Gary Gentile — Deep Wreck Diver Text by Michael Menduno. Photos courtesy of Michael Menduno and Gary Gentile. Black and white images are by Joel Silverstein. Gary Gentile not only helped Pennsylvania, explains pioneer deep wreck diving, but the early development “Deep diving also documented its art and of deep wreck diving and the impact that is a matter craft, in addition to his finds so the advent of mixed that others may follow in his gas technology was of mind, not footsteps. They are big shoes, having on the com- munity. You can find physique.” err, fins to follow. The 66-year his writings and photo- explorer and author has made graphs at www.ggen- over 2,000 decompression dives tile.com. (—ed.) including more than 200 dives “Deep diving is a mat- on the Andrea Doria, and has ter of mind, not phy- published 58 books—38 on div- sique.” Gary Gentile ing including his best sellers, should know. As one of the pioneers of deep The Technical Diving Handbook, wreck diving, Gentile, Shadow Divers Exposed, and a 20-year veteran, shipwreck Dive Guide series, has logged over 1,000 along with 17 science fiction decompression dives— 70 on the Andrea Doria novels. He has also published alone—and spends six more than 3,000 photographs. months out of every The man is truly prolific! year diving wrecks from the eastern seaboard His latest book, NOAA’s Ark: the Rise of to the Great Lakes in the Fourth Reich, which was released in the United States. May 2013, details the National Oceanic When he’s not div- wreck diving circles. tell a pioneer from the arrows in his Quiet and self-directed, with a ten- and Atmospheric Administrations efforts ing, Gentile, 44, father of one, is busy at Long regarded as one of the crazies, back,” Gentile’s depth is easily recogniz- dency to keep to himself, Gentile gained to expand and restrict access to divers the library researching lost ships, giving Gentile began his deep diving career able. With a well-worn pair of Beuchat notoriety through his protracted six-year and sportsman to the U.S. National lectures, or writing. With 16 titles under back in the early 70’s, and was regu- Pros strapped to his console, double battle with the federal government to Marine Sanctuaries. It’s a battle that his belt, including seven science-fiction larly making hour hangs before recrea- over-pumped Gen 100s, a Luxfer Slim 30 dive the USS Monitor, a civil war ironclad, Gentile’s been fighting for nearly three novels and two new shipwreck guides on tional divers could even pronounce the pony, a 300-foot decompression reel, 16 miles off the coast of Cape Hatteras, decades since his successful six-year bat- the way, Gentile’s writing is as prolific as “D-word.” Since helping put together his and a rust-covered BC that’s seen its North Carolina, which was declared tle with the federal Government to dive his 200-feet plus working dives. One of his first charter to the Doria in 1974, he’s had share of flooded corridors, Gentile is as a National Marine Sanctuary in 1975. the USS Monitor back in the early 90’s. books, Advanced Wreck Diving Guide, a lonely sojourn waiting for the rest of the comfortable shooting turrets alone at 250 Recounts Gentile, “It’s what I call bureau- Here is this 1991 interview reprinted in its which covers everything from decom- industry to catch up. Perhaps it finally feet as he is explaining, in methodical cratic territoriality. The people at NOAA original form from aquaCORPS N3 DEEP, pression techniques to artifact recovery, has. detail, the history and stature of a ship who are working in the Marine Sanctuary Gentile who now resides in Jim Thorpe, has become almost a bible in serious Like the old adage, “You can always he’s planning to dive. Program feel they own the wreck. They 45 X-RAY MAG : 59 : 2014 EDITORIAL FEATURES TRAVEL NEWS WRECKS EQUIPMENT BOOKS SCIENCE & ECOLOGY TECH EDUCATION PROFILES PHOTO & VIDEO PORTFOLIO profile Gentile local people—the people in dive clubs— techniques and looked at me as a madman. I’ve gotten developed my back on the boat many times only to own, just like eve- have people say to me, “What were you rybody else does. doing down there? Why were you just Wreck diving tends hanging on the anchor line?” to be an evolving People didn’t know anything about sport; everybody decompression dives. And those who who gets into it did didn’t approve because I was doing looks at what other long decompressions. It wasn’t that I people are doing liked decompression diving; it was that I and adds his own wanted more bottom time. I was willing little improvements. to sacrifice for it. I got into that as well. I was really How did you get trained in decompres- fortunate to get sion? in with a group of expert divers. I had the good fortune of falling in with a small group of divers who were doing Would you say that deep decompression dives. At the time, deep wreck diving deep was considered 160, 170 feet. as practiced today That was the group I first dove the Doria is fairly safe? were there. And that’s just one area. The with back in ‘74, and we took a lot of same is true all around the country. flak for it. People looked at us as crazies Absolutely. It’s much safer than it was. because we were doing dives no one Of course, it all depends on your level Communication has been a problem, else would do. of expertise. The people that are serious then? That’s how I picked up most of my about diving deep wrecks and doing don’t want private sector encroach- Interestingly enough, Gentile’s July early experience in the water—the things decompression are as comfortable with A real problem. Most wreck divers are ment. They look upon it as their wreck, victory dives on the Monitor were con- I wasn’t taught in courses. I studied their what they’re doing—probably more just doing their own thing. They’re not and they view me—the public—as a tres- ducted as practice runs for a deep dive comfortable—than the seeking publicity; they’re not in it for an passer.” on the Ostfriesland, a German battleship common tourist reef diver ego trip (some are, of course, but most But the Monitor battle was more than lying in 380 feet of water, which he and who dives to 25 feet, but aren’t). So, there’s not a lot of publicity a struggle for the diving public’s right his diving partner, Ken Clayton, success- only goes to Florida or the about it. of access; it became a struggle for the fully conducted on mix a month later. Caribbean once a year, recognition of technical diving as well. His motivation? “It’s about freedom,” and is out of shape. Would you say it’s a competitive field, NOAA refused the 11 permit applica- explains Gentile, “a battle I’ve been people looking at what others are doing tions filed by Gentile and others on the fighting all my life. There will always be How many serious wreck and wanting to be the “first” or wanting grounds that diving the wreck, which lies people who’ll tell you, ‘You shouldn’t divers are there? to be acknowledged? That’s certainly in 220 feet of water, was too dangerous be doing this. It’s dangerous. It can’t be the case in the cave diving community. using ordinary scuba, placing it beyond done.’ That’s their problem. I just want to I’m finding, as I travel the limits of sport diving. live my life the way I want to and for me, more, that there are It’s funny, when I first got into diving, I Gentile’s court victory earlier this year that’s what these dives are all about.” many thousands. For thought it was the greatest sport in the and long-awaited permit to dive the example, when I first world because everyone was working Monitor was a professional and personal aquaCORPS: Gary, you’ve been on the traveled to the Great with everyone else, and everyone was vindication. The verdict? NOAA’s stand- cutting edge of wreck diving for 20 years Lakes a couple of years trying to see that everybody had a good ards were deemed antiquated and and you were one of the first people to ago, I discovered a safe dive—no competition. I very quickly failed to account for advances in diving dive the Andrea Doria back in 1974. Did whole new group of found out that wasn’t true. technology and techniques. Furthermore, you take a lot of heat for your diving wreck divers I had never There were people who wanted to be the court found that Gentile and his col- back then? known existed. I was the first to discover a wreck, or the first to leagues were wrongly and improperly astonished at how many collect an artifact. Artifacts have ruined classified as recreational divers. Gary Gentile: My entire diving career, the good deep wreck divers more friendships than anything I know. 46 X-RAY MAG : 59 : 2014 EDITORIAL FEATURES TRAVEL NEWS WRECKS EQUIPMENT BOOKS SCIENCE & ECOLOGY TECH EDUCATION PROFILES PHOTO & VIDEO PORTFOLIO profile Gentile which the diving is conducted. you say most wreck divers are well equipped? What are the skills and expertise required to be a serious wreck The average wreck diver diver? isn’t equipped—not for tech- nical diving.