LONG ISLAND, New York (28 Jan 2004) -- If Larry Gerber were to say his business is taking a dive, that would be a good thing - considering his niche is scuba diving. He and his wife, Susan, own Seascapes Dive Center in Syosset. Open daily, the facility, complete with pool and retail space, provides scuba instruction, sells gear and organizes trips. Gerber, a certified instructor, explains that it takes a period of time and a progression of courses to become a certified diver. And there are many types of diving, so people can find their own comfort zone. "The cool thing about being an instructor is the ultimate joy of transferring your knowledge to someone who doesn't know what to expect," says Gerber, who especially enjoys working with beginners. He also enjoys "turning people on to the beauty of what is going on under the water." Gerber became hooked on the sport in the late 1980s when his friend suggested they give it a try. "I fell in love right away," said Gerber, who notes he's always been a water person. "Just the mere fact that you can breathe under water is amazing." For him, it was a continuing process. "I was hungry for it, so I soaked up as much information as I could." His transition from diver to instructor took about two years. Gerber, who owned a small electronics company at the time, eased into the diving business, starting with a commercial dive boat out of Captree, on Suffolk's south shore. He truly wanted to teach, though, and said that in order to do that, he needed a retail location. | | In 1990, Gerber opened Seascapes in Smithtown, and he moved to Syosset a couple years later. "People say you can't make a business out of a hobby ... [that] is a fallacy." Gerber, who's busy year-round, says, "The business chugs along very nicely." The type of day he has depends on the season. From mid-April until the end of September, the business involves opening the store, preparing equipment for divers and handling retail sales. In winter, divers come in to learn and to practice, and he's busy organizing individual and group travel. Classes are provided six nights a week year-round, and they even do birthday parties for kids. "We give them mini-instruction. They put the equipment on, play underwater games and take underwater photography ... " So when do the Gerbers get a break? Though they get away for the annual trade show and take an occasional group trip, those respites are still work. But they manage to go on a real vacation in the winter. This year they are off to Papua New Guinea, where Gerber says the coral and marine life are spectacular. Although he's been on many exotic trips, Gerber is a big fan of the Cayman Islands because it's easy to get there, life is laid back and the islands offer great diving. Gerber stresses that you don't need to dive deep to find great beauty in the sea. "Most of the coolest things you will see are in shallow water." SOURCE - Newsday |
