Hello, From Langley, WA

[russellfsm]

Hi,

Just joined yesterday. My name's Russell Sparkman, and I live in Langley. Last night I posted an update to another post regarding the Langley Marina, and will add a very, very brief summary here, in case there are members who didn't see it.

I'm a diver, and a member of Langley's City Council. I've been active getting the city to recognize the economic development value of becoming a dive destination. I'm working with the Port of South Whidbey to be sure that we have a new artificial reef as a part of their redevelopment plans (and a shout out to all the members of the dive community who've shown up at Port meetings the past year -- your voices are being listened to).

I'm starting an email list of people to keep updated about developments, and people who may be willing to be recruited to help in various ways, as we continue to move this forward. Email me if you want to be involved.

Enough of that. Here's some background:
I got basic certification through NAUI back in the mid-70s. I went to Monterey, CA, in 1978, and become an instructor through the Ed Brawling Professional Diving Instructors College (PDIC). Was hired out of the program to teach diving at Hall's Diving Center, in Marathon, FL. Got a 6-pack license to take people out to the reef on the Lady Key Diver. All this before I was 21! Actually, got burned out on the dive tourism jobs and left it behind ...

Fast forward, diving is a part of my life again. My 14 year old son and 13 year old daughter did their check out dives at Langley Marina last summer. We're heading to Eleuthera this summer for a little warm water diving.

And, of course, lots of Puget Sound diving.

Looking forward to hooking up with NWDC members in the near future.

Cheers,
Russell Sparkman

[John Rawlings]

A warm welcome to you, Russell, and thanks for joining us here!

I'm sure that you will find many folks here on NWDC willing to help you in developing Langley to the benefit of all.

- John

[Paulicarp]

Welcome Russell!
Glad to see you here. Congrats to the kids on their certs too!

--Paul

[Dusty2]

Hey there, Welcome, Glad to have you here to keep us informed on whats going on with Langley. Great to here you are diving with the kids! Allot of kids that age hardly even talk to their parents.
You should hook up with Jan K. He is a very devoted Whitby diver and a talented artist with lots of awesome photographs of the underwater world at Langley.

There are lots of north end divers here so there is always someone going diving up there.

[BASSMAN]

Welcome to the club Russell !!!
Glad to see you here. Langley is somewhere I've never considdered diving. Please post a few dive site descriptions in the "Dive Site Listings" area of this board. Maybe I'll get up there on a Thursday dive with a few dive budies!

[Ken G]

Hello and welcome!

[Gooch]

Welcome to the club! I agree with Bassman-post a few dive site descriptions around Langley when you can. Congrats on the kids too-we got our kids certified in Jan and they are a whopping 10 years old! Kids these days....

[TCWestby]

Russell,

Nice to see you around, I grew up in Clinton and spent alot of time in Langly. I keep thereatening to do the reef, maybe we can hook up this summer.

I still get to the old countyr whenever I can and miss it. I too want to get my kids diving when they are old enough.

Hope to meet you soon. Till then, keep your gills wet.