Have lived my whole life in the Pacific Northwest and I really enjoy it here. I knew that the first time I went underwater that this was now going to be my new home away from home you might say. I completed my first step to the underwater adventure in 1977 at Clark College through Underwater Sports in Vancouver, WA. Before I finished my training I was already working at the dive center, I started out mending wetsuits. I took every possible type of training, purchased all my scuba equipment before my open water training dives and went to any seminar that�was about�diving that I could. I eventually was a full time employee and staff member of Underwater Sports. I then worked my way up to Assistant Instructor, and then took that very rewarding step as an Scuba Instructor in 1982.
My two most valuable mentors in diving are Tom Hemphill and Tory Van Dyke, they both truly taught me the wonderful diving world. I still keep in contact with both of them that's how much they impacted my life. I was also taught many values in diving, such as etiquette, respect for myself, respect for others, responsibility for all my actions, to really enjoy life in the diving world. When I teach scuba diving I pass this on to all who will listen and I am always educating everybody including myself. I really enjoy working with new students. Some instructors forget what it is like to be a student. I also worked in the manufacturing field making neoprene fishing waders and dry suits. I started working at Rodger's Pacific Watersports sports in 1988 and purchased it in 1991; present name is now Pacific Watersports. This store has been in business and at the same location sense 1982. I want my customers to feel comfortable, relaxed and excited about diving. This sport is about having fun and the social aspect is huge. I have dedicated my life to the underwater world of scuba diving and to teach the exciting adventure of this sport. I am a PADI Master Scuba Diver Trainer Instructor, teach many types of specialty courses, have traveled many tropical destinations, and really enjoy what I do and the people in this sport.
My favorite place to dive is Canada. People do not realize that Pacific Northwest diving has a lot to offer; we have the largest docile octopus in the world and the awesome gentle wolf eel. I like to look at diving as an underwater adventure, kind of like hide and seek. Sea life tries to hide and we have to find it, there's more life then most divers realize. I have other interest in life such as; staying in shape, so what time I have remaining in the day is spent at 24 Hour Fitness. I feel that it is our responsibility to keep our self as divers and especially professionals in this sport in good physical condition. I hope you love this sport as much as I do because it is truly unique. It is the only sport that you go into a total different environment.
I WANT TO KEEP YOU DOWN UNDER THE WATER- Laurie J Hannula
