Favorite Dive Site: Jupiter, FL is my favorite dive site out of Jupiter Dive Center. It is a small town next to a big town with little tourism. It has great drift and wall diving where you get to see schools of grouper and nurse sharks with the occasional sea turtle visit.

Favorite Dive Critter: Sharks are my favorite animal to see while on a dive. I am a shark conservationist at heart and love to see them thriving in their natural habitat. If I had to pick a favorite shark it would be an animal from the Newport Aquarium named the Sharkray were I help with the biologist train the shark by coming in through our acclimation pool and from there we can get blood draws, physicals, and even ultrasounds on our females. I have helped the Husbandry staff come up with a method to ease the stress of the shark while putting them into tonic immobility called “The Nonnenmacher method”.

How I support my SCUBA habit: I am the Lead Dive Safety Officer for the Newport Aquarium where I am in charge of planning the dives for the day, repair and service of any of the equipment the divers use, and most importantly making sure the divers are safe from the moment they walk through the door until they leave for the day.