"When you grow up in Seattle, 'cool'is just something that envelops you."
It has been an honor for me to be present as special guest at the DITDivers Institute of Technology in Seattle. Friday, November 15, 2013
Seattle is a seaport, by the way The City'sname always reminded me the "Sea"
What the Divers Institute of Technology (DIT) is ? It is a private, for-profit educational institution for the training of commercial divers Or “ Ocean’s Engineer” what I like to call them. The school was founded in 1968 in Seattle, Washington, it is about Underwater welding and commercial diving school. Many teachers and instructors come from the U.S Army therefore this is the perfect space for veterans. Divers Institute is one of only two dive schools in the U.S. to grant students the Canadian Standards Association Unrestricted Surface Supplied Air Diver Certification, allowing graduates to dive internationally. The campus is located in the Seattle neighborhood of Wallingford in the Northlake area on the north end of Lake Union. The day I walked from the U-District to the school I stopped by the Gas Works Park. It was 4.30 a.m. It was a breathtaking place.
As a diver you are weightlessand can move in all directions.You approach the freedom of a bird as you movein three dimensions in a fluid environment.
That day, all students were wearing some antique diving gear, like the Mark V Diving Helmet”, the” Yokohama” and the “Savoie Hat”; the same gear that started real Commercial Diving.
DEFINE Commercial Diving?
It is a term used to define underwater industrial construction. The training required for a commercial diving career is challenging, the demand for qualified commercial divers is intense, and the lifestyle this career delivers is exciting. This type of activity requires to adapt to the human being what usually belongs to the Ocean only.
School of Fame!
The DIT was the location choosen as location/set for the filming of the movie “Men of Honor” starring Robert De Niro and Cuba Gooding Jr.
In short, I spent a wonderful long chilli day witnessing high skilled divers diving in old-timer hats, The Mark V (American w/ 200lbs of freedom), The Yokohama (Japanese) & the Savoie (American- the first design for a practical lightweight helmet w/ a rubber neck dam seal using an Italian racing helmet … aww “Italian Pride!”) and at the end of the day, we all spent some quality time over my place for some Italian Lasagna homemade. Well, I had my big time being an “Acquanauta” too – or kind of!!!!