The members of the Underwater Adventure Seekers are committed to ongoing education and training. There are club standards for all members but each club member sets individual goals related to the sport of recreational diving and to underwater archeology. There are members who specialize in underwater photography, underwater videography, fish identification, reef conservation, spear fishing, wreck diving, and those who have availed themselves of opportunities to instruct others in rescue diving, navigation, and the like. Because the UAS is the founding club of the National Association of Black SCUBA divers, it has been an inspiration to other clubs under the NABS umbrella.
OUR HISTORY
(UAS), a Washington D.C. based organization, was founded on February 25, 1959 by Dr. Albert José Jones after finding existing scuba diving clubs in the area were more than a little reluctant to admit and train potential Black divers. It was clear that a need existed to train Blacks to become divers. Strong swimmers and athletes such as Maurice Jackson, Donald Green, Sylvester Dory, Molester Foxworth, and Donald Thomas did not mind the potential rigors of scuba training. This group was trained and became the core club members.
consisted of, as it does now, pool and quarry training followed by numerous recreational dives. The Howard University pool served as the site for the first training. Armed with updated scuba technologies from U.S. Navy diver Chet Longworthy, Dr. Jones was able to conduct a successful training which allowed the club to learn that “good swimmers make good divers”.
neither of the current diving organizations, Professional Association of Diving Instructors (PADI) or the National Association of Underwater Instructors (NAUI) existed. Consequently, the British Subaqua System formed the basis for UAS members training in a no-nonsense system resulting in independent and well-trained divers.
the Atlantic Skin Diving Council (ASDC) of Washington D.C., responsible for monitoring scuba diving activity in the area, accepted UAS as a member organization resulting in distinguishable impacts on the organization specifically in improved skill levels and leadership capability. The Council learned quickly that all UAS members were well-trained. UAS and its members were able to gain recognition and demonstrate their valuable contributions as a result of Dr. Jones’ critical position in key Council offices such as vice president, spear fishing chairman, rodeo chairman, and chief training officer and certifier. Emerging as excellent divers, Lorenzo Milner and Jimmy Thorne graduated with honors from the Council’s first instructors course and later went on to hold office in the Council.
were instrumental in changing things other than views about Black divers. The rules for spear fishing and rodeo competition were also changed. As a result of UAS members being involved in setting policy for the Council, their participation in the Scuba Rodeo Competition is well documented by a UAS member placing first in the competition for five consecutive years during the late sixties and seventies.
