that training is fairly ineffective for real life conditions. When the dog falls through, followed by the kid you cannot stand on ice. Even when adults fall through you divers wearing 80 lbs of gear standing is ridiculous. And then put a tender standing right next to him! that's sport diving. nice to see tethers. pony bottles. Train on ice that is thin enough for a dog, a child, even an adult to fall through. Otherwise what is the difference between what we saw on the video and sport diving? Sadly - it's the training agency's fault, not the dive team.
Great video, I appreciate the upload. It did raise some questions for me, do you have any knowledge on the state of the European diving market? I'd very much like to finish my degree in maritime archaeology and split my career between commercial diving and underwater archaeology since both fields can be lacking in work. Do you reckon this is feasible? Perhaps you've had some experience or connections with scientific diving as well
Since I created this video, I have retired and I'm sorry, but I don't know the state of the current European diving market. However, I can give you some general comments based upon my 35 plus years of experience in working in diving, and my association with scientific diving which I consulted to throughout my career. If you have a valuable trade skill (welding, mechanics, pipe fitting, etc), you can usually make a lot more money working as a commercial diver than as a scientific diver. I don't think it would be very realistic to expect to split your time between scientific and commercial diving. You really should pick one or the other.
Since as far as I can remember I've always been fascinated by nature, especially by the sea. I ended up studying marine biology in England and loved it. What you speak about hits the nail on the head; the same things that attracted you also drove me. That feeling of discovery, and being on the frontlines. This same passion was transmitted to me by my professors, some of them legends in their field, and their love for it is contagious. Unfortunately, in my experience it has been incredibly tough finding jobs. Even having a decent resume, jobs are few and far between. I even got my commercial diving license 2 years ago to work for a pharmaceutical company that did research and marine organisms, but that didn't pan out. So while I still have the license I'm looking at doing other freelance work, maybe fishing for urchins... I've also done work as a consultant, was a teacher for a while, and lately I work as a scientific observer on fishing vessels. Last year I also got my Passive Acoustic Monitoring (PAM) training to land jobs that require acoustic surveying (e.g. near oil rigs or wind farms). That last one sounds like fun and looking to see what it's like. Fingers crossed... To those seeking to study marine biology, more power to you. Just keep in mind you truly have to love the subject, and possibly look at other sidejobs, because until the world starts valuing nature more, the budgets will be tight.
It takes many marine biologists several years before they can find a full time job working in their preferred field. My wife worked as a range biologist, stuffing rats for a museum, cloning ferns for a biology company, and as an assistant game warden prior to landing a full-time job as a marine biologist with the California Department of Fish and Game. It all depends on how determined you are to go into your preferred field.
@@MrAquaImage you're absolutely right. COVID threw a wrench in the works, and I've become a bit demoralised. I just have to find the spark again. Behavioural ecology and population dynamics interests me most, so I might go down that path. Maybe do some underwater photography on the side (spent the last few years practicing astrophotography). Thanks for your comment!😃
Great video! Might be the push I need...Marine biologist here. It's tough finding a job in the firld; so much competition and not much funding. I took up commercial diving in the hopes of securing a job at a local business that creates pharmaceuticals out of marine organisms. That didn't pan out, but now I'm looking to start my own thing with the commercial diving license. I guess now It would just be a matter of getting my own permit, gear, and try selling directly to restaurants. Fingers crossed!
Would you be interested in working with a student that when he graduates from high school in Kansas would like to be in this industry. He is very motivated to learn and make a career out of all of this someday.
Hi Virginia - This video is about Chris Nelson, the diver. He did NOT make the video. The video was shot about 9 years ago. I don't know if Chris is still diving as I have retired and moved out of state. For your young man to get into the industry, I would suggest he contact the California Dept. of Fish and Wildlife and speak to the marine biologist who is in charge of the sea urchin diving industry to determine the likelihood of him being able to obtain a sea urchin diving permit. The permits are extremely difficult to obtain as they are done by a lottery.
If you can afford it, go for it! The fondest of my childhood memories were of trips to Pirate's Point. Scuba diving on North Shore; lazy hours in a hammock hearing the surf break over the reef; water skiing to the beach at Owens Island; flounders, sting rays, baracuddas and sharks in the shallows. Also being turned back by a hurricane while trying to fly to Grand Cayman. The Islanders know how to live without strife.
I am afraid I don't understand your question. If you are asking if they dive in zero visibility, yes, he talks about it in the video. If you are asking if I have any video footage of zero visibility diving, no because it is not possible to shoot video under those conditions.
I'm sorry, it’s zero visibility or Dirty Water 🙂, I'm also a SSDS diver, our underwaters visibility all-time zero🙃, now I'm doing job at Bangladesh NAVY. watching your all videos, and interested to doing that type of job at future buddy.😊
As an old Navy Diver from MK12 to the MK21 I will say a nice intro to the industry. One piece of constructive criticism, you brag about your pay in the "North West". You should tell viewers that the "Union" money is earned, not given! It is a very dangerous job in a market that is flooded by fresh recruits out of dive schools every 6 months looking for the money from the 80's. Not the case! But a great tutorial on the industry.
I enjoyed this video. I found some huge red urchins in Sonoma and got a pound of roe from 4 or 5 urchins. Urchins are destructive to the kelp forests, so harvesting them is a good idea.
Scuba, fund out if you like being underwater if you haven't already, Open Water is what you want to do, its a little pricy but I paid for it myself when I was 16.
Really fun to watch! Thanks for posting. Reminds me of my days as a Mendocino Urchin Fisheries (M.U.F.) diver. It's different to see guys diving for urchins using tanks, rather than on hookah. I was a diver from 1986-88, Sonoma County to Mendocino. Best job I ever had working for someone else. 1000s of hours underwater, lots of great stories to tell. We'd dive 5-10 hours a day, conditions permitting. North coast diving was a lot different. I worked on a 32’ Radon with two other divers & a tender. On a good day, we’d pick 3,000-4,000 pounds each. When I was doing it, the price fluctuated from 24 to 75 cents per pound offloaded & weighed at the dock.
Totally Awesome video I dove urchins on boats out of LA Terminal Island Santa Barbara and San Diego from 1979 through 1983 Fishing Days At their Best!! Pugs
Hey I live in Canada and I want to open my own dive store what are some main things I would I need to start like type of training etc.. can I start out with just a retail store and then move into diving lessons and trips, or is this a big chunk of business. also money wise, what’s your opinion I have 16000$ is that enough to get things started Until I start selling?
What's the annual Take?$$$ What's the reproductive rate of the game???? What's the cost of Salaries of ur tender? Boat maintenance? Fuel? And dive gear?
