#4707
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Al - Airworks
Fredericksburg VA
Male
Joined On: 5/23/2012
Last Login: 10/08/2023
Experience: Advanced
Looking For: Dive buddy - just friends
Habits: Only drink
Relationship: Married
Children At Home: No
Enriched Air/Nitrox (SDI)
7/01/2016
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Self-Reliant/Solo Diver (PADI)
10/31/2015
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Self-Reliant/Solo Diver (SDI)
10/31/2015
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Advanced Open Water (SSI)
6/02/2012
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Open Water Diver (NASDS)
5/06/1967
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I was NASDS OW certified at 14 years of age through the Ski and Dive Shop in Alexandria, Va. (1967), and dove consistently in quarries, lakes, and off the Virginia and Florida coasts for the next several years. The "Specialty" certs of today did not exist back then, but that didn’t stop my buddies and I from challenging ourselves and learning along the way. Thankfully, none of us were seriously injured.
My dad was a career Marine, and our family eventually moved to the island of Puerto Rico in 1972. While I pursued a degree in biology, my friends and I got wet all throughout the island, including Culebra and Vieques. Also did a considerable amount of spearfishing, night, wreck, and cave diving.
I married in 1978, returned to the mainland, and abruptly stopped diving in 1980 to focus on our expanding family. I felt compelled to minimize the risk factor for their sake.
Now that they’ve grown up and left the house to start their own life adventures, I obtained an SSI Replacement AOW card in June of 2012 and began getting wet again in September. Since then I’ve become Solo certified through SDI and PADI, and Nitrox certified through SDI.