October 4, 2025 • 43 mins
This week Greg The Divemaster and friends reflect on the passing and life of our good friend Jerry Beaty. Looking for HOUR2?
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Episode Transcript
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Speaker 1 (00:04):
No, hello there, don't be alarmed. We're just preparing your
listening device for Scuba Radio, the world's first radio show
devoted to diving. We do this, of course, by fielding
new radio with water. We're professions. Thanks to me, you
won't even get wet. You see, I've crammed every appetitive
my body into the cracks and crevices of your radio.
By the way, don't touch your on off knob. That's
a very sensitive area. Anyway, I should remind you. We
(00:28):
believe in the buddy system, just like diving. So don't
listen alone. Call your buddy and tell them that scuba
Radio is about to be given. We're going to start
a new life under the sea.
Speaker 2 (00:40):
Am I gonna drown?
Speaker 1 (00:42):
Of course not.
Speaker 3 (00:43):
Just stay calm and let the gentle currents relecture every muscle.
Speaker 4 (00:49):
Under the Just get warmer.
Speaker 5 (00:52):
No, no, heg you take donague rustations under the sea.
Speaker 1 (00:58):
Where the hell are show? And no, here's your dive
guy for Scuba Radio, Greg the Dive Master, and welcome.
Speaker 2 (01:09):
This is the world's first radio show devoted to diving.
I am Greg the dive Master this one, this is
going to be a different kind of show today. I
hate doing these. Sometimes life throws you a curveball and
you know, the show must go on kind of thing.
But it's almost impossible to maintain the lightheartedness and the
(01:35):
escapism that we do on this show weekend and week out,
and it's been weighing on me the last several weeks.
I'm not gonna lie, but this week we lost a
very very good friend of Scuba Radio that has been
one of my go to guys in the dive industry
for you know, the twenty eight years we've been doing
the show almost I think, and Jerry Beatty is his
(01:58):
name from dive Training MAGA. We've had him on the
show many, many times and he has been, i mean
just just one of my go to guys in the
dive industry and he had been dealing with some illness recently.
I've kind of known about it for a few weeks now,
(02:19):
since I got back from the Maldives, and it's been
tough the last month or so. I'm not gonna lie.
We've you know, we've done this show every week and
I have always done it as an escape from the
real world and we focus on having fun on this show.
That's what it's about. I mean, scuba diving is a blast.
That's why we're here. That's why we come together every
week and do this show and share our love of
(02:42):
scuba diving and and just getting together with our diving
friends and having a blast, you know, over a cocktail
at a tiki bar kind of thing, right, And Jerry
was with me right there from the beginning, and he'd
been dealing with something that happened very quickly, by the way,
but I've known about it for a while, and he
(03:02):
lost his battle this past week, and it's been, you know,
a shocker for the entire industry, you know, not just me,
because Jerry Batty knew every single person in the dive
industry pretty much, including myself, and he has paid it
forward so many times, not just for me. I've seen
him do it for you know, people in the dive
(03:24):
industry on so many different levels. I just won't even
begin to give it a proper attention. But you know,
we're hurting today, and it's tough. I missed my friend,
I do, and but I know he's with us and
(03:49):
and we're going to get through this show reflecting on
some great stories our friend Jerry Batty, and we have
a quite a crew with us to help me through
this today, and because I do, I'm gonna need a
little help to get through it because it's a tough one.
You know, when you lose someone like that that you
(04:12):
know helped you so much, especially in the early days.
I mean, it's rough, you know, there's no easy way
to say it. And I don't even know what I'm
gonna say on the show today, So whatever comes out,
I'm gonna apologize now because it's gonna be a tough one.
But I'm gonna try to focus on the fun stuff
because Jerry was just a blast to hang with. It
(04:35):
was just a joy and I'm gonna miss him dearly.
And I'll just start this off because what we're gonna
do is reflect on stories about Jerry and some of
the adventures that we've shared over the years, and I
think this could turn into quite a show just from
that standpoint. But let me just start off how I
(04:55):
met him. Very early on of doing this show Scuba Radio.
I met Jerry Baty for the first time through Mark
Young at Dive Training Magazine at Oceanfest of all places, which,
for those of you who don't remember, that was a
dive show in Fort Lauderdale that Neil Watson did. It
actually started the same year we started Scuba Radio, and
(05:17):
I think it was ninety eight and it was on
the beach in Fort Lauderdale. And at that time, I
was very new to the industry. I didn't know anybody
in the industry when we started Scuba Radio, and I
was trying to network with people at the demo show
and inside it, you know, I was like, I got
this idea, you know. We put it on the air.
(05:38):
It really blew up on us very quickly, and I
didn't quite know how to market it to the dive industry.
How was I going to turn this show into a
business make a few bucks. I'm on a radio dog
and I'm trying this new thing. I think we got
something that might work. The listeners responded to it very
quickly early on when we started the show, but I
(06:00):
still had to figure out, you know, how do you
sell ads? How do you market this to the dive industry.
They didn't know what to make of us back in
the day. So I meet Mark Young from Dive Training Magazine.
All the other magazines kind of looked at as his competition, like, oh,
got a radio show about diving there, they're just going
to take all our ad revenue. Right. However, Mark Young
did not look at Scuba Radio like that when we started,
(06:25):
and we had a nice little chat and he's like,
I really like what you're doing here. This is pretty cool.
And you know, we got to give props to Mark.
He's been, you know, a godsend. There's been like a
handful of dive industry people that really helped us out
in the very beginning. Mark Young was one of them,
and his partner in crime was Jerry Beatty, and Jerry
(06:46):
at the time was really kind of like the the
main marketing guy for dive training. And so he said,
he goes Mark Marcos, let me introduce you to Jerry.
Let's set up a meeting and we'll talk to him
about scuba radio and maybe we can figure out a
way to cross market dive training and scuba radio. I
was like, my gosh, I would be amazing. I need
help in that regard. That's definitely a weak link in
(07:09):
what we're trying to do. So Mark sets up this
meeting at Oceanfest. So my first time meeting Mark Young
or meeting Jerry Betty with Mark Young I'm all excited.
I'm thinking, oh, this is going to be amazing. We're
going to join forces and this will solve the big
problem I'm having as I try to figure out how
to turn this show into a business and make a
living out of it or whatever. And we get together
(07:30):
and Jerry listens to my spiel about you know what
I'm trying to do with the show, and then he
turns to Mark Young. He says, what the hell do
you want me to do with this? I don't get it.
I got too much craft to sell already.
Speaker 6 (07:42):
Beat it.
Speaker 2 (07:43):
Yeah. Yeah, He's like, beat it, kid, you bother me. Yes.
It was hilarious and also rather disappointing for me, But
that said, he didn't blow me off. He said, look,
I don't know if I can do this sale thing
you're talking about, but let me mull this over. And
he came back to me. He says, you know what, Greg,
(08:06):
let's do this. We're gonna go to Cayman Islands. I'm
gonna take you under my fen and I'm gonna show
you the ropes a little bit on how you take
your show and introduce it to the dive industry. And
Loan bought you know, me and Jerry went on this
trip for a few days in the Cayman Islands, became
quick friends and I'll never forget it. And from that
(08:28):
day forward, I mean literally I'd talk to Jerry probably
once every week or every other week. We would be,
you know, comparing notes on the phone. So, you know,
this is a tough one. But it didn't start off roses,
I guess, but that was typical Jerry. It didn't matter
whether you liked it or not. If you had something
(08:50):
that you were passionate about, he was going to do
what he could to help you. And so you know,
this is a tough, tough week for us, but we're
gonna like on some of those little stories. And that's
just one of thousands that I've had. Usually when it
came to Jerry was usually over Tito's and soda, which
(09:12):
he also introduced me two years ago, by the way.
So that said, let's bring on the rest of the crew.
Speaker 7 (09:18):
Here.
Speaker 2 (09:18):
We cj in the studio as usual, but we got
the scuba radio scuba squad made up of Barry the Bugger,
Casey the tobacco nut, Jerry the diver guy that he
two tanks, and then we got some special guests with us.
Catherine Castle, Steve Weaver is with us. I don't know.
I'm not sure we've had him on before. So we're
(09:39):
going to talk with all these folks and including Lois,
a good friend of Jerry's this week is with us
as well, and he is well. We'll get to it
as we continue on celebrating the life of Jerry Vada.
Speaker 1 (09:55):
And he's the worldwide scuba radio network.
Speaker 2 (10:00):
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Speaker 6 (12:13):
Scooter would be prepared to ring for guy.
Speaker 1 (12:16):
Your surface interval is complete. You are now clear to
dive with Scuba Radio. The world's first radio show devoted
to diving.
Speaker 9 (12:27):
Dive, dive, dive.
Speaker 2 (12:32):
It comes out Greg, he's a scating man.
Speaker 3 (12:34):
Fis He's Greg the dive Master.
Speaker 9 (12:38):
What you're doing in my water?
Speaker 1 (12:40):
The show is a disaster.
Speaker 6 (12:43):
I got something to show you.
Speaker 3 (12:45):
He's Greg the dive Master, the Master, dive Master, dive Master,
dive Master.
Speaker 5 (12:55):
I'm all Greg, pleas to matchime guard.
Speaker 2 (13:05):
Oh bitchy, this is the world's first radio show devoted
to diving. I am Greg to dive Master. Jerry loved
that ridiculous nonsense. I mean it never failed to amaze me.
The nutty crap we do on this show weekend and
week out, and Jerry I'd get every time i'd go
(13:25):
to him, I always think that all we've went too far,
and then he'd just go, oh, he just give me
the eye roll, he goes, you guys are crazy. I
love it. Ah. So, yeah, we are reflecting on the
life of Jerry Baby who passed away this week and
we miss him dearly, big, big supporter. He's a big
(13:47):
reason why the show is done as well as it
has over the years. But I will never be able
to repay what he's done for me personally too, and
we want to reflect on some of the stuff that
he is he's done over the years, or just you know,
talk about some of the stories, the adventures that we've shared.
(14:08):
He's been on many scuba radio scuba cruises with me.
We've traveled around the world. I mean one of the
last big adventures I had with him was in the
Maldies and Red Sea. We saw him at the Scuba
Show just a few months ago as he was getting
back from Bali, and yeah, he's going to be so missed.
(14:29):
But we're going to reflect on some of the adventures.
And we got quite a crew with us today. You know,
obviously I have so many stories to share. This isn't
going to be able to be covered in just one show.
It's just going to come out as it comes for me.
But I want to go to some other folks in
(14:50):
the dive industry that I know he had just as much,
if not even more of an impact on. And we're
going to start with Catherine Castle, who is worked with
Jerry at Dive Training and probably even before that, I assume,
Or is that where you met him initially, Catherine or
what what do you think?
Speaker 1 (15:08):
Yeah?
Speaker 8 (15:09):
Actually, hey, Greg, my story is very similar to yours.
So Jerry came into the industry in the seventies when
he was doing sun tours during the wholesale dive travel agency,
and I came behind in the early to mid eighties.
But our paths hadn't crossed until nineteen ninety seven when
(15:33):
Mark Young hired me to work as an editor for
Dive Training magazine. So Jerry had already been there. He
came in ninety six, he'd been there a year, and
it was a little ticked off that Mark Young hired
me without running it by Jerry.
Speaker 2 (15:48):
Yes, that so sounds like he probably said, what are
you doing? Hiring this hand model.
Speaker 8 (15:54):
That's well, there you go.
Speaker 2 (15:56):
That's what she was back in the day, a hand.
Speaker 8 (15:58):
Modeled back in the day arts model.
Speaker 3 (16:00):
Yeah.
Speaker 8 (16:01):
So Jerry calls me up and he's like, stree Castle,
drink cancel, Hi, Stacy, who the hell are you? And
I'm like, excuse me. He's like, I know everybody in
this industry and I don't know you. Yea, so tell
me who you are. And I was like, uh, well,
I know a whole lot of people in this industry
(16:23):
and I don't know you, So why don't you start
tell me who you are? And then he said all right,
and he proceeded to tell me about Sun Tours and
all Sun Tours and his work as a manufacturer's rep
and the sales rep for a lot of different things.
And so he was explaining how he knew everyone from
(16:46):
the Caribbean to Colorado to Dema and all over the place.
And he's like, I don't know anybody that knows you,
and who are you and how did you get here?
Like I was kind of an impostor that he was
gonna like, you know, live Yeah, And finally we landed
on we had someone in common who could actually vouch
(17:08):
for me, and that was Betty Hurd from New Mexico.
She's a long time retail dive center owner. She's passed now,
but she came to the Virgin Islands to open a
dive center. She was a great friend of Jerry's because
he called on her at her dive center, and so
not only did she vouch for me, but she called
(17:30):
me and said, don't you let him give you any bs.
Just like, the minute he starts flinging anything your way,
you just you just stand right up to him because
he's going to test you. And are like, really, because
mark you, I already did a lot of that and
I'm kind of done running the Bautlet. But then Jerry
came back around and he said, well, I checked you
(17:51):
out and I'm happy to have you on the team.
And in that moment he said, if there's anything I
can ever do to help you, you let me know.
And then he proceeded to help me every which way
ever since that day in nineteen ninety seven, he became
(18:13):
the other brother. I was born with three of them,
but he became my other brother and looked out for me.
And I know for certain Jerry Baby fought for me
in rooms I wasn't in and he had my back,
but he also came face to face and was very
(18:34):
upfront with me on so many things that we learned
together and grew through, not just professionally in the diving
industry and magazine publication, but also personally in our individual
challenges and our individual triumphs. To have someone like Jerry
(18:59):
with that boot voice just call you up out of
the blue and say Cec, I love you, and you
knew it, and I'm so thankful that that was the
last thing he ever said to me. Just a couple
of weeks ago, I was texting him every day I
love you, I love you, I love you, just just
every day, just a little text. And one of those
(19:21):
days he was feeling well enough that he actually called
me up and he just said, you see, I love you,
And that's all we got, but it was everything we
traded that and I said, Jerry, I'll leave the porch
light on for you, and you know, get yourself sorted
out and come visit me in the Azores. So now
(19:42):
he's going to have to do it from a different
vantage point, but nevertheless, I'm glad he figured out who
I was, and I'm really honored and blessed that he
took me in. I'm be Whether I liked it or not,
that was you didn't get to choose. I posted online.
(20:04):
He didn't make friends so much as he just colmdeared people.
If he cared about you, he grabbed you, and resistance
was futile. You couldn't you couldn't get the loose of that.
You know, you're just gonna get stuck in it, so
you may as well go with it. And I feel
(20:26):
just really really lucky to have had him help me out.
Speaker 2 (20:30):
Yeah, well, I know you're not alone, Catherine. I mean,
we got more people with us that want to share
some stories about the life and times Jerry Batty. That's
what we're doing on Scuba Radio today. Stay close, divers,
(20:59):
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Speaker 1 (22:08):
Excuse would be prepared to ring for guy. Your surface
interval is complete. You are now clear to dive with
Scuba Radio, the world's first radio show devoted to diving.
Speaker 9 (22:27):
Dive, Dive, Dive, I have big, big news for you.
Speaker 1 (22:34):
So what is this big big news?
Speaker 2 (22:41):
This is the world's first radio show devoted to diving.
I am Greg the dive Master. C J in the
studio with me. Kind of a different show today, but
we're still uh. I mean it's I think it's going
to get more up uplifting as we continue on. You think, yeah,
I hope it's cathartic for you. Oh it is. I mean, really,
(23:02):
the show is kind of therapy for all the people
that Jerry Batty touched over the years and supported. I mean,
Catherine said it very very well, and it's interesting you
had that same kind of initial reaction from him that
I got. He didn't really know what to make of me.
He was very nice, but he did not do anything
(23:22):
remotely what I expected, which I thought he was going
to embrace me with open arms. It was more like,
what are you crazy? I don't get this scuba radio nonsense.
I don't have time for this crap.
Speaker 5 (23:35):
But then it's been it's been how many years now,
and people still walk up to us and go, what
is this show about?
Speaker 2 (23:42):
Right? Great idea, but that'll never work. Was that was
what Neil Watson said back in the day. Jerry wasn't
quite as he was a little actually more vocal than
Neil was. Kept Neil kept that thought to himself for
the first five years of doing the show, and then
he spilled the beans. But Jerry was a little bit
more upfront initially, but like I said, you know, after
(24:05):
we had that initial meeting, we quickly became good friends.
And he did so much, you know, just just became
such a good friend. Uh and and once again was
one of my go to guys in the dive industry.
And Jerry knows so many people in the dive industry.
I don't think there's anyone else I've ever met in
(24:26):
the dive industry that knows as many people as Jerry does.
I mean, it's Jerry Is.
Speaker 5 (24:32):
When I first met him, there was a three year
span where we didn't run across each other. Yeah, and
walking past each other in a dema show, he stopped me,
remembered my name and shook my hand right well.
Speaker 6 (24:45):
You know what I mean, remembered everybody's name.
Speaker 2 (24:48):
He really did. I mean, you were wearing a name badge.
Oh that was there could have been that might have
been to go away and he wouldn't have led onto
that either, that been one of his sales techniques. But
he he honestly did know everybody. I mean, and you
can see that. It's so prevalent, like on Facebook and
right now, I mean just the internet is just blowing
(25:10):
up for people who are just learning about this and
just a testament to all the people that he touched
throughout the years. And like I said, for me personally,
he introduced me to so many different places. I mean,
you know, Dive Fest on Dominico was one that he was.
You know, he kind of introduced us to going there
(25:30):
back in the day and I just fell in love
with that place. And he kind of said, this is
one of my favorite islands here. I'm gonna take you
over there and show you the ropes. And we went
to these places and just just blew me away. But
that was kind of I mean, Jerry was all about
paying it forward. He had been in the industry. He
knew so many people, but he was always looking for ways,
like you say, Catherine, to lift people up, and especially
(25:53):
people new to the industry. And once he kind of
grabbed hold of you, he's like, here, let me show
you some cool stuff. Well, he had to educate you.
Speaker 3 (26:01):
He doesn't want this dope on the radio doesn't know
what he's talking about.
Speaker 2 (26:04):
Well there's that maybe, you know, he was trying to
help us.
Speaker 8 (26:09):
One thing I want to point out is Jerry knew
everyone on the sales side of what he did with
all Sun Tours and also with sales repping for a
lot of different products, and then later with Dive Training
Magazine and Dive Center Business and then California Diving News.
But he also served in so many different ways. He
(26:33):
did quite a lot of work on a variety of
different nonprofit organization boards. See of Change is one that
comes to mind. I served with him on ref Renewal International,
and he also served on the Shark Research Institute Board.
And he served on a lot of different development panels
(26:56):
for boards of tourism throughout the world, particularly in developing
nations where Jerry had such a vast knowledge of tourism
and recreational scuba diving tourism that he volunteered to go
in and basically workshop tourism with developing nations and YAP
(27:20):
is one of the areas that he was most recently
involved dominant Advisor to Dominica exactly. And that wasn't money
in his pocket, ork that was service. That was work
that he did in service of our industry. Because his
life's goal was that people would learn to dive, love
(27:44):
to dive, and then love to explore the world. So
he didn't just start from the diver end of it
on equipment and travel. He went to the destinations and
taught them how to welcome tourists. So he was is
truly a bridge in terms of connecting recreational divers to
(28:07):
really incredible sport diving and live aboard diving literally all
over the world, and a lot of people don't know that,
and a lot of people have him to think when
they've actually gone and visited a diving destination, it might
be because Jerry Baby was there first and he helped
put the place on the map.
Speaker 2 (28:26):
That's right. Yeah, And once again that's what he did
for me quite a bit. He'd say, hey, yeah, you
need to go here.
Speaker 9 (28:32):
Can I say something about his dedication to all that?
Speaker 2 (28:36):
Absolutely? Lois Hatcher And by the way, I wanted to
say Lois has been there with him for the last
month or so and is very close to Jerry. And
our hearts go out to you too, specifically, Lois, because
I know it's been extremely hard for you.
Speaker 9 (28:52):
Well, that's one of the reasons the lights are so low, Is.
I haven't had much sleep and I've been doing a
lot of crying.
Speaker 2 (28:59):
Yeah to understandable.
Speaker 9 (29:01):
Yes, up until last week, like just a few days ago,
I got Bill Acker on the phone to talk to Jerry,
and Jerry's biggest concern was about the situation of the
board and who they were going to get to replace somebody.
Speaker 1 (29:19):
Who had just quit, and that was Jerry.
Speaker 9 (29:22):
Here he is strapped in the hospital, like you know,
in his bed. I won't describe it any further than that,
but that was on his mind. Was he needed to
get this job finished for Bill. And Bill was one
of the many people like Steve and Greg and so
many others that looked at Jerry as more than just
(29:44):
a person that they did business with. He was like
their brothers, his brother from other mothers, you know. So
he had a huge, huge family out there as well
as business and work associates.
Speaker 2 (30:00):
You mentioned Bill, and I will say, you know, I've
been talking to Jerry about going to YAP for the
last two years, and uh it's you know, and it's
all because of Jerry. And then I've gotten to know
Bill and we keep talking and we've been trying to
work out the schedule to make this happen, and now
it's just gonna make it that much more important for
me to get over there and see what Jerry's been
(30:21):
bugging me about for probably the last five years. He's
always like, you got to go to Yap, You gotta
go to Yap. We're gonna get you over there, and
that kind of stuff. So I'm gonna go over there.
I'm gonna get that. I'm gonna make that happen. And
I have no doubt Bill and I are going to
be raising a glass on that ship restaurant and keeps
telling me about on the island of Yap and uh
(30:42):
smoothing our friend the meneu. Is that what it's called? Yes, okay, Lois,
So I figured you would know, right, Yeah, Yeah, Well, Lois,
thank you for being with us. We also have Steve
Weaver and I want to talk to him. I'm not
sure we've ever had Steve on scuba radio before. I've
known about his travel business there in Colorado for years.
(31:02):
He's like a kind of a big deal, and I
can't I'm not sure if we've ever had you on
scuba radio, have we, Steve. Well, it's my mistake and
I apologize for that, but I'll tell you what. We're
going to take a quick commercial break and then we're
going to talk to Steve because I know he goes
way back with Jerry Batty. Probably a lot, you know,
(31:24):
connected to this travel type of stuff that Jerry was
always pushing and trying to promote for the industry and
for these tourism boards throughout the world. But we'll get
Steve's thoughts and then you know, run around the horn
with all the Scuba Radio Scuba Squad as well, talking
about our adventures with as we celebrate the life of
Jerry Batty. Next stake class.
Speaker 1 (31:54):
He's the worldwide Scuba Radio network prepared for guy. Your
(32:15):
surface interval is complete. You are now clear to dive
with Scuba Radio, the world's first radio show devoted to diving.
Speaker 6 (32:26):
Dive, Dive, Dive, pulla.
Speaker 4 (32:34):
I am signy from Arles S. Davini our case a
waita and also a spat therapy. You are listening to
Scuba Radio, the world first radio show devoted to diving.
I am also the official messuse for the Scuba Radio
Scuba Squad. And by the way, Jerry the dive Guy
as the Jesus but chicks I've come.
Speaker 6 (32:53):
Across in years.
Speaker 4 (32:55):
Oh, Jerry, I will love be the same.
Speaker 8 (32:59):
All right.
Speaker 2 (33:00):
Just for the record, that is Jerry the diver guy,
not Jerry Batty that has the juicy butt cheeks according
to Sony and Fiji.
Speaker 1 (33:08):
But sounds like I have competition. Huh. We don't have
to worry about that today.
Speaker 3 (33:13):
You know, Greg, that was the dirtiest trick ever in Greg,
that was just dirty.
Speaker 2 (33:18):
Wow, Just be thankful it was you that.
Speaker 6 (33:22):
I'm not thankful it was me.
Speaker 2 (33:24):
He'll be like having juicy butt cheeks.
Speaker 6 (33:27):
Just remember payback for you know what.
Speaker 2 (33:29):
Greg, I don't know what that means. I have no idea.
All right, look silliness aside, We are reflecting on our
adventures with our good friend Jerry Beatty. Steve Weaver is
with us today for the first time on Scuba Radio,
and I once again I apologize Steve. We have not
had you on the show before, but I've obviously I've
(33:51):
tracked your contribution to the dive industry over the years.
It's been pretty substantial, especially in the travel world. But
welcome to Scuba Radio. Under I wish it was under
a better pretense, but you wanted to come on today
and share maybe some of your thoughts on Jerry Beatty
and your past experience with him, or what Steve? What
(34:13):
do you think.
Speaker 7 (34:14):
Yeah, for sure. And first of all, thank you so
much for having me Greg. I know, of course you
were a good friend to Jerry. He spoke about you often.
Speaker 2 (34:23):
To me, Well, don't believe all of it, please.
Speaker 7 (34:27):
Well I could write a book, oh no. But he
also was a big supporter of scuba radio. When Catherine
told me you were doing this today, I was very
interested in participating. Jerry, like Lois said, was a brother
from another mother to me.
Speaker 6 (34:47):
Yeah.
Speaker 7 (34:48):
I opened a dive store in Boulder, Colorado in nineteen
eighty three, and back in those days, the industry didn't
really think Colorado existed as a dive area or a
place that there could be diving or dive shops. Jerry
was one of the few reps that saw the potential
(35:09):
of Colorado, which has now become one of the largest
diving communities in the country. But Jerry saw the potential
there right away as a sales rep and was one
of the first reps to call on me at my
dive store. We were both kind of trying to be
bigger than we were, or tried to make the other
(35:30):
one think we were bigger than we were. He was
trying to shove tag Hoyer watches down my throat, and
I was telling him they were too expensive, and so
we went back and forth on that, but eventually became
really good friends. One of my funniest memories of him
was at a DIMA show when he was repping Sports
(35:53):
of Australia. If you remember that company, they made a
suit out of a product called Darles, which wasn't neoprene.
It was a film layer between two layers of like
grow that was touted as being as warm as neoprene.
And but he was also at the same time repping
a company called Telos that had neoprene wetsuits, and I
(36:17):
had appointments with him at both of the companies, and
we started at the s A Boots Sports Sports US
to Australia, and he's just just loudly stating how neoprene
is dead in the dive industry. Nobody's wearing neoprene anymore.
I mean, this is the wave of the future, darleks.
The new material is where it's at, and neoprene is dead.
(36:41):
And then we walked across the aisle to the Telos
booth and he started pitching me on neoprene wetsuits. I'm
like Jerry, didn't you just tell me the neoprene was dead?
And he goes, we were sometimes you got to work
both sides of the aisle.
Speaker 2 (36:56):
I can still hear that.
Speaker 6 (36:58):
That was Jared, That was totally Jerry.
Speaker 7 (37:02):
Fast forward several years, we opened our own hostel travel
company dream We were traveling, and uh, Jerry became a
mentor to me at that time because, as Catherine has stated,
he had all Son tours with his wife Sean at
the time and it was a hostel travel company similar
(37:24):
to what we were doing, and so he and I
had many, many conversations about how to run that business,
the pros and cons and we uh, we really he
really supported me a lot in that endeavor. There were
(37:44):
multiple times that we would have phone conversations. Actually, almost
every time we had a phone conversation, if it didn't
last at least an hour, there was something wrong. And
we used to laugh about it because you know, I
would have my time around, he would have time around,
and if like we were ready to end the conversation
at fifty minutes, it's like, no, no, no, we have
(38:06):
to do at least an hour every time we talk.
And we did that inevitably, and I always looked forward
to those talks. I have to say, I don't think
there's anybody in the dive industry that's been in the
dive industry for any length of time that didn't know
Jerry Baty. I mean, that's how well known he was,
(38:28):
and because of the reasons that have been stated and
I'm sure will continue to be stated. For many years,
he was just a people person. I mean, he got
along with everybody, He was friendly to everybody. He very
rarely said anything bad about anyone. He was open to
(38:50):
new ideas, open to friendships, open to creative concepts. He
and Catherine and I were talking recently about doing something together,
which I'm a little disappointed will not happen at this point,
at least with the three of us, maybe with the
two of us. But he was always looking even as
(39:16):
long as he was in the industry, and as long
as I've been in the industry. You know, we were
both always looking for ways to make the industry better
and not kind of sitting on the laurels of the
industry the way that things were looking at ways that
we can improve things and build relationships and grow the industry,
(39:40):
which is what we're all about.
Speaker 6 (39:44):
He got me.
Speaker 7 (39:46):
Encouraged me to run for the Demon Board, which he
served on for I believe two terms. I'm just finishing
up my second term now. But I was lucky enough
to work with him for one year on the board
before his term was up. And again that brought a
lot more discussions about the industry and about DEMA and
(40:09):
pros and cons et cetera. Yeah, he was a great
guy and I was lucky enough to talk to him
on Tuesday, the day before he passed, and I forget Lois.
You might remember because you were there. I was talking
to him about something and he called me out on
(40:29):
on BS.
Speaker 6 (40:30):
I guess I can't say the S word.
Speaker 2 (40:32):
No, you should not please.
Speaker 7 (40:35):
He called me out on BS for something I said,
which was again which shows just goes to show Jerry's
sense of humor. In the state he was in at
that point, he still had the with I guess to
call me out on something that I said I thought
was really funny. But yeah, dear, dear friend. And he's
(41:00):
going to be missed many and we're actually trying to
put together something at the DIMA Show this year for him.
Speaker 6 (41:09):
I don't know if this is the right venue.
Speaker 2 (41:11):
Well, I think it's the perfect venue. I mean, because
you know that's where Jerry was at his best. He
was like the energizer Bunny. I think that's his nickname
actually to a lot of people in the dive industry,
a demon, because he would be you just see a
blur that white hair of his and he just blurred
by you. I loved it. And yes, there is some
chatter that we're going to do something at the DIMA Show.
(41:33):
I can guarantee you there's going to be some event
or some celebration at the DIMA Show and we're working
out all the details now. All right, Look, hour or
two of Scuba Radio is on deck. We're going to
talk to some more folks that want to reflect on
the life and times of our good friend Jerry Beatty,
including Mark Young. Maybe the dive God might be joining us.
(41:54):
Neil Watson to stick around hour or two on deck
at the world's first radio show voted to dive.
Speaker 3 (42:00):
And no, if you be passive there, you want to
be there on.
Speaker 8 (42:07):
Radio out.
Speaker 1 (42:12):
Media, Scuba Radio is a production of overboard entertainment and corporating.
This seems the logical place for fish to congregate. Remember,
you could listen live, or to archives of past editions
of Scuba Radio worldwide over the internet at scuba radio
dot com.
Speaker 6 (42:28):
Oh we're in international waters.
Speaker 1 (42:30):
Indeed's houl, tell a brand and buddy up with your
radio every week for Scuba Radio, the world's first radio
show devoted to diving. Well, it's all very nice yet,
but we should be going. I miss me wife in
me oxygen. Yes, we all miss our loved ones and guts.
Let's go.
Speaker 2 (42:48):
The opinions you just heard on Scuba Radio are those
of the hosts, callers, and guests. Okay, you know what
I just heard.
Speaker 9 (42:55):
Blah blah blah blah blah blah blah blah blah blah blah.
Speaker 2 (42:58):
They're not necessarily those of any state or network, it's
management or advertisers. Come on, Scuba diving does involve risk.
It should never be conducted without proper instruction and training.
Speaker 8 (43:09):
What's the worst thing that could happen? I could die?
Speaker 2 (43:11):
Have any questions or comments? Feel free to do so
via the web at scuba radio dot com.
No, hello there, don't be alarmed. We're just preparing your
listening device for Scuba Radio, the world's first radio show
devoted to diving. We do this, of course, by fielding
new radio with water. We're professions. Thanks to me, you
won't even get wet. You see, I've crammed every appetitive
my body into the cracks and crevices of your radio.
By the way, don't touch your on off knob. That's
a very sensitive area. Anyway, I should remind you. We
(00:28):
believe in the buddy system, just like diving. So don't
listen alone. Call your buddy and tell them that scuba
Radio is about to be given. We're going to start
a new life under the sea.
Speaker 2 (00:40):
Am I gonna drown?
Speaker 1 (00:42):
Of course not.
Speaker 3 (00:43):
Just stay calm and let the gentle currents relecture every muscle.
Speaker 4 (00:49):
Under the Just get warmer.
Speaker 5 (00:52):
No, no, heg you take donague rustations under the sea.
Speaker 1 (00:58):
Where the hell are show? And no, here's your dive
guy for Scuba Radio, Greg the Dive Master, and welcome.
Speaker 2 (01:09):
This is the world's first radio show devoted to diving.
I am Greg the dive Master this one, this is
going to be a different kind of show today. I
hate doing these. Sometimes life throws you a curveball and
you know, the show must go on kind of thing.
But it's almost impossible to maintain the lightheartedness and the
(01:35):
escapism that we do on this show weekend and week out,
and it's been weighing on me the last several weeks.
I'm not gonna lie, but this week we lost a
very very good friend of Scuba Radio that has been
one of my go to guys in the dive industry
for you know, the twenty eight years we've been doing
the show almost I think, and Jerry Beatty is his
(01:58):
name from dive Training MAGA. We've had him on the
show many, many times and he has been, i mean
just just one of my go to guys in the
dive industry and he had been dealing with some illness recently.
I've kind of known about it for a few weeks now,
(02:19):
since I got back from the Maldives, and it's been
tough the last month or so. I'm not gonna lie.
We've you know, we've done this show every week and
I have always done it as an escape from the
real world and we focus on having fun on this show.
That's what it's about. I mean, scuba diving is a blast.
That's why we're here. That's why we come together every
week and do this show and share our love of
(02:42):
scuba diving and and just getting together with our diving
friends and having a blast, you know, over a cocktail
at a tiki bar kind of thing, right, And Jerry
was with me right there from the beginning, and he'd
been dealing with something that happened very quickly, by the way,
but I've known about it for a while, and he
(03:02):
lost his battle this past week, and it's been, you know,
a shocker for the entire industry, you know, not just me,
because Jerry Batty knew every single person in the dive
industry pretty much, including myself, and he has paid it
forward so many times, not just for me. I've seen
him do it for you know, people in the dive
(03:24):
industry on so many different levels. I just won't even
begin to give it a proper attention. But you know,
we're hurting today, and it's tough. I missed my friend,
I do, and but I know he's with us and
(03:49):
and we're going to get through this show reflecting on
some great stories our friend Jerry Batty, and we have
a quite a crew with us to help me through
this today, and because I do, I'm gonna need a
little help to get through it because it's a tough one.
You know, when you lose someone like that that you
(04:12):
know helped you so much, especially in the early days.
I mean, it's rough, you know, there's no easy way
to say it. And I don't even know what I'm
gonna say on the show today, So whatever comes out,
I'm gonna apologize now because it's gonna be a tough one.
But I'm gonna try to focus on the fun stuff
because Jerry was just a blast to hang with. It
(04:35):
was just a joy and I'm gonna miss him dearly.
And I'll just start this off because what we're gonna
do is reflect on stories about Jerry and some of
the adventures that we've shared over the years, and I
think this could turn into quite a show just from
that standpoint. But let me just start off how I
(04:55):
met him. Very early on of doing this show Scuba Radio.
I met Jerry Baty for the first time through Mark
Young at Dive Training Magazine at Oceanfest of all places, which,
for those of you who don't remember, that was a
dive show in Fort Lauderdale that Neil Watson did. It
actually started the same year we started Scuba Radio, and
(05:17):
I think it was ninety eight and it was on
the beach in Fort Lauderdale. And at that time, I
was very new to the industry. I didn't know anybody
in the industry when we started Scuba Radio, and I
was trying to network with people at the demo show
and inside it, you know, I was like, I got
this idea, you know. We put it on the air.
(05:38):
It really blew up on us very quickly, and I
didn't quite know how to market it to the dive industry.
How was I going to turn this show into a
business make a few bucks. I'm on a radio dog
and I'm trying this new thing. I think we got
something that might work. The listeners responded to it very
quickly early on when we started the show, but I
(06:00):
still had to figure out, you know, how do you
sell ads? How do you market this to the dive industry.
They didn't know what to make of us back in
the day. So I meet Mark Young from Dive Training Magazine.
All the other magazines kind of looked at as his competition, like, oh,
got a radio show about diving there, they're just going
to take all our ad revenue. Right. However, Mark Young
did not look at Scuba Radio like that when we started,
(06:25):
and we had a nice little chat and he's like,
I really like what you're doing here. This is pretty cool.
And you know, we got to give props to Mark.
He's been, you know, a godsend. There's been like a
handful of dive industry people that really helped us out
in the very beginning. Mark Young was one of them,
and his partner in crime was Jerry Beatty, and Jerry
(06:46):
at the time was really kind of like the the
main marketing guy for dive training. And so he said,
he goes Mark Marcos, let me introduce you to Jerry.
Let's set up a meeting and we'll talk to him
about scuba radio and maybe we can figure out a
way to cross market dive training and scuba radio. I
was like, my gosh, I would be amazing. I need
help in that regard. That's definitely a weak link in
(07:09):
what we're trying to do. So Mark sets up this
meeting at Oceanfest. So my first time meeting Mark Young
or meeting Jerry Betty with Mark Young I'm all excited.
I'm thinking, oh, this is going to be amazing. We're
going to join forces and this will solve the big
problem I'm having as I try to figure out how
to turn this show into a business and make a
living out of it or whatever. And we get together
(07:30):
and Jerry listens to my spiel about you know what
I'm trying to do with the show, and then he
turns to Mark Young. He says, what the hell do
you want me to do with this? I don't get it.
I got too much craft to sell already.
Speaker 6 (07:42):
Beat it.
Speaker 2 (07:43):
Yeah. Yeah, He's like, beat it, kid, you bother me. Yes.
It was hilarious and also rather disappointing for me, But
that said, he didn't blow me off. He said, look,
I don't know if I can do this sale thing
you're talking about, but let me mull this over. And
he came back to me. He says, you know what, Greg,
(08:06):
let's do this. We're gonna go to Cayman Islands. I'm
gonna take you under my fen and I'm gonna show
you the ropes a little bit on how you take
your show and introduce it to the dive industry. And
Loan bought you know, me and Jerry went on this
trip for a few days in the Cayman Islands, became
quick friends and I'll never forget it. And from that
(08:28):
day forward, I mean literally I'd talk to Jerry probably
once every week or every other week. We would be,
you know, comparing notes on the phone. So, you know,
this is a tough one. But it didn't start off roses,
I guess, but that was typical Jerry. It didn't matter
whether you liked it or not. If you had something
(08:50):
that you were passionate about, he was going to do
what he could to help you. And so you know,
this is a tough, tough week for us, but we're
gonna like on some of those little stories. And that's
just one of thousands that I've had. Usually when it
came to Jerry was usually over Tito's and soda, which
(09:12):
he also introduced me two years ago, by the way.
So that said, let's bring on the rest of the crew.
Speaker 7 (09:18):
Here.
Speaker 2 (09:18):
We cj in the studio as usual, but we got
the scuba radio scuba squad made up of Barry the Bugger,
Casey the tobacco nut, Jerry the diver guy that he
two tanks, and then we got some special guests with us.
Catherine Castle, Steve Weaver is with us. I don't know.
I'm not sure we've had him on before. So we're
(09:39):
going to talk with all these folks and including Lois,
a good friend of Jerry's this week is with us
as well, and he is well. We'll get to it
as we continue on celebrating the life of Jerry Vada.
Speaker 1 (09:55):
And he's the worldwide scuba radio network.
Speaker 2 (10:00):
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Speaker 3 (11:00):
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show and podcast logo with official Scuba Radio.
Speaker 8 (11:06):
Merch merch is short for merchandise, No shot.
Speaker 3 (11:10):
Thank you, very helpful. We've got more than ever at
Scuba radio dot com.
Speaker 1 (11:14):
I like it sweet.
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We're talking high quality, sharp looking scuba radio hat shirts, hoodies,
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That's a mouseful.
Speaker 3 (11:30):
It is a lot of scuba radio swag.
Speaker 1 (11:32):
Big time, lots of stuff.
Speaker 9 (11:34):
Speaking of which, tell them about the scoob radio stuff
for women divers.
Speaker 3 (11:38):
We didn't forget about the ladies. We've got women's leggings,
crop top te's and tons more stuff for women.
Speaker 8 (11:44):
I rock myscuba radio merch all the time, tons of.
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Compliments, flexio ries, what represent the drip? Just don't the
biggest assortment of scuba radio merch ever, get yours now
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Speaker 6 (12:13):
Scooter would be prepared to ring for guy.
Speaker 1 (12:16):
Your surface interval is complete. You are now clear to
dive with Scuba Radio. The world's first radio show devoted
to diving.
Speaker 9 (12:27):
Dive, dive, dive.
Speaker 2 (12:32):
It comes out Greg, he's a scating man.
Speaker 3 (12:34):
Fis He's Greg the dive Master.
Speaker 9 (12:38):
What you're doing in my water?
Speaker 1 (12:40):
The show is a disaster.
Speaker 6 (12:43):
I got something to show you.
Speaker 3 (12:45):
He's Greg the dive Master, the Master, dive Master, dive Master,
dive Master.
Speaker 5 (12:55):
I'm all Greg, pleas to matchime guard.
Speaker 2 (13:05):
Oh bitchy, this is the world's first radio show devoted
to diving. I am Greg to dive Master. Jerry loved
that ridiculous nonsense. I mean it never failed to amaze me.
The nutty crap we do on this show weekend and
week out, and Jerry I'd get every time i'd go
(13:25):
to him, I always think that all we've went too far,
and then he'd just go, oh, he just give me
the eye roll, he goes, you guys are crazy. I
love it. Ah. So, yeah, we are reflecting on the
life of Jerry Baby who passed away this week and
we miss him dearly, big, big supporter. He's a big
(13:47):
reason why the show is done as well as it
has over the years. But I will never be able
to repay what he's done for me personally too, and
we want to reflect on some of the stuff that
he is he's done over the years, or just you know,
talk about some of the stories, the adventures that we've shared.
(14:08):
He's been on many scuba radio scuba cruises with me.
We've traveled around the world. I mean one of the
last big adventures I had with him was in the
Maldies and Red Sea. We saw him at the Scuba
Show just a few months ago as he was getting
back from Bali, and yeah, he's going to be so missed.
(14:29):
But we're going to reflect on some of the adventures.
And we got quite a crew with us today. You know,
obviously I have so many stories to share. This isn't
going to be able to be covered in just one show.
It's just going to come out as it comes for me.
But I want to go to some other folks in
(14:50):
the dive industry that I know he had just as much,
if not even more of an impact on. And we're
going to start with Catherine Castle, who is worked with
Jerry at Dive Training and probably even before that, I assume,
Or is that where you met him initially, Catherine or
what what do you think?
Speaker 1 (15:08):
Yeah?
Speaker 8 (15:09):
Actually, hey, Greg, my story is very similar to yours.
So Jerry came into the industry in the seventies when
he was doing sun tours during the wholesale dive travel agency,
and I came behind in the early to mid eighties.
But our paths hadn't crossed until nineteen ninety seven when
(15:33):
Mark Young hired me to work as an editor for
Dive Training magazine. So Jerry had already been there. He
came in ninety six, he'd been there a year, and
it was a little ticked off that Mark Young hired
me without running it by Jerry.
Speaker 2 (15:48):
Yes, that so sounds like he probably said, what are
you doing? Hiring this hand model.
Speaker 8 (15:54):
That's well, there you go.
Speaker 2 (15:56):
That's what she was back in the day, a hand.
Speaker 8 (15:58):
Modeled back in the day arts model.
Speaker 3 (16:00):
Yeah.
Speaker 8 (16:01):
So Jerry calls me up and he's like, stree Castle,
drink cancel, Hi, Stacy, who the hell are you? And
I'm like, excuse me. He's like, I know everybody in
this industry and I don't know you. Yea, so tell
me who you are. And I was like, uh, well,
I know a whole lot of people in this industry
(16:23):
and I don't know you, So why don't you start
tell me who you are? And then he said all right,
and he proceeded to tell me about Sun Tours and
all Sun Tours and his work as a manufacturer's rep
and the sales rep for a lot of different things.
And so he was explaining how he knew everyone from
(16:46):
the Caribbean to Colorado to Dema and all over the place.
And he's like, I don't know anybody that knows you,
and who are you and how did you get here?
Like I was kind of an impostor that he was
gonna like, you know, live Yeah, And finally we landed
on we had someone in common who could actually vouch
(17:08):
for me, and that was Betty Hurd from New Mexico.
She's a long time retail dive center owner. She's passed now,
but she came to the Virgin Islands to open a
dive center. She was a great friend of Jerry's because
he called on her at her dive center, and so
not only did she vouch for me, but she called
(17:30):
me and said, don't you let him give you any bs.
Just like, the minute he starts flinging anything your way,
you just you just stand right up to him because
he's going to test you. And are like, really, because
mark you, I already did a lot of that and
I'm kind of done running the Bautlet. But then Jerry
came back around and he said, well, I checked you
(17:51):
out and I'm happy to have you on the team.
And in that moment he said, if there's anything I
can ever do to help you, you let me know.
And then he proceeded to help me every which way
ever since that day in nineteen ninety seven, he became
(18:13):
the other brother. I was born with three of them,
but he became my other brother and looked out for me.
And I know for certain Jerry Baby fought for me
in rooms I wasn't in and he had my back,
but he also came face to face and was very
(18:34):
upfront with me on so many things that we learned
together and grew through, not just professionally in the diving
industry and magazine publication, but also personally in our individual
challenges and our individual triumphs. To have someone like Jerry
(18:59):
with that boot voice just call you up out of
the blue and say Cec, I love you, and you
knew it, and I'm so thankful that that was the
last thing he ever said to me. Just a couple
of weeks ago, I was texting him every day I
love you, I love you, I love you, just just
every day, just a little text. And one of those
(19:21):
days he was feeling well enough that he actually called
me up and he just said, you see, I love you,
And that's all we got, but it was everything we
traded that and I said, Jerry, I'll leave the porch
light on for you, and you know, get yourself sorted
out and come visit me in the Azores. So now
(19:42):
he's going to have to do it from a different
vantage point, but nevertheless, I'm glad he figured out who
I was, and I'm really honored and blessed that he
took me in. I'm be Whether I liked it or not,
that was you didn't get to choose. I posted online.
(20:04):
He didn't make friends so much as he just colmdeared people.
If he cared about you, he grabbed you, and resistance
was futile. You couldn't you couldn't get the loose of that.
You know, you're just gonna get stuck in it, so
you may as well go with it. And I feel
(20:26):
just really really lucky to have had him help me out.
Speaker 2 (20:30):
Yeah, well, I know you're not alone, Catherine. I mean,
we got more people with us that want to share
some stories about the life and times Jerry Batty. That's
what we're doing on Scuba Radio today. Stay close, divers,
(20:59):
adventurers and ocean lovers, Get ready. DIMA Show twenty twenty
five is coming to Orlando November eleventh through the fourteenth.
It's the one event where the entire dive industry comes together,
from the latest dive gear and technology to travel destinations
and training, connect with fellow pros, discover new opportunities, and
be a part of the community that drives our sport forward.
(21:19):
Don't miss it. DIMA show twenty twenty five, November eleven
through the fourteenth at the Orange County Convention Center in Orlando, Florida.
Register now at dimashow dot com. Power, simplicity, reliability, It's
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(21:42):
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Speaker 1 (22:08):
Excuse would be prepared to ring for guy. Your surface
interval is complete. You are now clear to dive with
Scuba Radio, the world's first radio show devoted to diving.
Speaker 9 (22:27):
Dive, Dive, Dive, I have big, big news for you.
Speaker 1 (22:34):
So what is this big big news?
Speaker 2 (22:41):
This is the world's first radio show devoted to diving.
I am Greg the dive Master. C J in the
studio with me. Kind of a different show today, but
we're still uh. I mean it's I think it's going
to get more up uplifting as we continue on. You think, yeah,
I hope it's cathartic for you. Oh it is. I mean, really,
(23:02):
the show is kind of therapy for all the people
that Jerry Batty touched over the years and supported. I mean,
Catherine said it very very well, and it's interesting you
had that same kind of initial reaction from him that
I got. He didn't really know what to make of me.
He was very nice, but he did not do anything
(23:22):
remotely what I expected, which I thought he was going
to embrace me with open arms. It was more like,
what are you crazy? I don't get this scuba radio nonsense.
I don't have time for this crap.
Speaker 5 (23:35):
But then it's been it's been how many years now,
and people still walk up to us and go, what
is this show about?
Speaker 2 (23:42):
Right? Great idea, but that'll never work. Was that was
what Neil Watson said back in the day. Jerry wasn't
quite as he was a little actually more vocal than
Neil was. Kept Neil kept that thought to himself for
the first five years of doing the show, and then
he spilled the beans. But Jerry was a little bit
more upfront initially, but like I said, you know, after
(24:05):
we had that initial meeting, we quickly became good friends.
And he did so much, you know, just just became
such a good friend. Uh and and once again was
one of my go to guys in the dive industry.
And Jerry knows so many people in the dive industry.
I don't think there's anyone else I've ever met in
(24:26):
the dive industry that knows as many people as Jerry does.
I mean, it's Jerry Is.
Speaker 5 (24:32):
When I first met him, there was a three year
span where we didn't run across each other. Yeah, and
walking past each other in a dema show, he stopped me,
remembered my name and shook my hand right well.
Speaker 6 (24:45):
You know what I mean, remembered everybody's name.
Speaker 2 (24:48):
He really did. I mean, you were wearing a name badge.
Oh that was there could have been that might have
been to go away and he wouldn't have led onto
that either, that been one of his sales techniques. But
he he honestly did know everybody. I mean, and you
can see that. It's so prevalent, like on Facebook and
right now, I mean just the internet is just blowing
(25:10):
up for people who are just learning about this and
just a testament to all the people that he touched
throughout the years. And like I said, for me personally,
he introduced me to so many different places. I mean,
you know, Dive Fest on Dominico was one that he was.
You know, he kind of introduced us to going there
(25:30):
back in the day and I just fell in love
with that place. And he kind of said, this is
one of my favorite islands here. I'm gonna take you
over there and show you the ropes. And we went
to these places and just just blew me away. But
that was kind of I mean, Jerry was all about
paying it forward. He had been in the industry. He
knew so many people, but he was always looking for ways,
like you say, Catherine, to lift people up, and especially
(25:53):
people new to the industry. And once he kind of
grabbed hold of you, he's like, here, let me show
you some cool stuff. Well, he had to educate you.
Speaker 3 (26:01):
He doesn't want this dope on the radio doesn't know
what he's talking about.
Speaker 2 (26:04):
Well there's that maybe, you know, he was trying to
help us.
Speaker 8 (26:09):
One thing I want to point out is Jerry knew
everyone on the sales side of what he did with
all Sun Tours and also with sales repping for a
lot of different products, and then later with Dive Training
Magazine and Dive Center Business and then California Diving News.
But he also served in so many different ways. He
(26:33):
did quite a lot of work on a variety of
different nonprofit organization boards. See of Change is one that
comes to mind. I served with him on ref Renewal International,
and he also served on the Shark Research Institute Board.
And he served on a lot of different development panels
(26:56):
for boards of tourism throughout the world, particularly in developing
nations where Jerry had such a vast knowledge of tourism
and recreational scuba diving tourism that he volunteered to go
in and basically workshop tourism with developing nations and YAP
(27:20):
is one of the areas that he was most recently
involved dominant Advisor to Dominica exactly. And that wasn't money
in his pocket, ork that was service. That was work
that he did in service of our industry. Because his
life's goal was that people would learn to dive, love
(27:44):
to dive, and then love to explore the world. So
he didn't just start from the diver end of it
on equipment and travel. He went to the destinations and
taught them how to welcome tourists. So he was is
truly a bridge in terms of connecting recreational divers to
(28:07):
really incredible sport diving and live aboard diving literally all
over the world, and a lot of people don't know that,
and a lot of people have him to think when
they've actually gone and visited a diving destination, it might
be because Jerry Baby was there first and he helped
put the place on the map.
Speaker 2 (28:26):
That's right. Yeah, And once again that's what he did
for me quite a bit. He'd say, hey, yeah, you
need to go here.
Speaker 9 (28:32):
Can I say something about his dedication to all that?
Speaker 2 (28:36):
Absolutely? Lois Hatcher And by the way, I wanted to
say Lois has been there with him for the last
month or so and is very close to Jerry. And
our hearts go out to you too, specifically, Lois, because
I know it's been extremely hard for you.
Speaker 9 (28:52):
Well, that's one of the reasons the lights are so low, Is.
I haven't had much sleep and I've been doing a
lot of crying.
Speaker 2 (28:59):
Yeah to understandable.
Speaker 9 (29:01):
Yes, up until last week, like just a few days ago,
I got Bill Acker on the phone to talk to Jerry,
and Jerry's biggest concern was about the situation of the
board and who they were going to get to replace somebody.
Speaker 1 (29:19):
Who had just quit, and that was Jerry.
Speaker 9 (29:22):
Here he is strapped in the hospital, like you know,
in his bed. I won't describe it any further than that,
but that was on his mind. Was he needed to
get this job finished for Bill. And Bill was one
of the many people like Steve and Greg and so
many others that looked at Jerry as more than just
(29:44):
a person that they did business with. He was like
their brothers, his brother from other mothers, you know. So
he had a huge, huge family out there as well
as business and work associates.
Speaker 2 (30:00):
You mentioned Bill, and I will say, you know, I've
been talking to Jerry about going to YAP for the
last two years, and uh it's you know, and it's
all because of Jerry. And then I've gotten to know
Bill and we keep talking and we've been trying to
work out the schedule to make this happen, and now
it's just gonna make it that much more important for
me to get over there and see what Jerry's been
(30:21):
bugging me about for probably the last five years. He's
always like, you got to go to Yap, You gotta
go to Yap. We're gonna get you over there, and
that kind of stuff. So I'm gonna go over there.
I'm gonna get that. I'm gonna make that happen. And
I have no doubt Bill and I are going to
be raising a glass on that ship restaurant and keeps
telling me about on the island of Yap and uh
(30:42):
smoothing our friend the meneu. Is that what it's called? Yes, okay, Lois,
So I figured you would know, right, Yeah, Yeah, Well, Lois,
thank you for being with us. We also have Steve
Weaver and I want to talk to him. I'm not
sure we've ever had Steve on scuba radio before. I've
known about his travel business there in Colorado for years.
(31:02):
He's like a kind of a big deal, and I
can't I'm not sure if we've ever had you on
scuba radio, have we, Steve. Well, it's my mistake and
I apologize for that, but I'll tell you what. We're
going to take a quick commercial break and then we're
going to talk to Steve because I know he goes
way back with Jerry Batty. Probably a lot, you know,
(31:24):
connected to this travel type of stuff that Jerry was
always pushing and trying to promote for the industry and
for these tourism boards throughout the world. But we'll get
Steve's thoughts and then you know, run around the horn
with all the Scuba Radio Scuba Squad as well, talking
about our adventures with as we celebrate the life of
Jerry Batty. Next stake class.
Speaker 1 (31:54):
He's the worldwide Scuba Radio network prepared for guy. Your
(32:15):
surface interval is complete. You are now clear to dive
with Scuba Radio, the world's first radio show devoted to diving.
Speaker 6 (32:26):
Dive, Dive, Dive, pulla.
Speaker 4 (32:34):
I am signy from Arles S. Davini our case a
waita and also a spat therapy. You are listening to
Scuba Radio, the world first radio show devoted to diving.
I am also the official messuse for the Scuba Radio
Scuba Squad. And by the way, Jerry the dive Guy
as the Jesus but chicks I've come.
Speaker 6 (32:53):
Across in years.
Speaker 4 (32:55):
Oh, Jerry, I will love be the same.
Speaker 8 (32:59):
All right.
Speaker 2 (33:00):
Just for the record, that is Jerry the diver guy,
not Jerry Batty that has the juicy butt cheeks according
to Sony and Fiji.
Speaker 1 (33:08):
But sounds like I have competition. Huh. We don't have
to worry about that today.
Speaker 3 (33:13):
You know, Greg, that was the dirtiest trick ever in Greg,
that was just dirty.
Speaker 2 (33:18):
Wow, Just be thankful it was you that.
Speaker 6 (33:22):
I'm not thankful it was me.
Speaker 2 (33:24):
He'll be like having juicy butt cheeks.
Speaker 6 (33:27):
Just remember payback for you know what.
Speaker 2 (33:29):
Greg, I don't know what that means. I have no idea.
All right, look silliness aside, We are reflecting on our
adventures with our good friend Jerry Beatty. Steve Weaver is
with us today for the first time on Scuba Radio,
and I once again I apologize Steve. We have not
had you on the show before, but I've obviously I've
(33:51):
tracked your contribution to the dive industry over the years.
It's been pretty substantial, especially in the travel world. But
welcome to Scuba Radio. Under I wish it was under
a better pretense, but you wanted to come on today
and share maybe some of your thoughts on Jerry Beatty
and your past experience with him, or what Steve? What
(34:13):
do you think.
Speaker 7 (34:14):
Yeah, for sure. And first of all, thank you so
much for having me Greg. I know, of course you
were a good friend to Jerry. He spoke about you often.
Speaker 2 (34:23):
To me, Well, don't believe all of it, please.
Speaker 7 (34:27):
Well I could write a book, oh no. But he
also was a big supporter of scuba radio. When Catherine
told me you were doing this today, I was very
interested in participating. Jerry, like Lois said, was a brother
from another mother to me.
Speaker 6 (34:47):
Yeah.
Speaker 7 (34:48):
I opened a dive store in Boulder, Colorado in nineteen
eighty three, and back in those days, the industry didn't
really think Colorado existed as a dive area or a
place that there could be diving or dive shops. Jerry
was one of the few reps that saw the potential
(35:09):
of Colorado, which has now become one of the largest
diving communities in the country. But Jerry saw the potential
there right away as a sales rep and was one
of the first reps to call on me at my
dive store. We were both kind of trying to be
bigger than we were, or tried to make the other
(35:30):
one think we were bigger than we were. He was
trying to shove tag Hoyer watches down my throat, and
I was telling him they were too expensive, and so
we went back and forth on that, but eventually became
really good friends. One of my funniest memories of him
was at a DIMA show when he was repping Sports
(35:53):
of Australia. If you remember that company, they made a
suit out of a product called Darles, which wasn't neoprene.
It was a film layer between two layers of like
grow that was touted as being as warm as neoprene.
And but he was also at the same time repping
a company called Telos that had neoprene wetsuits, and I
(36:17):
had appointments with him at both of the companies, and
we started at the s A Boots Sports Sports US
to Australia, and he's just just loudly stating how neoprene
is dead in the dive industry. Nobody's wearing neoprene anymore.
I mean, this is the wave of the future, darleks.
The new material is where it's at, and neoprene is dead.
(36:41):
And then we walked across the aisle to the Telos
booth and he started pitching me on neoprene wetsuits. I'm
like Jerry, didn't you just tell me the neoprene was dead?
And he goes, we were sometimes you got to work
both sides of the aisle.
Speaker 2 (36:56):
I can still hear that.
Speaker 6 (36:58):
That was Jared, That was totally Jerry.
Speaker 7 (37:02):
Fast forward several years, we opened our own hostel travel
company dream We were traveling, and uh, Jerry became a
mentor to me at that time because, as Catherine has stated,
he had all Son tours with his wife Sean at
the time and it was a hostel travel company similar
(37:24):
to what we were doing, and so he and I
had many, many conversations about how to run that business,
the pros and cons and we uh, we really he
really supported me a lot in that endeavor. There were
(37:44):
multiple times that we would have phone conversations. Actually, almost
every time we had a phone conversation, if it didn't
last at least an hour, there was something wrong. And
we used to laugh about it because you know, I
would have my time around, he would have time around,
and if like we were ready to end the conversation
at fifty minutes, it's like, no, no, no, we have
(38:06):
to do at least an hour every time we talk.
And we did that inevitably, and I always looked forward
to those talks. I have to say, I don't think
there's anybody in the dive industry that's been in the
dive industry for any length of time that didn't know
Jerry Baty. I mean, that's how well known he was,
(38:28):
and because of the reasons that have been stated and
I'm sure will continue to be stated. For many years,
he was just a people person. I mean, he got
along with everybody, He was friendly to everybody. He very
rarely said anything bad about anyone. He was open to
(38:50):
new ideas, open to friendships, open to creative concepts. He
and Catherine and I were talking recently about doing something together,
which I'm a little disappointed will not happen at this point,
at least with the three of us, maybe with the
two of us. But he was always looking even as
(39:16):
long as he was in the industry, and as long
as I've been in the industry. You know, we were
both always looking for ways to make the industry better
and not kind of sitting on the laurels of the
industry the way that things were looking at ways that
we can improve things and build relationships and grow the industry,
(39:40):
which is what we're all about.
Speaker 6 (39:44):
He got me.
Speaker 7 (39:46):
Encouraged me to run for the Demon Board, which he
served on for I believe two terms. I'm just finishing
up my second term now. But I was lucky enough
to work with him for one year on the board
before his term was up. And again that brought a
lot more discussions about the industry and about DEMA and
(40:09):
pros and cons et cetera. Yeah, he was a great
guy and I was lucky enough to talk to him
on Tuesday, the day before he passed, and I forget Lois.
You might remember because you were there. I was talking
to him about something and he called me out on
(40:29):
on BS.
Speaker 6 (40:30):
I guess I can't say the S word.
Speaker 2 (40:32):
No, you should not please.
Speaker 7 (40:35):
He called me out on BS for something I said,
which was again which shows just goes to show Jerry's
sense of humor. In the state he was in at
that point, he still had the with I guess to
call me out on something that I said I thought
was really funny. But yeah, dear, dear friend. And he's
(41:00):
going to be missed many and we're actually trying to
put together something at the DIMA Show this year for him.
Speaker 6 (41:09):
I don't know if this is the right venue.
Speaker 2 (41:11):
Well, I think it's the perfect venue. I mean, because
you know that's where Jerry was at his best. He
was like the energizer Bunny. I think that's his nickname
actually to a lot of people in the dive industry,
a demon, because he would be you just see a
blur that white hair of his and he just blurred
by you. I loved it. And yes, there is some
chatter that we're going to do something at the DIMA Show.
(41:33):
I can guarantee you there's going to be some event
or some celebration at the DIMA Show and we're working
out all the details now. All right, Look, hour or
two of Scuba Radio is on deck. We're going to
talk to some more folks that want to reflect on
the life and times of our good friend Jerry Beatty,
including Mark Young. Maybe the dive God might be joining us.
(41:54):
Neil Watson to stick around hour or two on deck
at the world's first radio show voted to dive.
Speaker 3 (42:00):
And no, if you be passive there, you want to
be there on.
Speaker 8 (42:07):
Radio out.
Speaker 1 (42:12):
Media, Scuba Radio is a production of overboard entertainment and corporating.
This seems the logical place for fish to congregate. Remember,
you could listen live, or to archives of past editions
of Scuba Radio worldwide over the internet at scuba radio
dot com.
Speaker 6 (42:28):
Oh we're in international waters.
Speaker 1 (42:30):
Indeed's houl, tell a brand and buddy up with your
radio every week for Scuba Radio, the world's first radio
show devoted to diving. Well, it's all very nice yet,
but we should be going. I miss me wife in
me oxygen. Yes, we all miss our loved ones and guts.
Let's go.
Speaker 2 (42:48):
The opinions you just heard on Scuba Radio are those
of the hosts, callers, and guests. Okay, you know what
I just heard.
Speaker 9 (42:55):
Blah blah blah blah blah blah blah blah blah blah blah.
Speaker 2 (42:58):
They're not necessarily those of any state or network, it's
management or advertisers. Come on, Scuba diving does involve risk.
It should never be conducted without proper instruction and training.
Speaker 8 (43:09):
What's the worst thing that could happen? I could die?
Speaker 2 (43:11):
Have any questions or comments? Feel free to do so
via the web at scuba radio dot com.
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