Name: Rob Shields
Residence: Edmonton, Alberta Canada
Birthdate: September 22 1952
Life story so far:
I arrived in Canada from my native Scotland at the age of two years and life has been good since then. I opted for life experience over formal
education and began my wandering at an early age. I have been involved
in everything from real estate to marketing, to the broadcast industry. Eventually life led me to a steady real job in the corporate world which I stuck at for 15 years. Although the company was good to me and the steady job allowed me to raise and educate my children, it was not what I wanted to do. I was faking it. Recently I took the leap. I traded my business suit for a wet suit, and now I'm doing all the things I love. I am looking forward to another 54 years of good times.
Favorite things you’ve discovered:
Some of my favourite things can not be mentioned here. My best times are when I am with the people I love. I enjoy big meals together with friends and family, I love to jam, sing and make music. I'm a big fan of good wine and rum. Laughing long and loud, traveling the world, scuba diving, and spending time with real people is enough for me. Oh yeah, I like big bags of money too.
Why diving?
Sea hunt, Jacques Cousteau and Flipper were my favourite
shows while I was growing up although it took me 50 years to get into the water.
Good things about diving:
Diving is magnificent. It is both relaxing and exhilarating at the same time. Every dive is different and surprising. I love the freedom of weightlessness and the feeling of flight. I relish the camaraderie of diving in a group. And I enjoy the constant learning about diving and life in the sea. There is also a more personal benefit. I suffer from tinnitus, a constant ringing in my ears. When I dive, the bubbles and my breathing
cover the sound and gives me a blissful escape from the ringing.
Bad things about diving:
Humans can cause destruction wherever we go.
Diving encourages everyone to take the plunge. The bad thing is that not everyone is aware or cares about their impact on the fragile marine environment. We must realize that as divers we have a huge responsibility to the health of the reefs and the economy of the locales we visit.
Why GreatDives.tv?
I created the show to escape from my routine life and do something exciting and challenging where I could be in control and express my own creativity. I want to build a world team and audience to share the fun of diving and the excitement of travel with people I know. Also, I want to show others who may feel tapped and unsatisfied with life that it's never too late to become yourself.
Future plans:
I plan to continue to let it flow, roll with the punches, have faith in those around me, hope for the best, prepare for the worst, and see what happens. I am indebted to my children Lindsay, Gina, and Tony who tell me to go for it and to my wife and number one partner Teresa. Why she allows me to wander off for weeks at a time to participate in a risky sport in third world countries I'll never know. It must be love.
