Meet Freddy | Diving enthusiast

We had the good fortune of connecting with Freddy and we’ve shared our conversation below.

Hi Freddy, can you walk us through the thought-process of starting your business?
I have a passion for Scuba diving and the ocean. So many people have no idea what wonder and beauty the underwater world holds. I love introducing people to scuba diving and the adventure it brings to life. When they experience it for the first time, they have so many new emotions and their excitement is contagious and fulfilling for me. We know it can be scary for some. But we share our passion, go slow and love them through it. When the light comes on, you can see it in their eyes. And lets face it, it is a whole new world. Not like watching it on TV.

Alright, so let’s move onto what keeps you busy professionally?
What we do comes from a passion to share what we have experienced. Honestly opening a dive shop in Colorado wouldn’t make a lot of sense. Its not like we have an ocean near by. But there are a lot of certified scuba divers in Colorado and we want to share our passion with them and create as many new ones as we can.

We try hard to de-mystify scuba diving. Obviously humans were not meant to breathe underwater. There can sometimes be fear attached to learning when you first begin. But we have been extremely successful in helping thousands overcome and develop their own exciting passion for the sport.

I can’t remember when my passion began. As long as I can remember. My diving history started when I was 10 years old. I became the youngest certified diver in California and went on to Join the Navy special forces as Search and Rescue. I had a successful Real Estate business here in Colorado for about 30 years but wanted to follow my passion. Instead of retiring, I bought a dive shop in Arvada and haven’t really worked a day since then. Its not work when you get to do what you love.

It is not the most lucrative business but its rewards are great in so many other areas. Divers are a unique breed. They come from all backgrounds and personality types. But we all share something very unique in this world. Less than 2% of the population dives so when we get together and share experiences, stories it is a wonderful bond.

It sounds cliché or like marketing language but I believe our passion and commitment to true caring has allowed us to become a premier Dive shop in Colorado and our Coral Key Scuba family would agree. We have such a loyal customer base that we have monthly get togethers to gather and enjoy each other over a meal at the shop.

Let’s say your best friend was visiting the area and you wanted to show them the best time ever. Where would you take them? Give us a little itinerary – say it was a week long trip, where would you eat, drink, visit, hang out, etc.
Nothing to do with Scuba Diving but the natural beauty of Colorado can’t be beat. I would try and give them a mix of our gorgeous mountains and some touristy locations like Red Rocks and Royal Gorge. Maybe an off road adventure visiting some of our old west ghost towns. Finish up with some of the more fun dining experiences that they might not have in their home town like Casa Bonita, or maybe somewhere with the Colorado western flavor like the Fort or Buckhorn exchange. I think many of our smaller mountain towns have a lot of unique restaurants that share the Colorado experience. And you can’t beat sitting around a campfire in the mountains looking at the stars.

Who else deserves some credit and recognition?
My inspiration came from my Grandfather, Lieutenant Frederick Halcomb. He was the first human to dive 500 feet deep. And was quite well known in the diving world. My generation grew up with Jacques Cousteau and that exposed me to the underwater world.

Website: https://www.coralkeyscuba.com/

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Youtube: https://www.youtube.com/Leviathan+scuba

Image Credits
All images were taken either by myself or my staff. We own all images.