Back in 2010, after many years of diving, I decided to become a Divemaster and help share my love of the sport with others. A PADI Instructor was kind enough to take me “under her wing” and I completed the course. I’ve done most of my diving with my children, friends, family, and new divers, which required me to be helpful and attentive. Since I have always been looking out for others underwater I already had many of the Divemaster skills and the course came easy and was a lot of fun. Sharing the underwater world with those we love and care about is very rewarding and the adventures create life long memories.
PADI – The Professional Association of Diving Instructors, which is the agency my certification is with, has the Go Pro Challenge each year where they ask new dive professionals to submit essays and videos telling the story of why they chose to become a pro. My short essay was one of the top tier winners that year and it conveys an important message that I’ve talked about with families many times over the years. I’m putting it here on my website to share with others.
I’m a PADI Pro For The Love Of It
By Richard L. Black
As a boy growing up in Central Florida I lived by the beach and was fascinated by being in or on the water. People travel from all over the world to just visit and I was fortunate enough to live here. I grew up swimming, boating, fishing, and waterskiing.
When I was fourteen my family began what became an annual pilgrimage to the Florida Keys. From that year into my twenties I spent two weeks each summer soaking up sun and saltwater and catching “bugs,” the local’s nickname for the Florida Lobster. My pursuit of these tasty creatures caused me to become an accomplished snorkeler. I would often brag of my freediving prowess and would gladly demonstrate in the local springs. SCUBA gear wasn’t necessary for my kind of diving.
As I grew older and my life got busier my Keys trips became less frequent but the love of the water never subsided. I knew people who were certified divers and I became curious about the sport. With my job and family it seemed I could never make time for the dive class and my interest was put on hold.
The time in my life finally came when I could again pursue my interest in diving and I became a PADI Openwater Diver. My water skills were put to good use and I went through the course with ease. Suddenly I was free of the surface. Instead of a few moments at the bottom and then a dash back for air I could glide along carefree like the fish. I was “hooked.”
My two children were old enough for certification and they both quickly became my dive buddies. Most weekends would find us in the water somewhere in Florida. Their experiences made them accomplished divers at a young age. My copy of a well known Florida diving guide became worn and dog-eared as we highlighted the names of all the sites we visited.
This was the time when I realized that diving was “For the Love of It.” The children were involved in a sport that gave them a strong sense of accomplishment and the experiences we shared were priceless. I was there at each of their dive classes and we enjoyed the beauty of the underwater world together. We talked and worked together when we prepared. We traveled to the sites and dove as true buddies. We camped out or stayed in hotels and laughed about the experiences after the dives. Diving together brought us closer.
For many years I have noticed parents diving with their sons and daughters. Some of the children have been the same age as mine and some of the “kids” have been older than me. Over the time I’ve been diving I’ve had many conversations with parents about diving with family. It’s a sport that brings families together and keeps them together. I have often said, “If you buy your kid a video game it will be under the bed or in a closet in a year but if you get them certified to dive it will give them a lifetime of enjoyment.”
My life moved on and my children grew up. I met somebody who I wanted to make my dive buddy. Openwater class was her first Christmas present from me and diving has been a part of our lives ever since.
I also have another new “dive buddy” who was certified at eleven years of age. He grew up around diving and has accompanied us on many trips. Before he was certified there was always family or friends around to stay with him while we were underwater. For him diving has been a social activity all his life. The family bonds we’ve built, the confidence, the respect, and trust we’ve developed as a family diving together means everything to us.
SCUBA certification gives a young person a tremendous sense of accomplishment and benefits them in many ways. The entire family becomes closer because of the shared experiences. The young person truly becomes a partner with their parents before, during, and after the dive. They learn respect and trust along with personal responsibility. These are things that strengthen a loving family and builds character in a person.
As a PADI Divemaster I love working with classes and Discover Scuba Diving participants. I also regularly organize dive trips. There is a common thread in all the activities and that is shared experiences that build strong families and friendships.
Openwater classes often have students who are related. Parents learning to dive with their children, Siblings who want to dive together, or newlyweds sharing an interest; I’ve seen all these as well as friends teaming up on a new adventure. SCUBA diving truly is a buddy sport above and below the water.
Many Discover Scuba Diving participants are young people whose parents care enough to give them the experience. You know it’s “for the love of it” when you watch a parent’s face as their child prepares to breathe underwater for the first time. My young dive buddy accompanies me on many of these outings and it keeps us very close. He assists 
with equipment and loves being in the water as I work with students. We’ve built a bond that will last a lifetime. When the course is complete and I congratulate the participant the smile on everybody’s face makes it all worthwhile. I always compliment parents on their decision to dive with their children and they see my family’s example.
When I think about all the wonderful memories and great friendships I’ve enjoyed because of SCUBA diving I don’t know where to begin my testimonial. I know of lives that have been changed in very positive ways because of diving friendships. Some of my closest friendships have been made over a cylinder of compressed air. Lifelong memories have been created underwater. Being a PADI Divemaster has made much of this possible and I do it “For The Love Of It.”
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