Were Any of Us Ever Really This Young?

The certification cards appearing below belong to Underseas Scuba Center founder and co-owner Bruce Hootman. The one in the back is Bruce’s original PADI Open Water Instructor card, issued in 1975. In the foreground, you see one of Bruce’s original diver certification card from 1974.

In the early days of PADI, Advanced Diver was analogous to todays Open Water Diver. Shortly after receiving this card, Bruce got his “Senior” Advanced Diver rating (today’s Advanced Open Water Diver) and, not long after that, his Divemaster rating.

You gotta love the hair…

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