ScubaRadio 10-4-25 HOUR2

This hour the tributes continue as we celebrate life of Jerry Beaty. Looking for HOUR1?

Episode Transcript

Speaker 1 (00:04):
No, hello there, don't be alarmed. We're just referring your
listening device for Scuba Radio, the world's first radio show
devoted to diving. We do this, of course, by fielding
your radio with water. We're proficient. Thanks to me. You
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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. Called your buddy and tell them that Scuba
Radio is about to be given.

Speaker 2 (00:36):
We're going to start a new life under the sea.
Am I gonna drown? Of course not.

Speaker 3 (00:43):
Just stay calm and let the gentle currents relecture every muscle.

Speaker 2 (00:49):
Under the Just get warmer. No, no, heg you take
done 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.

Speaker 4 (01:07):
And welcome now our two of the world's first radio
show devoted to diving. Little different show than normal, not
that any of our shows are normal, but this has
been a tough one for the dive industry. This week
we lost our good friend Jerry Beatty. And also I
didn't mention this earlier, but Michael Mnduno from an in

(01:29):
depth magazine he passed away this week too, and he
was a titan in the industry, especially when it comes
to the tech diving world especially, and so we I mean,
we literally lost to diving legends. And I didn't know Michael,
as I did not know Michael very well, but I

(01:51):
knew of him and I knew what he had contributed.
And there's a lot of stuff online about Michael too.
And Catherine Castle is with us, gather you knew Michael too,
You want to say anything about him and uh losing
him this week or what do you think?

Speaker 5 (02:09):
You know?

Speaker 6 (02:09):
It's interesting because Jerry and Michael had so many traits
that were practically identical. They were they were like bookends
from the recreational and manufacturing side and the technical side
with magazines in the middle, because they both really devoted

(02:31):
the rest of their careers to the publishing side of things.
And Michael was also one of those guys who, when
I first came on seen in technical diving was very
much like Jerry just super welcoming and like, if I
can help you out, let me know, And then he did.
And sadly, we had a meeting setup for this DEMA
to discuss my helping out with some in depth stuff

(02:55):
that we're just not going to have that one this
So that's another hole to fill at DIMA. So we're
all gonna those of us that are in the industry
and are going to be at that show are just
going to have to prop each other up when we
need it.

Speaker 4 (03:11):
No, no doubt, this one's going to be a little
harder than normal, but hopefully by then, I mean, we
got a month and a half to kind of process
this a little bit and focus on more of the
fun memories that we have of our friend Jerry Batty,
and our hearts and prayers go out to Michael and
his family and friends. I mean all the tributes online.

(03:32):
Like I said, personally, I didn't know him very well
at all. I know we crossed paths the same thing
because I you know, we don't deal that much in
the tech world, but I knew people that knew him
all the time. And it's sad to see any of
this and just knowing how hard it's been for us
to lose Jerry. I know there's a big group of
people out there feel the same thing for Michael and

(03:54):
Jerry for that matter.

Speaker 6 (03:55):
But that says a lot about the diving industry. Whether
we're creational or technical, or magazines or underwater photography or manufacturing,
there is a common thread that weaves through everyone's scuba story.
And we're a very unique industry in that regard. That

(04:16):
doesn't matter what branch of the family tree you're on,
the scuba diving industry as a global entity is one big.

Speaker 4 (04:25):
Family, absolutely. And you know when we meet at all
these dive events, whether it's STEMA or the Scuba Show,
and you know we're not diving where we're this is
the time where we're putting on our social hat, networking
that kind of thing. And I will say, you know, Jerry, baby,
God bless him. He was my favorite drinking buddy. I
ain't gonna lie that boy could pound him. I'd never

(04:49):
understood how he could do it and still function the
way he did. But I learned a lot from him
on how to pace myself. And like I said, his
drink was Tito's and soda, and I think it was
when we were in the we were in Egypt together
and it was really hot and I remember, you know,
coming off the dive boat and we had some time

(05:10):
to kill it a local watering hole and I was like, gosh,
it's hot. I don't know what to drink. He goes, man,
this is what you need. Drink Tito soda and I
was like, what what is that? And I took a sip,
like yeah, this is kind of refreshing and it still
gets you there and it was like the perfect booze
drink for hot weather. So I drink it to this
day and it's supposedly the one of the healthiest alcohols.

(05:35):
Is that right, CJ. You're into that kind of thing,
are you?

Speaker 3 (05:37):
Yeah? My go to is Vodkatonic, so very similar.

Speaker 4 (05:41):
Very similar.

Speaker 3 (05:42):
So yeah, though I've been telling you that for years
and you don't listen.

Speaker 4 (05:45):
Oh, I wouldn't listen to you. But of course, I
mean he has had a little more stick down. No, yeah, well, yeah,
no one listens to Kuyt Johnson. Yes, yes, Lois.

Speaker 5 (05:58):
I just have to say that Jerry used to say
that people would say when he died, yeah, at least
he quit drinking, so true.

Speaker 7 (06:09):
That was one of his favorite jokes.

Speaker 4 (06:11):
Yeah. And by the way, he knew Tito from Tito's vodka. Yeah,
he told me that story. It could have been a lie,
but I'll tell you what, it was a great story.
But he said, no, I was with the guy and
he kept having me try this vodka. You think I
got it? Now, now go back and work on this.

Speaker 5 (06:27):
So he was never let lie get in the way
of a good story, exactly.

Speaker 4 (06:31):
And so to this day, as far as I know,
that's the truth. He knew Tito, and he said, because
you know, Tito's vodka came out.

Speaker 3 (06:39):
Of Texas, it makes sense.

Speaker 4 (06:41):
Yeah, and he knew him, and he said he would,
you know, make up these concoctions and maybe he knew that. Uh,
Jerry Beatty was a vodka connoisseur and figure, if Jerry
likes it, I might have something. And he was one
of his consultants back in the day. And so there
you go. But way, I mean, we've had experiences with

(07:02):
Jerry Batty over the air cj WA.

Speaker 3 (07:03):
Yeah, I didn't know him as well as you guys did,
but I would see him at the DIMA Show, the
Scuba Show, and we finally got to hang out and dive.
I think it was Grenada. Was a Grenada trip, right,
and just what a what a great guy, so welcoming
and laughed at all our stupid shows.

Speaker 4 (07:22):
He tolerated us like this guy's okay. Yeah, definitely, And
I don't.

Speaker 3 (07:27):
Think I've ever met a Texan I didn't get along with.

Speaker 4 (07:29):
Well, that's true, I mean he I mean he had
that big boomy voice too, been way better radio voice
than I.

Speaker 3 (07:35):
Yeah.

Speaker 4 (07:36):
Well yeah, that goes without saying.

Speaker 3 (07:38):
And we went on another trip he was on too,
I can't remember. We've been on so many. Yeah, but
I think Grenada was the first one where to hang
out with him and talk. And I think we're waiting
for something, waiting to go to another hotel, or waiting
for them to set up lunch or something somewhere we
had to wait, so we just hung out.

Speaker 4 (07:57):
Yeah, and yeah you did. He would talk to anyone
and just you just go on for days. Jerry the
Diver Guy had the same name as Jerry Betty, obviously,
and they bonded in ways. It probably I'm not sure
if Jerry Betty liked it as much as Jerry the
Diver Guy did. I'm not sure. What do you think Jerry.

Speaker 2 (08:17):
Well there's stories about that.

Speaker 4 (08:19):
Yes, yeah, but you would see uh Jerry Betty Edema
and all the shows, and you'd give him a big
shout out.

Speaker 8 (08:28):
And then the very first time that I ever met
Jerry was at Beneath the Sea. This is way before
you Greg. Yeah, we went up there, a bunch of
us went and I.

Speaker 2 (08:46):
Was like, oh, look it's Jean Michelle Gustau.

Speaker 8 (08:48):
Oh well it was Jean Michel.

Speaker 4 (08:54):
Jerry Bay that's right. Yeah, I mean, Jerry used to
get confused with John Michelle Gusta quite a bit it
and then Jerry the diver guy, made sure he remembered
that every single time he saw him.

Speaker 9 (09:05):
Well, it's not only that we were you know later
on when you you showed up in the picture. Yeah,
you you know, you introduced me to Jerry, but I've
done met him several times.

Speaker 4 (09:19):
Jerry's like, oh, I know Coustell. That's Coustell right there.

Speaker 8 (09:24):
He always laughed about it because he remembered me confusing
him that one time, and it just it's just stuck.
And yeah, you know, we become we've become good friends
over the years, and and then you know, diving with
him on the live aboard with with Lois at that time,

(09:45):
and he calmed me into doing a model station forward.

Speaker 4 (09:48):
Okay, that's not my blocked out. Uh so we're not
even going to go that. Maybe Mark Young might be
joining us next, stay close.

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Speaker 4 (12:54):
This is the world first radio show to vote diving
and Rick Dive Master. Reflecting on the life in times
of our good friend Jerry Patty who passed away this
past week. I got to dive, got Neil Watson with me.
Who is I mean? Neil and Jerry are are honestly well,
there's a couple other folks, but those are pretty much

(13:15):
the go to guys I've had for for me when
it comes to just you know, as a soundboard. I
call up and I'm having some issue of some Mermaid drama.

Speaker 2 (13:24):
What do I do?

Speaker 4 (13:26):
I call it Jerry Patty, Eric call him Neil, Neil?
How you doing, buddy, how you holding up with this.

Speaker 15 (13:31):
What do you think, Hey, the man, I'm I'm trying
to in the whole thing. Just at this point, it's
just so real. I mean, yeah, you know, Jerry, Oh,
Jerry and I go back close thirty five or forty years.
I'll be Jerry actually worked for me. He was my

(13:52):
sales rep that I had my you know, die franchises
all over the Caribbean. Then had a key to my
house and I mean live or half the time where
he was in in this area, right, you know, we
we uh we shared the same birthday.

Speaker 14 (14:09):
It's different years of birth.

Speaker 15 (14:11):
But but both both born no longer the ninety than
years apart.

Speaker 4 (14:15):
Yeah, I mean, and those were some of the best
times we've ever had. I was talking to Neil about
this earlier in the week and reflecting on some of
those birthday parties there was it was it figured what
fifteen years ago, was that the one that Jerry got
together and we had this massive blowout at your plates.

Speaker 14 (14:34):
I was turn in seventy and Jerry was turn in sixty. Yeah,
and uh and I said, Jerry, we we we got
to make this special. Uh huh and uh And it
was it was special.

Speaker 15 (14:47):
I had I had at least three hundred people my house.
I mean, we had hit set up outside, you know,
barbecue bands.

Speaker 14 (14:59):
It was it was absolutely amazing.

Speaker 15 (15:02):
I mean people people said, you know, I don't even
know this many people, you know, but it was. It
was truly the who's who of the diving industry.

Speaker 14 (15:14):
I mean, it was just unbelievable.

Speaker 15 (15:15):
Between you know, my friends and Jerry friends and our
mutual friends.

Speaker 14 (15:20):
And of course every every year we would.

Speaker 15 (15:23):
Try to play something, you know, and uh, and if
we couldn't be together, we would we would do a
little toast each other whatever on our mutual birthdays.

Speaker 4 (15:34):
Yeah.

Speaker 15 (15:35):
But yeah, Jerry was he was seen with one of
the kind of pioneer, a legend. I don't think there's
another person in the diving industry. Those many people in
the diving industry, including me. I mean, you know, between
his time as a as a rep and then his
time would dive training and dives in their business and

(15:57):
traveling all over the world. I mean, uh, if so
many contacted me about about, Hey, I'm thinking about a
trip and Junior, if we go, what do you suggest,
I'd say.

Speaker 14 (16:08):
I got right back to you. I called Jerry.

Speaker 15 (16:11):
Yeah, I mean Jerry Jerry was the go to guy,
the new new every place and everybody and in the
in the thirty five or forty years I knew Jerry.
I can honestly say, I can't recall one time one
person had a negative thing to say about the man.

Speaker 14 (16:35):
And I can't. I can't think of a better, better.

Speaker 4 (16:44):
Thing, better human being. Yeah, well, you know, I can
think of one thing that wasn't great about him. His driving, Uh,
he can. He scared the crap out of me and
Dominica and yeah, I don't know if you remember that.
I mean when we went to i'm an Eca for
diefest Neils me, you and Jerry, Yeah, yeah, and I

(17:05):
and I remember I was really surprised because the road
especially then were really scary.

Speaker 6 (17:11):
You know.

Speaker 4 (17:11):
It was part of the charm of going to an
island like Dominica. Just getting to the hotel was uh,
I mean it was like a Disney ride or something.
And you go around these one lane roads around a
cliff where if you take a you know, you take
a wrong turn, you're you're gonna be down there in
the gully someplace. I mean it's steep. And he would

(17:33):
he he would rent a car and drive himself, and
he'd go like ninety miles an hour around these corners
and I was like, what the hell, No, I'll drive
with Simon.

Speaker 15 (17:42):
All right, Okay, I've never been sea sick, but I'll
tell you what I had. I had to tell him
to stop the car because I thought I was gonna bark.
I don't think I don't think there is I don't
think there's one hundred feet of street.

Speaker 14 (18:00):
Flat road down there.

Speaker 4 (18:02):
That's true.

Speaker 15 (18:03):
It is like unbelievable, and and of course the ladies
have problems driving and Jerry, yeah, it was scary.

Speaker 4 (18:13):
And I remember what was that when we went to
Dive Fest. I mean, I know Jerry was involved with
Was that your thing? Or did he actually start that?
I don't remember. It was me, you and Simon Walsh, right, yeah,
But was it Jerry's initial thing that he tried to
put that together with Simon and then we got roped
into it.

Speaker 15 (18:33):
No, I know Simon was he was out of the
Dive Association down there, right, and and I think it
was him and Jerry that that came up with the concept.

Speaker 4 (18:44):
And God and say hey help us out with this
something like that right there?

Speaker 14 (18:52):
Yeah?

Speaker 15 (18:52):
Yeah, Well, I had an operation down there at the time,
and uh oh yeahan oceanic oceanic was all you know.

Speaker 14 (19:02):
Yeah, it was what a great what a great trip
that well.

Speaker 4 (19:06):
And but that was saying Jerry is was great at
like bringing people together from different elements of the dive
industry and because he because he knew everybody like you
you you know everybody too. But I mean, Jerry is
just like crazy on another level. I think you know,
I was just he was always helping everybody, you know,
like I said, lift everybody up and do more in

(19:29):
that regard. But but I know, you guys were great
friends even way before I met him. And uh man,
we're gonna miss him. But next time we're together, Neil,
we're definitely gonna be raising a glass to our friend, are.

Speaker 15 (19:42):
We Absolutely absolutely, I'll I treasured the times in my
because Nebo, Uh you know my backyard, right We've told
We've told many a Minnie and Dives story. Having a
cocktail by.

Speaker 4 (20:01):
Well, I mean Watson. The Watson Weston was a usual
stop for Jerry Batty when he was in South Florida,
So we had to go Mitz Hilton that would usually
handle the scuba radio crew and the Watson Weston a
lot of times would host uh, mister Batty. But but yeah,
good times, my friend. Thanks for sharing. Appreciate it, Neil.

(20:22):
We'll see you, see you real soon. Okay, buddy, Okay,
thank you so much. You got all right, the dive God,
Neil Watson. We got more coming up. We get the
Hawk with Gypsies with us now and we're gonna run around,
uh with some of the other Scuba Radio scuba squad
and share some memlies of our good friend Jerry Batty. Next,
stay close as a guest, leave as a friend. It's

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Speaker 2 (22:14):
Preparing for guy.

Speaker 1 (22:16):
Your surface interval is complete. You are now clear to
dive with Scuba Radio, the world's first radio show devoted
to diving.

Speaker 4 (22:27):
Dive, Dive, Dive.

Speaker 14 (22:32):
Dad, What are you doing in there?

Speaker 16 (22:34):
I look these fish right in the eye, and they
look back at me, and and and they see right
through me. They know who I am.

Speaker 1 (22:47):
These come on to you.

Speaker 4 (22:54):
This is the world's first radio show devoted to diving.
I am dreg to die master. Okay, so we're reflecting
on the life and times of our good friend Jerry Beatty,
who passed away this week. And the guy responsible for
me meeting Jerry in the first place is Mark Young
from Dive Training Magazine, his partner in Trime from Crime,

(23:16):
from that fine organization and Marks with us right now.
And Mark I already told the story that when we
first when you introduced me to Jerry, he was going
to see about helping us with scuba radio, and he
kind of after I gave my little pitch about the show,
he kind of looked at me and then he turned
to you, go, what the hell you want me to

(23:37):
do with this? I don't remember. I don't know if
you remember that, but I do vividly. And despite that
awkward first encounter, we became very good friends, and of
course he had a big impact on scuba radio and
everything we've done ever since. But you knew him way

(23:58):
before then. So I mean, what are your thoughts, what
can you share? What do you think?

Speaker 2 (24:03):
Remind me what year you started?

Speaker 4 (24:05):
Greg, Well, it was ninety seven we're talking. I mean
it was at Ocean Fast where you introduced me to
Jerry the first time we had a meeting and some
restaurant or something while ocean Fest was going on, so
I'm thinking it was like ninety eight, might have been
ninety nine. It was very early on doing the show. Yeah.

Speaker 2 (24:27):
The reason I'm asking this because you said I knew
him a lot longer than you did. Right. In fact,
I think I first met Jerry in ninety five.

Speaker 4 (24:35):
Okay, Well, it's.

Speaker 2 (24:38):
Kind of an interesting story that I probably never told you. Yeah,
but I had started Dive Training Magazine in ninety one.
First full year was ninety two. I didn't have any salespeople.
It was just kind of me running around all over
the place in the Caribbean and all over the US
trying to sell advertising for and of course we were

(25:00):
a dive store based magazine, which was unique, and the
whole thing was in support of thy retailers. Dive Training
was not how to put on your fins magazine. It
was oceanography. It was all fish history. It was it
was it was everything that was educational that people want
to know about when you go underwater. So anyway, I
was at a dive show. I think it was the
Denver Dive Show. Jerry, I don't know if you've told

(25:23):
this story. Was an industry rep so I think at
the time, he worked for Cressy Sub. He was the
industry reps at the time were all self employed and
they picked up lines, so he was he was Sea dive.
He was a big sicco watches. I think he I
know he was Cressy Sub with it was his big line.
He did see and see cameras and his territory was Texas,

(25:46):
New Mexico, Colorado, that that section of the country, right,
And I think I met him at the Denver Dive
show and we got talking. He said, hey, Mark, he says,
I can't tell you since that magazine you're doing it's
so good for retail. It's probably one of the best
thing that's happened to him because he used it with
his students. And he says, you know what, I've always

(26:08):
been self employed. If I ever ever thought about working
for anybody, it would be that magazine. I said, really,
he goes, and by the way, you look awful tired.
I said, what, he goes, you look kind of you
look kind of worn out. Yeah, what are you doing?
I told I told him running around a lot and
still getting trying to get the thing going. And he says,

(26:28):
any time, do you think you ever want to hire
somebody I'm ind And within two weeks, within two weeks,
he was visiting all his suppliers and telling them, Hey,
I've just taken a job, and he went to work
with us. When I think when in thirty days he
was with the magazine thirty years later.

Speaker 4 (26:49):
So yeah, while you guys are kind of connected at
the hip while you were running that place.

Speaker 2 (26:55):
And in fact, I'll tell you one other things of all,
Jerry never uh, you never really knew much about Jerry
because he never talked about himself. And he told great stories,
but his stories were he was more inched than the
people he was working with and the people he's working for.

(27:16):
He never bragged one anything. He was all about the
people he was with, which was absolutely you don't see
a lot of people like that. And and but when
Jerry worked for me, he used to say, hey, boss,
He used to call me boss. Used to drive me nuts.
I hated that name. But I was thinking back, I
can't think of one thing I ever asked him to do.

(27:38):
I can't think of one question I ever had for
him on why did you do that? He was his
own guy. Yeah, and he he was just I felt
like I worked for him. He was. He was that
self sufficient and that motivated and not dedicated, and he
was just a He was unbelievable. Unbelievable, so obviously became

(27:59):
we we were more friends than we were.

Speaker 4 (28:01):
Yeah. So when you first met him, he turned to
use it you look.

Speaker 2 (28:05):
Terrible, said thanks, dude.

Speaker 4 (28:10):
Well, like I said when I first met him, when
you introduced me and I get you said okay, tell
him about scuba radio, and I did, and I was
all excited because I thought he was going to be like, yeah,
we could sell this too and work together. And then
he just turned to you goes, what the hell you
want me to do with this? I was like all
the air was just let out of me, and I

(28:31):
was like, oh, craft, this did not go how I
expected it.

Speaker 2 (28:34):
But I should think. I think his exact words were,
what can anybody do with me?

Speaker 4 (28:39):
Exactly that very well, maybe accurate, but he didn't totally
blow me. He just said no, he said, let me
let me think about this. And then a few weeks
later he invited me on a trip to go to
the Caymans and kind of took me under his fins
and tried to show me the ropes. He goes, I
don't know if I can sell for you, but I'll
introduce you to people and you can sell yourself. Yeah,

(29:01):
and he did that immensely and just we became good
friends like everybody else in the industry. So yeah, he
he is so going to be missed, and yeah, it
just kind of sucks. There ain't no doubt about that
part of it. But did you ever get on any
amazing dive trips with him? Mark? I would assume you did,
But I mean I was busy traveling with him to

(29:24):
the Maldives and Red Sea and doing all kinds of
crazy stuff. What about you.

Speaker 2 (29:28):
It's funny, it's funny once once I introduced him around.
So with the first month, he and I just hit
the road and I introduced him to people on the
East coast because that was he was calling on the
agencies in New York for the magazine, and then obviously
all the people in Kirasa, Aruba, Bonair. I took him
all around all over the place to introduce him, right, uh,

(29:52):
and then he took it from there. So we did,
we did. We did a fair amount of diving in
the early days, but after that not much.

Speaker 4 (29:59):
Yeah. Together, it was mostly business networking at the shows
and and magazine and all that kind of stuff, right.

Speaker 2 (30:06):
Yep, running around to having it having a good time.

Speaker 14 (30:09):
We had.

Speaker 2 (30:09):
We had tons of good times and laughs, and no doubt,
it's just when he was on the way. In fact,
I got to tell you, I think when he was
on business he didn't do a whole lot of diving.
He was mostly covering covered ground and in.

Speaker 4 (30:24):
Uh what was the beginning bar tab that he tried
to expense do you know?

Speaker 2 (30:29):
Oh Jesus, that was so that was something I never
complained about.

Speaker 4 (30:33):
Yeah, well I know, but uh but yeah, that was
the group you know, getting you know, at the DIMA show,
was always hanging with uh with Jerry Betty and Mark
Young and that was where the party was. That was
where you always wanted to be in the in the industry. Click.
But but Mark, thanks for Sharon. I really appreciate it.

(30:54):
And uh, yeah, we're talking about putting something together at
the DIMA show. So we'll keep you in the loop, okay.

Speaker 2 (30:59):
Buddy, terrific. In fact, I have somebody I want to
talk to you about later, not now. Yeah, they would
like to get involved in that too. There was a
good friend to his. But we'll talk about that.

Speaker 4 (31:09):
Okay, well you got it. Well we will connect down
the road. But you have a great day.

Speaker 2 (31:13):
And Greg, Greg, one final thing, I know you're short
on time. One final thing. Jerry believed in you and
what you were doing so much.

Speaker 14 (31:21):
Yeah, he just loved it.

Speaker 2 (31:23):
It's anything with outreach, but your outreach was terrific. Well
so Swiss, Jerry. Jerry was He was a fan.

Speaker 4 (31:29):
Yes, a fan, probably slightly off. That's why we bonded
so well. I think you no question, that was part
of it. I yes, okay, good stuff, all right, more
coming up, Stay close to the world's first radio show
devoted to diving.

Speaker 1 (31:54):
He's the worldwide Scuba Radio Network.

Speaker 16 (32:07):
Excuse excuse.

Speaker 1 (32:14):
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 2 (32:26):
Dive, Dive, Dive.

Speaker 17 (32:30):
I don't know why it is that all of us
are so committed to the sea. I think it's because
we all came from the sea, and it is an
interesting biological fact that all of us have in our
veins the exact same percentage of.

Speaker 4 (32:43):
Salt in our blood that exists in the ocean.

Speaker 17 (32:46):
And when we go back to the sea. We are
going back from whence we came.

Speaker 4 (32:56):
Connect. This is the world's first radio show devoted to diving.
I am Greg the dimester where we're reflecting on the
life and times of our good friend Jerry Baby and
uh yeah, I mean it's this is going as good
as I can expect it. I mean, we're just sharing
our memories, uh, and times that we spent diving with

(33:21):
Jerry and just having a good time. Any but we're hurting.
I ain't gonna lie. The Awkwa Gypsy is with us
now too, and I know she met Jerry a few
times on some of our adventures. You get anything you
want to share, Brittany, or you just want to kick
back and and kind of reminisce like we are. What
do you think?

Speaker 7 (33:41):
Yeah, you know, when I first heard the news, I.

Speaker 12 (33:44):
Was deeply saddened. But yeah, all I could I could.

Speaker 7 (33:48):
Just hear that laugh and I could hear his.

Speaker 12 (33:51):
Voice like that, you know, kind of laid back southern drawl, right,
get sophisticated. And I couldn't help but think about this
time when we were in Grenada together and.

Speaker 7 (34:03):
A couple of things. Well, one time, you know, we.

Speaker 12 (34:06):
Were with the Board of tourism, and they had laid
out the red carpet for us, and he was sitting
I'll never forget this center of the table, not like
the head of the table, but the center of the table, right,
And he made sure to speak to every single person
that was sitting at the table and have a conversation
with them, and he was he was very disciplined and

(34:27):
so incredibly diplomatic about the way in which he tried
to really involve everyone at the table. But it was
funny because then afterwards we went to a party and
we were in the Lionfish derby and all of us,
and we were so hungry. We had been waiting to
eat food. We had to eat food all day. We

(34:48):
were so incredibly hungry. And I remember it was he
and myself at CJ and we were so hungry, and
all of a sudden, we go to eat this, to
eat these lionfish tacos.

Speaker 7 (34:59):
We were so excited about that.

Speaker 12 (35:01):
And we took one bite and the second that we
took the one bite, we thought it was going to
be so satisfying. All of a sudden, we just got
a mouthful of bones and we all three of us just.

Speaker 7 (35:13):
Bursted out labbit and and and every time I see him.

Speaker 3 (35:18):
That story, I remember that. Yeah, that's one hundred true.

Speaker 4 (35:22):
That was lionfish bones.

Speaker 3 (35:27):
Greg kept telling us how great they were, and we're like, gross, dude,
these are full of bones.

Speaker 4 (35:32):
But they taste a rack of tooth if you don't
eat the bone part. It's they're very tasty. They serve
you taco with bones in it. It's more of a
it's not really a taco, it's more like a burrito wrap.

Speaker 3 (35:46):
But they don't tell you there's bones in it. Full bones.

Speaker 4 (35:50):
Well, it's then you know the bone of what you
just you know, uh call the file for a reason.
There are no bones in a well no, that's where
it's just confused. Two different things, different instances.

Speaker 7 (36:04):
Yeah, one was the roadie for sure.

Speaker 12 (36:06):
That was the chicken bone, which that was like the
almost like a like.

Speaker 4 (36:11):
But they did a line they did lionfish tacos and
didn't get the bones out of the lion.

Speaker 7 (36:15):
Fish because they were cooking so many buying fish. Right,
So that's happened again.

Speaker 12 (36:22):
So two times we got a mouthful of bones, and
so every single time after that.

Speaker 7 (36:28):
Hey, who's the last time we had a mouthful of bones?
Everything every time. I like, what was he talking about?

Speaker 4 (36:37):
So you're saying, uh so, CJ. You don't like bones
in your mouth, you don't.

Speaker 3 (36:41):
Like a correct Okay, where are you trying to go
with this?

Speaker 2 (36:44):
Correct?

Speaker 3 (36:45):
You're catching on it, don't go there.

Speaker 4 (36:49):
So, Greg, what do you think you enjoyed the most?

Speaker 1 (36:51):
It was the diving or it was meeting all these
different people throughout the world.

Speaker 4 (36:56):
Oh, I think it was both for sure, h and
probably on honestly with Jerry, and I'm kind of with
him on this, It's more about the people you're with.
He was always about that, you know, hanging with yeah,
hanging with friends. I mean he dove. He was a
great diver and matter of faver, I'll just give you

(37:17):
an example when we were in the Red Sea. You know,
I mean, Jerry knows his stuff. You know, he'd been
diving for years. You don't have to watch him or anything.
I mean, he could dive solo if he wanted, but
he'd be We were going with a group in the
Red Sea, and sure enough, we get about halfway through
the dive and he blows an over ring underwater and

(37:40):
I turn around and I see I hear this noise.
I turn around and there's just a sea of bubbles,
you know, I mean the tank Valve blue or something,
you know, the Overen blue. I've never seen that happen underwater, actually,
but it did. And they're just bubbles everywhere, and I'm like, oh,
this isn't good. But then I'm like, it's Jerry. You know,

(38:01):
he's been through everything, so he just you know, didn't
he I look at him and I see he's not
panicking at all. He's fine. He's like, yeah, whatever, dive guy,
gimme your octo, we'll go back to the boat. And whatever.
Didn't even phase him where you know, typically in a
situation like that, that'd probably you know, make someone potentially nervous.
And then another time he got separated from our group

(38:25):
and ended up coming up on another dive boat. This
was in the Red Sea too, because there was literally
like three four hundred divers underwater with us. Was quite
an experience, and it was easy to get separated as
your group is trying to go back to your boat
after the safety stop, and we had everybody was rafted

(38:47):
up against each other, and he ended up going up
on the wrong boat, but he kind of hung back
with him for a while because he had fun talking
to them, you know. So I think for Jerry, you know,
I think it was least equal the social aspects of
diving that he appreciated more than even all the cool

(39:09):
stuff he'd see underwater. But you know, I know he
loved diving, of course, and so he did everything he
could to Like Lois was saying earlier about you know,
paying it forward, whether it's bringing other people in the
industry and you know supporting them like me with scuba
radio or or you know, serving on a board for
see of Change, you know, like uh, you know Cora

(39:33):
refrustration projects, tours and boards. He was always trying to
you know, help these destinations, you know, get their voice
out to the world, like hey, we're where a place
you should come and scuba dive. It was all about, uh,
you know, giving back in that way and trying to
raise you know, raise the boat for everybody, you know,

(39:54):
by growing the sport and doing everything he could with
the contacts that he had. So and like I said,
he was he's so much fun to hang with. I
mean you could just hang out with him at the
bar for hours and.

Speaker 8 (40:08):
Oh yeah they've been a media hour. Yeah, media cocktail kickback.

Speaker 4 (40:12):
Absolutely and uh and and yeah, I don't think I
ever saw him uh be uh you know drunk under
the table. I mean he was he was like another level.

Speaker 1 (40:25):
Uh.

Speaker 4 (40:26):
I always kind of wondered how he did that and
he would be able to function that, I mean he was.
I mean he could really he could pound the vodka
vaka sotas better, you know, with with the best of them.
So yeah, I mean that's just part of the social
aspects of being in this industry we have. If anybody
could drink like a fish, it was old my it

(40:46):
was what good buddy Jerry Batty doubt about that. Yeah.

Speaker 7 (40:52):
He was also really invested in the longevity.

Speaker 14 (40:56):
Of the sport.

Speaker 12 (40:56):
Yeah, because every time we would see each other, he
would always ask me about, you know, what I was doing,
what's going on, what is the vibe of the younger culture,
how are people taking perceiving diving? You know, we chatted
a lot about obviously free diving and things like this
that are that are starting to pop up.

Speaker 7 (41:16):
And uh, but he was always so inquisitive as.

Speaker 12 (41:20):
To why more younger people are diving, you know, and
and whenever I gave my honest opinion, he was very
very good at completely understanding.

Speaker 4 (41:33):
Yeah, absolutely, no doubt about it. We got to wrap
it up. That's it, right is the time? Oh my gosh,
the show's over time. I can't believe it. I totally
lost track, just reminiscing about my friend Jerry Baby. Life
will live. And on that note, we'll wrap it up
till next time. Remember it's always better where gang.

Speaker 3 (41:56):
Did down load.

Speaker 4 (42:00):
You want to stay and no if you because you
rive there, you want to be there.

Speaker 5 (42:07):
On radio.

Speaker 1 (42:12):
Medi Scuba Radio is a production of overboard entertainment incorporating radio.

Speaker 2 (42:18):
This seems the logical place for fish to congregate.

Speaker 1 (42:20):
Remember you could listen live or to archives of past
editions of Scuba Radio worldwide over the internet at scuba
radio dot com.

Speaker 14 (42:28):
Oh we're in international waters.

Speaker 1 (42:30):
Indeed's hould tell a friend and buddy up with your
radio every week for Scuba Radio, the world's first radio
show voted to diving. Well, it's all very nice yet,
but we should be going. I miss me waiting me oxygen. Yes,
we all miss our loved ones and guts.

Speaker 4 (42:47):
Let's go. The opinions you just heard on Scuba Radio
are those of the hosts, callers, and guests Okay.

Speaker 15 (42:53):
You know what I just heard.

Speaker 5 (42:55):
Blah blah blah blah blah blah blah blah blah blah blah.

Speaker 4 (42:58):
They're not necessarily those of any station or network it's
management or advertisers on scuba diving does involve for risk.
It should never be conducted without proper instruction and training.

Speaker 2 (43:09):
What's the worst thing that could happen if I could die?

Speaker 4 (43:11):
Have any questions or comments, feel free to do so
via the web at scuba radio dot com.