Passionate about Diving

This site is obviously about rebreather, and the introduction says I've dedicated the past 25 years to diving exclusively rebreathers, but there is more.  My first love in diving has been shipwrecks, primarily freshwater wrecks of the Great Lakes.  I've been fortunate to be the first diver to visit very historic shipwrecks.  To be able to see a ship that sank over a hundred years ago is breathtaking. It is also a solemn moment when you realize the people who perished in the sinking.  In the great lakes with cold fresh water you can see details like ships name painted on the hull, a captains binoculars sitting aside the helm, or a crew members personal belongings, and sadly yes some human remains.  I do enjoy travel to Europe and Pacific waters to visit historic wartime shipwrecks and count my trips to Scappa, Plymouth, Chuuk, Palau as excellent memories!  Florida also has many fine wrecks, but I can say I am a freshwater wreck hound first.   When I am not diving Great Lake shipwrecks, you will find me in stealth mode in an ocean looking for big marine life.  I love big marine life encounters, especially with sharks, whales, goliath groupers, mantas, etc....  Caves are another genre of diving that I have enjoyed from Bahamas Blue Holes, N. Florida caves, to Mexican Cenotes, I enjoy the challenge and beauty of mother nature.  Diving Deep is a challenge that I also enjoy, having gone what I feel is very deep in the ocean is one thing, but going deep in Lake Superior with near freezing water temps and limited daylight is a much bigger dragon to slay.  I don't talk depth as it is all relative, and secondly it has no measure to your competence.  I see complete idiots diving deep and surviving, so what...  If there is a super cool shipwreck that I want to see, then I consider the depth, the risks, the cold, the deco and then decide?  There are way, way too many awesome wrecks in depths under 300 that i still have not seen yet, so the wreck has to be something worth the effort to go beyond.  Underwater Photography has been a hit or miss venture for me, and if you see my Facebook page it is really dedicated to taking pictures of my students at my favorite dive sites.  When I travel, i do enjoy immersing myself in the food and drink of the nations I visit.  Im a foodie that loves to cook new dishes, a dry red wine and a Cuban cigar on ocassion.....