More Info
Interested certified divers can apply at tnaqua.org/volunteer-opportunities/volunteer-diver.(New divers are brought in once a year.)
“Just put your face in the water and breathe.”
I’ve always dreamed of swimming with the fishes. But when Dave Reidenbach – or Big Wave Dave, to those who know him – strapped me into diving gear that would have weighed 45 pounds out of the water, I was suddenly a little less certain that it could be that simple.
Reidenbach travels around the country to introduce anyone comfortable wading into water to try diving, hoping to prove to them it is just that easy. And he’s right. By the end of my half-hour inaugural swim in a practice dive pool at the Tennessee Pavilion, I felt ready to take on deeper waters and see some fish, although I’m sadly still far from qualified to get to do so, since multiple steps, from course work to a dive test, are required for certification.
Big Wave Dave’s purpose for passing through Chattanooga and setting up a 15,000-gallon “Go Dive Now” pool at the Chattanooga Market was about more than convincing people they could breathe underwater. It was a way to reach out to passionate divers who may want to gain the opportunity to experience incredible dives at downtown’s doorstep, but are unaware of the opportunities to do so through the Tennessee Aquarium’s Volunteer Dive Program.