US Diving Jim Boyd, John Melnick, and Fred


Barthes formed the NEDEG in 1991. They were originally trained in the use of commercial surface-supplied gear in 1987 by Dave Sutton. When Sutton left to pursue a career as a pilot, these students formalized the group and held the first Working Equipment Rally in 1993. I was introduced to this group on


my journey by Becky Kagan Schott. When we first arrived at the rally, I caught a glimpse of a Mark V diver heading into the water. I had never seen such an extraordinary piece of history outside a museum and leapt out of the car with my camera like a kid pouncing on a candy store! While I could see it in a museum, here I could touch it, photograph it in action and try it on myself. Although by then I had 18 years


of diving experience, my exposure to surface-supplied equipment was limited to a pool experience in a SuperLite helmet. Unlike the Superlite, it’s not possible to get in or out of a Mark V by yourself. Dive tenders must help dress each diver in and out, and they also manage the air supply and communication systems. The whole Mark V outfit weighs 185 lbs. (84kg) out of the water. Some say they feel claustrophobic, but I found it easy to use and fun to dive. In Washington State, local David


Todd knew the best places to lead Ben and me to see thriving sea life. Puget Sound surprised me with my first glimpse at plumose anemones. My dive buddies added to the enjoyment even more. To dive all 50 states is a daunting


task. Colorado, North Dakota and Kansas were the most challenging states to find dive locations. In Kansas, memorable dives included beautiful sandstone formations on Lake Wilson and a private quarry in Fredonia.


Distinct diving opportunities The United States is home to extraordinary diversity in underwater environments. Some sites are not accessible to public diving, so I obtained permits or worked with private property owners for some dives. While I feel privileged to share these unique sites through my photography, most dive sites are open for qualified divers. There are vast and beautiful cave


systems in Missouri, Florida, Texas and Oklahoma. I hope to discover underwater cave systems in other states. Mines are unique diving sites, and there are some excellent


24 Magazine


WYOMING


UTAH Doug Harder examines the


siliceous spires of Yellowstone Lake in Wyoming, a geologic hydrothermic feature


ones in Missouri and Wisconsin. While mine sites like Bonne Terre are well known, I was thrilled to see lead mine carts in Mine La Motte, Missouri. I joined ice diving experiences


in northern states like Ohio and Minnesota. Ice is foreign to me, as I grew up in Texas and Florida. Before my journey, I could count the number of times I had seen snow on one hand. For this journey, I earned my ice diving certification and learned about types of ice and how to best prepare an ice diving site. To capture the best images on


my journey, I revisited some of the states. A few special locations are places I make a recurring destination. Yellowstone National


task. Colorado, North Dakota, and Kansas were the most challenging


To dive all 50 states is a daunting


Above: Ben and Jennifer built a


SCUBA snowman outside the dive entrance in Utah.


This was Jennifer’s first snowman bigger than


6 inches and her first time seeing


snow that stayed on the ground!


Park is perhaps the most cherished of my dives. Wyoming wilderness is captivating. The water above and below is amazing. I saw spectacular geyser activity and the siliceous spires in Yellowstone Lake. In California, I learned why


people are crazy for nudibranchs. I learned about extraordinary macro life on my charter with Sundiver on Catalina Island. I also learned that Alaska features abundant macro photography opportunities.


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