhere from 10 to 25.
Did the airlines used to do any group deals back then?
Absolutely! One free ticket for every ten paid plus 10% off everyone's fare if you had at least 15 people. I delt mainly with Western Airlines and Continental, but others too.

M

Wow! I heard of airlines doing those deals back then, but I have never seen it happen.

I knew you had to deal with Continental to go to Truk. I think that was the only US based airline that serviced Truk back then. Now it is United. Continental got absorbed/ merged with United.

Western Airlines :? I don't think I remember them. I remember Eastern Airlines. They were the most popular in Puerto Rico.

Who serviced Bonaire back then?



Sorry for all the questions... I just think this is cool. Thanks
Luis

Buceador con escafandra autónoma clásica.

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couv
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Re: 1982 Dive Trips I ran

Sat Jul 27, 2019 11:21 am

ScubaLawyer wrote:
Fri Jul 26, 2019 8:57 pm
..... Not exactly politically correct commentary but I had fun. Thought I'd share. All photos taken by me.

Mark

Perhaps not politically correct, but how many dive trips include a scene from Hamlet performed underwater!?

Thanks Mark, I enjoyed reading and looking at the pix.
A sincere THANK YOU to all at VDH who make this wonderful resource available and to all the thoughtful contributors.

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Re: 1982 Dive Trips I ran

Sat Jul 27, 2019 12:03 pm

Luis,

No worries,  happy to seach my memory. I recall flying PanAm and Western LAX to MIA quite a bit. I think it was mainly ALM on the MIA-BON leg. Hard to remember.

I took a 6 month course to get licensed under IATA (International Air Transport Association?) to sell airline tickets (back in the days when you had to hand write the tickets from blank stock and mail in your copies to the carrier). I had Appointments with American, United,  Western, Continental, PanAm, Eastern, ALM and a few others to sell their tickets. Back then the airlines paid 10% commission on each ticket and the dive resorts paid 10% commission per person (plus the 10 paid + 1 freebee.)

Couv, thanks for the comments. M
"The diver who collects specimens of underwater life has fun and becomes a keen underwater observer. .. seek slow-moving or attached organisms such as corals, starfish, or shelled creatures." (Golden Guide to Scuba Diving, 1968) :D

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luis
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Re: 1982 Dive Trips I ran

Sat Jul 27, 2019 12:17 pm

Wow, no wonder you could afford to print a brochure like that for just three trips.
Luis

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Re: 1982 Dive Trips I ran

Sat Jul 27, 2019 12:29 pm

luis wrote:
Sat Jul 27, 2019 12:17 pm
Wow, no wonder you could afford to print a brochure like for three trips.
My logo alone cost a bloody mint. Today I could whip it up on my computer in a minute. Times have certainly changed. :)
"The diver who collects specimens of underwater life has fun and becomes a keen underwater observer. .. seek slow-moving or attached organisms such as corals, starfish, or shelled creatures." (Golden Guide to Scuba Diving, 1968) :D

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antique diver
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Re: 1982 Dive Trips I ran

Sat Jul 27, 2019 1:39 pm

Great! Thanks for sharing that part of your diving history.
Is it too late to sign up for a Truk trip?
The older I get the better I was.

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Re: 1982 Dive Trips I ran

Sat Jul 27, 2019 2:06 pm

antique diver wrote:
Sat Jul 27, 2019 1:39 pm
Great! Thanks for sharing that part of your diving history.
Is it too late to sign up for a Truk trip?
No problem Bill, send me $3,500 and I'll get you on the 1982 Truk trip. Promise. :)
"The diver who collects specimens of underwater life has fun and becomes a keen underwater observer. .. seek slow-moving or attached organisms such as corals, starfish, or shelled creatures." (Golden Guide to Scuba Diving, 1968) :D

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antique diver
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Re: 1982 Dive Trips I ran

Sat Jul 27, 2019 7:39 pm

ScubaLawyer wrote:
Sat Jul 27, 2019 2:06 pm
antique diver wrote:
Sat Jul 27, 2019 1:39 pm
Great! Thanks for sharing that part of your diving history.
Is it too late to sign up for a Truk trip?
No problem Bill, send me $3,500 and I'll get you on the 1982 Truk trip. Promise. :)
I trust you since you are a lawyer and all that... but can I just pay you when my brother straightens up, after I go on the trip?
The older I get the better I was.

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