Most divers have had the opportunity to view small wrecks, and many of us have made our way to famous sites like the USS Oriskany in Pensacola, or the wrecks of Fiji’s Truk Lagoon. A surprising number of divers today work to acquire advanced certifications and dive deeper, penetrate wrecks further, and stay below the surface longer than ever before. It’s with the help of people like Gary Gentile, a pioneer in the field of wreck diving, that we gain the knowledge and skill required to explore these magnificent sunken time capsules. Here, we’ll take a look at the life and career of a man who has helped the sport of diving become better for everyone who enjoys it today.
An Extraordinary Wreck Diver, Author, and Photographer
Of the many thousands of dives Gary Gentile has made, more than 200 of them took place on diving’s Mount Everest – the Andrea Doria. He was the first diver ever to make his way into the first-class dining room, where he recovered pieces of fine china in exquisite condition. He also dove into the ship’s gift shop, recovering hundreds of souvenirs, including pieces of valuable jewelry, which he ultimately restored.
At the beginning of the 1990’s, Gentile was instrumental in integrating wreck diving with mixed-gas technology. When he dove 380 feet to the wreck of the German battleship Ostfriesland, a whole new world opened up to wreck divers. In 1994, he participated in the Lusitania expedition, gaining even more expertise. It is Gary Gentile who is credited with penning the first books on technical diving, with his series Primary Wreck Diving Guide, The Advanced Wreck Diving Guide, and The Ultimate Wreck Diving Guide.
In addition to writing his own books, he has amassed and shares with others a huge collection of books, drawings, photos, plans, and original material on ships and shipwrecks, with a primary focus on wrecks along the U.S. and Canada East Coast, along with the many wrecks found in the Great Lakes. He has conducted numerous archaeological surveys, and he has been responsible for rescuing thousands of artifacts, which has led to his position as a leading authority in underwater artifact recovery techniques. Rather than keeping items for himself or selling them, he ensures they are protected underwater or publicly displayed at museums and exhibitions all over the planet, thus helping to promote the sport of diving and responsible wreck stewardship.
Gentile lectures extensively, conducting seminars on high-tech dive equipment, advanced wreck diving techniques, and wreck photography. In addition to the many non-fiction works he has written on the subjects of nautical history, wreck diving, and shipwrecks, he has also written science fiction and adventure novels.
When he’s not diving, you’ll find Gary Gentile enjoying numerous outdoor adventures including kayaking, rock climbing, and trekking deep into remote wilderness, capturing everything for later inclusion in presentations for public and private groups of all types. It is with gratitude to Gary Gentile and others like him that we express our deepest thanks. Without adventurers willing to lead the way, our sport would undoubtedly be much less exciting than it is today.