18 Aug 1996 my youngest son's youth director was a diver and thought it would be great for the older youth to  learn to dive. There was one spot left in the class and my son Kevin urged me to do it with him. I wasn't particularly interested in diving but agreed to fill out the class. As it turned out, my son lost interest after we both became certified.  I, on the other hand, was hooked. I met Clark Briggs and under his instruction went on to earn my Divemaster certification in 1999.