BadDiverBill

BadDiverBill was born in Jersey, grew up a “Vegas rat” in America’s gambling capital and now lives in Southern California, where he pursues his passion for scuba diving.

So how did a guy who spent his formative years in the dessert get into scuba and launch a group for people who like fun with their diving? Bill Hill says his founding of BadDivers (www.BadDivers.com) “was one of these things that happened on its own.” Hill, who prefers to be called “BadDiverBill,” earned his certification as a diver in California and “decided to dive naked somewhere else.”

He took a “red-eye flight” to Florida and as midnight marked the beginning of his birthday, “I went on a nice shallow dive around a pier in Florida in my birthday suit, with my shorts in my hand and waving them over my head.” Later, he and some friends had birthday drinks. A surprise soon followed when Bill was taken to the Florida Keys for an open-water dive. He enjoyed it but was struck by how serious the dive boat people were.

Next was a dive from Fort Lauderdale on a boat where safety was taken seriously but post-dive fun was part of the experience. “I went from what I call a military operation to a boat whose captain wore a shirt that announced ‘rehab is for quitters.’ ” After the dive they opened a cooler and “we had a great time.”

The stark contrast between the two approaches prompted Bill to tag the first dive experience as one for “good divers,” while the second was for “bad divers.” BadDivers was launched. Fun does not trump safety with BadDivers. “One of our slogans is we’re safe but not so serious.” For BadDivers, there is also a lifestyle component in diving. They encapsulate that into the post-dive experience. “When the dive flag goes down, the BadDivers flag goes up.” BadDivers is not a club in that it doesn’t sign up members. “It’s that feeling, you’re a BadDiver,” says Bill, who likens it to the lifestyle promoted by Jimmy Buffett. The popular singer, songwriter, pilot and businessman glorified escapism to exotic islands and explored that lifestyle island hopping in the Caribbean in his amphibian aircraft. Bill says a lot of people get into diving but all they do is the dive. “It’s a lot of work to be underwater for a half hour . . . They get burned out fast.” He believes in making it a complete experience that also includes travel and sharing a post-dive drink. Also important is interacting with “the people we meet along the way.” He promotes his BadDivers concept through BadDiversTV (www.BadDiversTV.com), which involves short segments on the internet that he hopes someday will evolve for television. They usually cover some of his favourite dive locations, scuba talk and instructions on preparing various cocktails. He calls them “adult beverages.” “I’m a bar man. I tend bar. I’m either in the ocean or swinging drinks,” says BadDiverBill. “My passions are scuba diving and cocktailing. It’s lots of fun, a never-ending learning process.”

His favourite dive trips include Roatan, Utila and Cayos Cochinos, all Honduran Bay islands. Diving there after dark gives scuba enthusiasts the chance to see ostracods, small aquatic crustaceans whose bioluminescence (the ability to produce and emit light) creates a spectacular show. In mating season they light up to attract a mate, forming what looks like a string of pearls under water. Bill remembers a woman with 2,000 dives to her credit telling him before they descended that if they saw two or three groups together in a string they would be lucky. They were pleasantly surprised. “We floated off the reef and all of a sudden, as far as I could see there was a string of pearls. We were down about 70 feet. If we had enough air we would have stayed down there until the sun came back up.” BadDiverBill was certified as a rescue diver and plans to eventually become a dive master, but has no interest in teaching the sport. “I know instructors who got burned out and I don’t want to do that. I think I’ve found my niche. “We’re not trying to be that serious. We’re hoping to make people laugh. My quest now is to find the most interesting dive spots, dive people and dive bars. And I’d like to dive the fountain at the Bellagio (a Las Vegas hotel).” On a more serious note, Bill says he also wants to do something to protect the ocean. As he puts it, “BadDivers always do something good.”


Kathy Dowsett

www.kirkscubagear.com

Shark Diving Tips

Image by guitarfish via Flickr

How to Scuba Dive with Sharks

Chances are that you've been scuba diving with sharks all along. The truth is you’ll be lucky if you get to see a shark underwater. They are a rare privilege to observe. In fact, did you know that you’re statistically more likely to be struck by lightning than bit by a shark?

If it turns out you’re lucky enough to have a close encounter of the sharky kind, here are a few tips to make the experience more pleasurable for both you and the shark:

Go with experts. Dive operators in many areas offer organized shark dives and, while a guided experience can’t guarantee absolute safety, much shark behavior is predictable if you know what to look for. Go with those who know the locals if you want an introduction.

Be prepared. Whether on a guided shark dive or just looking for a chance encounter, you should learn what type of sharks might be in the area and find out how they’re likely to behave.

Dive with a group in the daytime. Scuba divers on their own and in low visibility are more at risk in waters where sharks are likely to be.

Enter the water quietly and descend quickly. Sharks' favorite foods tend to congregate on the surface and in midwater – think seals, sea lions and dead or injured fish. Don’t dilly-dally once you’re in the water and head to the bottom with minimal movement.

It may go without saying, but you don't want to spearfish in the company of sharks. If a shark approaches you when you’re carrying your catch, let it go and stay very still until you can swim slowly away.

Notice the behavior of your underwater neighbors. Fish often swim erratically when sharks are near.

Sharks often swim just beyond steep inclines, so look out into big water as you descend to catch a glimpse. Often the first divers into the water are the only ones who get to see a shark as it swims away from the unwelcome intrusion of a dive boat and the scuba divers it unloads.

Many shark species are timid. If you’re trying to get a glimpse, keep your hands still and by your side at all times.

Don’t look like a fishing lure. Avoid wearing shiny sparkly jewelry underwater because this can catch the attention of a variety of curious fish, sharks included.
While rubber-clad scuba divers with bubbles coming out of their heads are not the shark’s usual choice of cuisine, even accidental contact with one can cause injury. Should you sustain any sort of underwater injury, immediately end your scuba dive, exit the water as quickly as possible and seek medical attention, no matter how seemingly small the injury may be.
Stay alert and limit multitasking so you can focus entirely on your surroundings.

Plan your dive and dive your plan - paying attention to currents, depth and air consumption. Don’t dive too deep or come up too fast – in other words, use safe diving practices at all times. Then, if you’re lucky enough to see a shark, you can enjoy the moment free from worry.

Thanks to Padi

Kathy Dowsett

www.kirkscubagear.com