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Ron Benson
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  • 1974 started diving as a NAUI Jr. Open Water certification
  • 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 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.... Email RebreatherRon@yahoo.com

 

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Short, Fat, Proud Of That!

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1984 using superlite 17 

 1 Diving with Tom Mount on the Reefcat 1993

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Often caught in Deep Thought

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April 2001 Seattle, WA

1 Ron / Leon Scamahorn / Tom Mount  Ginny Springs, FL

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.

1  Planning cave penetration at Devils Ear 2001

 

 

 
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