Comment

Comment by A.. Parnell on April 14, 2010 at 9:34pm

Ok Dennis what kind of hat is that we are looking at is it a Schrader ? A mark IV ?

Comment by Dennis Wilcox on April 14, 2010 at 9:20pm

I can't remember anything more amazing than working under the USS Enterprise CVN-65 as a young diver and looking across it's beam at the other divers working. They looked like little ants crawling upside down. The draft on the ship was 50 FSW and to swim the beam would take you 10 minutes. Most impressive.

Comment by Bill Gardner on April 14, 2010 at 9:16pm

Pt-lll When not diving I tried big trucking, off hi-way heavy hauling (too much sitting), crane driving, commercial fishing Alaska Black Cod, forest service air tanker base foreman (wildfire supression), shop rigger, but diving always won out.

Comment by A.. Parnell on April 14, 2010 at 8:49pm

What a privledge to be in such company and thats not just words I mean that. Only this morning I crossed paths with a co-worker who I started out with we use to scrub hulls together in Marina Del Rey in the 70's his name is Kent Newton our of Santa Barbara, Ca. he reminded me that it was 40 years ago-Wow the trails we both have gone down since our first starting out in diving over these years. Its really hard to believe its been that long. About 15 years ago on an Oceaneering job one of my coworkers who was there as a assistant engineer came out and said "are you still doing this " ah with nothing else to say I said "ah Yes no one ever told me to quit". Now I would like to be doing this about another 15 years so if you happen to be on a dive job somewhere and run into me please know that I am just like you working to make a living in this profession of ours. Arent we lucky.

Comment by Bill Gardner on April 14, 2010 at 7:52pm

Pt ll- always loved the biz. The people for the most part- the most well lived, opinionated, skillfull, yet able to survive their compadres shortfalls living in close proximity. Curiousity and the yen to expand ones horizons another halmark.
I've worked for Oceaneering, Ocean Systems, Global, Stolt, DSND, Reading & Bates,+- and Floyds Million $ Salvage (no s***) + I've been a co man , supt, enjoyed diving and tending the best - suping to make sure nobody got hurt if I had to. Nuts and bolts, rigging and playing what a great life.

Comment by Bill Gardner on April 14, 2010 at 7:37pm

Grew up beside the river, worked tug boats, dredges/tenders while going to school. Apprenticed as a Pile butt/diver, did my 2500 hrs quit college - bought a 1 way ticket to Australia, scraped a few ferry hulls for Neil Gray in Sidney....down to Bass Strait. Worked as roustabout and roughneck on Glomar Conception till a spot in rotation opened up on the Victoria Tide platform maint etc. away we went. Singers, Phillipines, Indonesia, Malasia, Taiwan, Japan, etc. Got a few fill ins in NS, sou 40s, Libya, a shot thru India etc. etc. Got thrown out of GOM for no visa- walking pipe for Pelican, and a few oldies. Did a few midnight contractor jobs in BC & Alberta

Comment by Dennis Wilcox on April 14, 2010 at 7:20pm

Thanks to everyone that has joined the Group Old School Divers so far. Sounds like there is some real talent out there. Maybe some of the new divers can get some idea what it was like 20 years, 30 years, and even 40 years ago. Myself, I started diving in 1980 for Seaward Marine Services out of Subic Bay, PI. Hull Scrubbing. Please feel free to share your start date in the industry and who you were working for. Any tips for the young lads would also be helpful.

Comment by Dale Harris on April 14, 2010 at 6:42pm

Right at 1980 - 81 is when I started commercial Diving as a diving contractor. I bought my equipment from commercial divers supply and had never laid eyes on any of it prior. (never once cleaned a boat hull) one of my first contracts was to weld 10 x 10 x 1/4" patch plates on the underside of a dredge. With a damn book and 15 min. I was welding. Is that old school enough? I completed welding more than thirty plates on that barge in about 3 or 4 full days of welding. Okay I did have to clean and inspect as I went. Lol I did burn one rod thru the hull. My first one. Lol. Welding wet or dry is what I've done and still do.

Comment by A.. Parnell on April 14, 2010 at 5:29pm

A place for old school divers-Perfect !
Thanks Dennis we needed this.

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