Boat Diving Door Co. Area

[Swimjim]

My Dad used to take acouple of us kids camping on Rock Island in the early to mid '60's.  I would have been about the same age as your first mate when I started.  We used to launch our 14 foot Thompson Cedar strip at Gills rock with its mighty 10 hp Johnson Seahorse and spend the day making the crossing.  My job in those days was to keep the boat dry. Ha.  We'd spend a week up there swimming mostly, then with the right weather window we'd come back. 
    I started my own "experience" running the boat in about '68.  We upgraded to a sixteen foot aluminum  in 69 and I did my first dives in 77 with gear I bought with my money from working on local farms.  In 78 I got around to getting certified and the rest is history.

Jim