10024 Co Rd 81
Maple Grove, Minnesota 55369
763-424-8717
Ron Benson
Started
diving as a NAUI Jr. Open Water certification in 1974, became active with
a group of advanced divers called the Argonautes. 1978 NAUI Assistant
Instructor, 1982 YMCA Scuba Instructor, 1984 attended Divers Institute
of Technology for deep see commercial diving, 1985-1990 worked Vet's Salvage
as commercial diver, 1985 PADI Scuba Instructor, 1986 U.S. Coast Guard
charter captain, operated Lk. Superior North Shore shipwreck charter service
1985-1995, 1986 Authored Ice Diving Techniques a manual for diving under
ice, 1991 PADI Medic First Aid Instructor, 1992 PADI Master Scuba Instructor,
1993 opened Going Under Dive Center, 1994 IANTD Nitrox Instructor, 1995
& 1996 trained with Tom Mount in Miami Florida for IANTD Technical
Nitrox - Trimix diver certification, 1996 IANTD Nitrox Instructor Trainer,
1997 cave diver training Ginny Springs Florida, 1997 Technical EANx
& Gas Blending Instructor, 1997 Founding member of Great Lakes Shipwreck
Preservation Society, 1997 DAN Oxygen First Aid Instructor, 1998 TDI Nitrox
- Extended Range Instructor, 1999 Dräger Rebreather Instructor,
1999 TDI Trimix Instructor, 2000 Founded MN chapter of Classic Heavy Equipment
Operators Group for Mk V deep see gear, SDI Instructor Trainer, 2001
Fully Closed Circuit Rebreather -Inspiration, Trained with Tom Mount -Full Cave
Closed Circuit Rebreather, 2002 Inspiration Fully Closed Circuit Rebreather
Instructor, Normoxic Trimix CCR Instructor. 2003 Megalodon CCR Instructor,
Trimix Level III CCR Instructor, NAUI Deep Stop
Decompression Workshop, KISS CCR Instructor. Currently working on Archeological Assessment of Shipwreck Gunilda
located in Rossport Ontario, 1975-2003 logged 4500+ dives....
|
Short, Fat, Proud Of That! |
1984 using superlite 17 |
Diving with Tom Mount on the Reefcat 1993 |
 April 2001
Seattle, WA |
Often caught in Deep Thought |
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After diving for a couple decades with open circuit and commercial helmets, I discovered my first rebreather and have not looked back! I started with Semi-Closed and am currently diving four different styles of Fully-Closed rebreathers, wow are these things cool.....
My passion for diving shipwrecks led me to deeper and deeper wrecks that required me to carry an enormous amount of gas in multiple cylinders. Today I carry only two tiny cylinders and a small bailout cylinder that last for several dives regardless of the depth!
The shipwrecks in the Great Lakes, including Superior and Michigan, are some of the finest in the world. The cold water has preserved them to an almost unbelievable state, and the lack of looting means that today you can still see artifacts on the wrecks. During the winter when I am not traveling to the ocean I can be found under the ice at local lakes or quarries.
Favorite dive destination: I have fond memories of diving in Washington States Puget Sound, with an incredible display of marine life including: seals, octopus, wolf eels, Dungeness crabs, scallops, ling cod.... Truk Lagoon is my favorite site for ocean shipwrecks, as the spectacular display of soft corals and the historical significance offsets the decay from salt water. Having just returned from diving at Cocos Islands with Big - Big marine life, I may have to revise my priorities.
Planning cave penetration at Devils Ear
2001
Ron / Leon Scamahorn / Tom Mount
Ginny Springs, FL