Say hello to Terry Dwyer, a NAUI Master Diver and CMAS Assistant Instructor from Nova Scotia who loves shipwrecks and thinks Shania Twain would make a perfect dive buddy!
Full Name: Terry Dwyer
Age: 50 (but I feel 29)
Live In: Halifax, Nova Scotia – Canada
Working For: Trecan Combustion Ltd.
Diver Qualifications: NAUI Master Diver / CMAS Assistant Instructor
When and where did you start diving?
Sydney, Nova Scotia in 1979
Why did you start diving?
To explore Shipwrecks – Jacque Cousteau
What made you choose to become a dive professional?
My love and passion for the sport.
Which is your favourite dive site and why?
St. Paul Island, Nova Scotia, over 350 shipwrecks that are virtually unexplored and average underwater visibility of 100 feet in all directions.
What has been the most memorable dive of your life and why?
Diving and playing with a 16 foot Beluga whale named “Wilma” in Guysborough, Nova Scotia, it was a surreal and magical experience. The whales eyes reflected her true gentleness and grace.
If you would come back as a marine life form in your next life, what would that be?
A Beluga Whale
Who is your dream dive buddy?
Shania Twain
What dive locations are on your dream “bucket list” and why?
The Eastern Shore of Nova Scotia, Canada – for unexplored virgin shipwrecks.
What is on your bedside table right now?
“The Complete Diver” by Alex Brylske
What is your favourite piece of diving equipment and why?
My Sherwood Blizzard Regulator and my Sherwood Wisdom dive computer – because they are awesome, rugged and dependable pieces of equipment that have never let me down under extreme conditions.
If you were to launch a campaign to raise awareness on a specific issue that affects divers, the oceans or marine life, what issue would you target and why?
Shipwrecks – they are being destroyed at a rapid rate by time and tide. More should be done with private sector companies and individual divers to encourage salvage and recovery of artifacts before they are gone forever. As divers we too often forget that less than 1 % of the world’s population can scuba dive. The only way non divers can enjoy and appreciate shipwrecks is by being able to see travelling shipwreck displays like the TITANTIC and Odyssey Exploration does.
Where will you be in 10 years and what will you be doing?
I hope to be still searching for and exploring shipwrecks and even teaching divers and non divers how to find and explore shipwrecks at “Shipwreck School” here in Nova Scotia.
