You may recall that during Fr. Rob’s spring 2024 sabbatical, he spent much of the time under water – literally. A lifelong SCUBA diver, Rob travelled to several dive locations to experience the wonders of God’s creation, beneath the surface of the ocean, that most people never get to see. And it’s that last part that Rob wanted to change.
One of the outcomes of Fr. Rob’s sabbatical was the initiation of the St. Paul’s Young Adult SCUBA Team. For the past few months, seven young adults from St. Paul’s have signed up for the Team and embarked on a structured Open Water Diving course funded by grants and donations. The training consists of three parts, and the Team has completed two of those: an online learning component and dive sessions in a pool. The third and final part of their training will be actual ocean dives that will take place soon.
What’s next for St. Paul’s SCUBA Team? Plans are underway for a trip to Florida to dive with Dr. Bob Sluka, Lead Scientist for A Rocha’s Marine Conservation Program. Rob describes Dr. Sluka as a curious explorer, applying hopeful, optimistic and holistic solutions to all that is ailing our oceans and the communities that rely on them.
The SCUBA Team: Maggie Bacon, David Johnson, Christian Lopes, Gabrielle Morton, Alex Ofori, Kristen Scheeler, and Patrick Scheeler
We’re all looking forward to hearing about God’s underwater wonders that our SCUBA Team experiences!
Photos by Dick Shafner