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Wow, where do I start.
First some background and history on exactly who and what the Boston Sea Rovers are. The Sea Rovers Club was founded back in the 50’s by a group of New England area east coat wreck divers. At the time - and for many years - they were the only scuba diving club in America. If you were into diving, the Sea Rovers was one of the few groups you could go talk about similar experiences, and their annual “clinic” on diving was the only place to get instruction and experience. The Sea Rovers were one of the first organizations in the country to write and enforce any type of serious open water training.
The group itself has never numbered more than 25 regular members, even today. Early on, however, they decided to start awarding a “Diver of the Year” award to honor someone who made or is making a significant contribution to the industry. Because the community was small in those days, the “Diver of the Year” list includes some very impressive names. John Cronin, founder of PADI, renowned underwater explorer Dr. Bob Ballard, underwater Cinematographer and director Stan Waterman, Jacque Cousteau, Al Giddings, and “friends of Smokeys” Nick Caloyianias and Clarita Berger just names a hand full of the notable divers, explorers and scientists who have been named “Diver of the Year” by the Sea Rovers. Last year’s winners were Howard and Michelle Hall, producers of the Imax movie, “Coral Reef Adventure.” Once you have been named “Diver of the Year” you are a Sea Rovers member for life - and expected to return to the clinic as often as possible to help mentor other divers. It is literally a “Who’s Who” of underwater cinematography, exploration and research.
Our own Smokey Roberts was named “Diver of the Year” 1973 as a result of his documentary productions, primarily being one of the first to extensively dive Truk Lagoon. That secured his place ahead of such notables as Genie Clark, Bob Ballard, Sylvia Earle and Peter Benchley.This year is the 50th anniversary of this organization, and a few months ago, Smokey was asked to be part of the Saturday evening film festival and be a historical representative of some of the past presentations. Now, for those of you who may not realize what an honor it is to be asked to present at this festival - the MC for the night was Dr. Bob Ballard, Smokey went on after Stan Waterman, and before Emory Kristoff, two of the industries biggest figures. The daytime seminar participants at this show are people who would be headliners anywhere else --- and the headliners and people you just don’t ever get to see or meet. I wasn’t going to go. I thought - gee, another scuba trade show, woo-hoo. Been there, done that, got the t-shirt. Brian Palmer graciously volunteered to help Smokey drive up and get around. About a week ago, however, I got a call from Nick Caloyianis who told me “you just HAVE to come, you will never see a gathering of people like this again.” Boy was he right.
We loaded up the van and headed to Boston on Friday. Palmer had some obligations with relatives on Friday night, so he headed out while Smokey and I - suit and tie for me, tux for Smokey, see the picture - headed for the speaker’s cocktail party. It was a flabbergasting collection of the industry’s elite. I met so many people that I have only read about that I can’t even list them all. Smokey was greeted like a returning hero and held court in one corner of the main room.
I spent most of the evening greeting people I hadn’t seen for a while, and hung out with Capt. Danny Crowell and Jen Samulski of the Seeker, and with Nick Caloyianis and Clarita Berger as well as Evie Dudas, owner of West Chester based Dudas Diving Duds - and an industry legend in her own right.
Saturday brought seminars on photography, wildlife and exploration. I attended a packed session by Capt Crowell on the U.S.S. Murphy - which my brother Dan had helped dive - and Brian Skerry who has the current cover of National Geographic, a story on Harp Seals. Saturday afternoon I attended a seminar on wreck diving in the Great Lakes, marine life in the north Atlantic, and shipwrecks of Bikini Atoll by Michael Dudas.
Then came the hard part - Smokey and I back into formal wear and off to surf and turf with the speakers. After dinner it was on to a front row seat between Frank Scalli - son of the club founder, and Dr. Genie Clark.
As I mentioned before, the event was hosted by Dr. Bob Ballard. Presenters included Deep Sea Vents by lead National Geographic producer Emory Kristof, Trial by Ice by Brian Skerry, Undersea Habitats and Truk Lagoon by Smokey Roberts, a retrospective by Stan Waterman, and another by Nick Caloyianias and Clarita Berger, a presentation of black and white underwater photography by Ernest Brooks, a presentation on Fathams magazine by Bret Gilliam, and a brief retrospective by Joe MacInnis. The evening wrapped up with Ancient Shipwrecks in the Black Sea by Dr Bob Ballard,
After the film festival, we hooked up again with Brian who had to sit in the cheap seats, and headed back to the “after party” where the Rovers initiate new members by dunking them head first into a huge bowl of vodka and orange juice. Then Brian and I were escorted to the “after, after party” in the Rover’s suite by Nick and Clarita, Genie and Aya Clark, and of course Smokey. It was pretty fun to watch Philippe Counsteau trying to get everyone to do shots of Jack Daniels. When you head for bed around 3am - that 8am breakfast meeting seems WAY too early, although I understand Brian got an earlier, ruder awaking because we left a window open blowing on him.
Sunday was on to more seminars, one on digital photography, and while I enjoyed a behind the scenes look at the Imax movie “Coral Reef Adventures”, Brian took in a seminar on underwater 3D photography, and Smokey went to Philippe Cousteau’s presentation on the Everglades. After a couple more seminars, and yet another lunch on the Sea Rovers, we wrapped up the weekend by attending Nick’s presentation on Greek sponge fishermen, hopefully to soon be turned into a major feature film.
I have to say it was an Extremely enjoyable weekend - and a good reminder that we right here in Lancaster we have our own legend in the dive business in Smokey.
Mark Myers
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