Remembering Scuba

[KOB]

Well ...it's been 1 year since Scuba went to swim in the great heavens above. Of all the people on the forum , past & present , he is one I think of often. We had some battles and disagreements. But I always respected him. He did dives , recoveries for people many of which to me were insane. Things I would never do. He was fascinating and had incredible stories I would think about for days. And I grew up on the beach as a water baby. This man was nuts !

But I also think this is a cautionary tale that quite possibly could have been avoided. Robert was a risk taker in life. He enjoyed life to the fullest and nobody was gonna tell him what to do. Except we can only push ourselves so far. When it gets down to it , life is about people and trying to do the right thing. Not a piece of yellow gold metal. This is a hobby for most , some ...a way of life. As you can see , Scuba avoided some serious advice and went 110% full throttle. I know some on this forum have learned from him too. Step back , slow down a bit , look around and see what really matters. But dang guys , I do miss Robert's stories and wish he could still be here....

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[Tom_in_CA]

wow

 

[cellrdwellr]

One of the most selfless people I have ever had a conversation with. He will be missed for sure, RIP Robert!

 

[itsaring!]

I still have some of Bob's emails. This was one where i was sending him some stuff to give to the kids at a boat show. He was a great asset to all of us. Even the kids who he cared about. You got to read this from bottom to top.


THANKS Larry. I don't need them till Feb 12th so if you do get out or have some friends that have some I would love all I could get. Kids loved them also. Some more than the coins! And the little ones were cute trying to decide what shell they wanted.

Robert
I won't mail til the end of the month. Don't worry about the shipping. Got a whitmans chocolate box full of hotwheels that are still good, foreign coins, necklaces, a couple silver coins, a couple silver jewelry, old Navy lock. I'll see if I can find some more shells and see what small sharksteeth I still have.
AWESOME!! THANKS LARRY!!!!

 

[Tom_in_CA]

There was an affluent couple on the Wharf in Santa Cruz CA, that dropped their ring off the side of the wharf. Apparently it was a very big diamond, or very very sentimental. Since they knew exactly where it had rolled over the side of the wharf, they figured it would be an easy matter of hiring a scuba diver locally to get it.

But the divers they hired didn't find anything. Because, of course, they're just eyeballing. They weren't necessarily md'ing enthusiasts. And the ocean bottom under the 100+ yr. old pier is filled with junk, pipes, ocean growth, mud, etc.... It was going to take someone very skilled in both diving and md'ing. And even though scuba-diving is a BIG thing around here, yet none of the local divers are necessarily much into md'ing.

So I reached out to Robert for advice, on the people's behalf. When the local people learned that I was consulting with an expert on the matter, they even offered to fly Robert out to CA, pay all his expenses (hotel, etc...) search time, reward, etc.... Ie.: they were ready to invest multiple thousands of $$ to get Robert here to CA. Since it didn't appear that anyone around here was of that skill-set.

But Robert could not make that kind of vacation time commitment , so it never got off the ground. I think that Robert was flattered for the offer, but he simply could not make the commitment.

 

[zeemang]

Yup, he was a wealth of knowledge and and inspiration to many people!

 

[OBN]

RIP Scuba... and his funnies.

 

[ROBOTCOP13]

I won his stealth scoop contest and corresponded with him for a while. I told him to come down to the Florida Treasure coast and try his luck, work on a salvage boat for a season.

I guess he got tied down in Michigan, it seems like he caught the virus early.
I feel bad for his daughters. RIP

 

[ROBOTCOP13]

From July 7, 2021
His daughter said he had Covid


https://metaldetectingforum.com/showthread.php?t=291258&page=2

 

[KOB]

The point of what I was saying was to take it easy sometimes. Don't over push yourself , which we all tend to do at times. I mean what are the odds of surviving a heart attack diving ? And the DR told him to take a break. He didn't. Then contracted covid. All in a short period of time , which didn't help any. He could possibly still be with us , idk. Just my opinion.

 

[maxxkatt]

I agree he is one I miss also. I also miss mud puppy's stories. Last I heard I think he has a new hobby of of amateur radio. Anyone correct me if I am wrong about mud.

 

[ugadigger]

Still using my cleansweep coil that I won from a contest of his. He had the best contests IMO!


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[The Lama]

I always remember when he offered to give a guy a detector because the guys wife destroyed his, total class

 

[atomicbrh]

I only know about him from this forum but the things he did were incredible.

 

[Tom_in_CA]

He's the only guy that I ever relented to in a debate on md'ing legal issues . It was Whether to stand-your-ground @ and be defiant, instead of give lip service so as "not to make waves". He was one of a kind. Able to keep his cool and navigate gripers, etc...

 

[KinTN]

He's the only guy that I ever relented to in a debate on md'ing legal issues . It was Whether to stand-your-ground @ and be defiant, instead of give lip service so as "not to make waves". He was one of a kind. Able to keep his cool and navigate gripers, etc...

Scuba was the guy that did it right. Respectful of everyone and always stood his ground when he knew he was right. I do miss him and find it hard to believe its been a year.

 

[Stiffwrists]

He's the only guy that I ever relented to in a debate on md'ing legal issues . It was Whether to stand-your-ground @ and be defiant, instead of give lip service so as "not to make waves". He was one of a kind. Able to keep his cool and navigate gripers, etc...

I'd have used SCUBA as a defense lawyer over any court appointed one.

 

[davidlhyde63366]

very much missed on here , hard to believe he is gone . good picture https://scontent-ord5-1.xx.fbcdn.ne...LID6-zAn0rlDvPi7AuKMpjImoNV4gxXDQ&oe=62E57D56

 

[Soil Surgeon]

I only know about him from this forum but the things he did were incredible.

We lost a class act. Rest in peace Scuba.

 

[Tom_in_CA]

... good picture https://scontent-ord5-1.xx.fbcdn.ne...LID6-zAn0rlDvPi7AuKMpjImoNV4gxXDQ&oe=62E57D56

Remember some LEO gave him flack because they claimed this was impersonating an LEO vehicle ? They were trying to tell him he couldn't have a beacon light like that. Scuba was going to fight them on that, claiming that he was within the law (Eg.: private tow trucks, private rent-a-cops etc... are allowed to have certain lighting as well).

When Robert detailed how he was going to court to fight that, I bristled. Thinking that since this is conjunction with md'ing (and heavens knows, we have ENOUGH "connotations" in-our-hobby), that this was going to bring unnecessary spot-light on it. Ie.: he would just p*ss someone(s) off, and they start wondering "Gee, just exactly what is he doing ?" and "Gee, do we allow that ??"

So I encouraged him to just give lip service, replace it with a smaller light bulb, or whatever the heck it was that they wanted ! But he shunned that advice, and took it through the system, the appeals, and so forth. And won ! Even got an apology if I recall. And no attention or spot light on md'ing .

He was a class act. One of the few people that could stand his ground (when he knew he was in the right) and not loose his cool, see it through, not be a black-eye to the hobby with proper obstinance, etc....