October SPEAKER: WRECK DIVER EXTRAORDINAIRE
JOHN CHATTERTON
Discovery of 17th century pirate ship - the Golden FLeece
JOHN CHATTERTON
Bring a friend and join SFDI for an unforgettable evening of discovery beneath the waves!
Join SFDI Wednesday, October 7th for an exciting Evening!
Come and join South Florida Divers on Wednesday October 7th, as we meet and hear from wreck diver, technical diving instructor, commercial diver, explorer, and television host John Chatterton, who will discuss wreck salvage work in the Dominican Republic and the discovery of the 17th century pirate ship The Golden Fleece. He will also focus on some of the highlights of his amazing career. This presentation will be in person.
ABOUT JOHN CHATTERTON
ABOUT JOHN CHATTERTON
bio from johnchatterton.comJohn Chatterton has been teaching divers since 1986 and currently offers TDI/SDI training in advanced wreck, decompression, trimix, and technical diving. His background includes twenty years as a commercial diver in and around New York City, extensive deep wreck exploration, cave diving, rebreather diving, and trimix diving to depths deeper than 500 feet. He is also certified to pilot the Kittredge K250 submarine.
In 1991, John was part of the discovery and identification of the German submarine U-869 off the coast of New Jersey. The story was featured in the NOVA documentary Hitler’s Lost Sub and later became the subject of Rob Kurson’s bestselling book Shadow Divers.
John co-hosted 57 episodes of the History Channel’s Deep Sea Detectivesand has worked as a consultant for major film and television studios. More recently, he appeared on the History Channel’s The Curse of Oak Island, participating in multiple episodes involving complex underwater search and investigation work.
In 2005, John and his partners organized an expedition to Titanic, diving the wreck to approximately 12,500 feet in MIR submersibles from the Russian Research Ship Keldysh. Their work was featured in History Channel specials including Titanic’s Final Moments – Missing Pieces and Titanic’s Achilles Heel.
Today, John lives in Brandon, Florida and trains technical divers in several locations, including Pompano Beach, Florida. His courses draw directly from decades of exploration, commercial diving, and expedition experience, giving students a practical foundation for advanced wreck and technical diving.
September SPEAKER: Sharks of the Great White North
Dr. Chris Harvey-Clark, B.Sc., DVM
Why Are Great White Sharks Thriving in Maritime Canada?
Dr. Chris Harvey-Clark, B.Sc., DVM
Bring a friend and join SFDI for an unforgettable evening of discovery beneath the waves!
Join SFDI Wednesday, September 2nd for an exciting Evening!
SFDI is honored to welcome internationally recognized shark researcher, scientific diver, filmmaker, and educator Dr. Chris Harvey-Clark to our September 2 club meeting.
Great white sharks are making an extraordinary comeback in the cold waters of Atlantic Canada—but why? Drawing upon decades of scientific diving, cutting-edge telemetry, and firsthand underwater observations, Dr. Harvey-Clark will explain the remarkable recovery of these apex predators and what it means for divers, marine ecosystems, and future conservation efforts.
Featured on Discovery Channel's Shark Week in 2024 and 2025, Dr. Harvey-Clark combines compelling storytelling, world-class photography, and groundbreaking science into a presentation that is both educational and entertaining. Whether you're passionate about sharks, underwater photography, marine biology, or simply enjoy hearing from leading explorers, this is a program you won't want to miss.
Great White North
Dr. Chris Harvey-Clark, B.Sc., DVM
ABOUT Dr. Chris Harvey-Clark, B.Sc., DVM
Dr. Chris Harvey-Clark is Professor Emeritus and former University Director of Animal Care at Dalhousie University in Halifax, Nova Scotia. For more than thirty years he has conducted pioneering research on Greenland sharks, great white sharks, Atlantic torpedo rays, and other marine wildlife, authoring more than 40 scientific publications and book chapters.
An accomplished scientific diver with over 3,000 dives since 1976, he has achieved numerous underwater firsts in Canada, including documenting basking shark mating behavior, filming mako sharks underwater, pioneering underwater studies of Greenland sharks, and documenting great white sharks underwater in Canadian waters.
Beyond science, Dr. Harvey-Clark is an award-winning underwater filmmaker and photographer whose work has appeared in more than 50 marine documentaries, including Sharkwater, River Monsters, Discovery Channel Shark Week, BBC, CBC, History Channel, and the National Film Board of Canada. He is also the author of the respected marine life guides Eastern Tidepool and Reef and Maritime Marine Life.
His unique blend of scientific expertise, exploration, and visual storytelling has made him one of Canada's most respected voices in shark research and marine conservation.
AUGUST SPEAKER: A Deep Dive into Diving Fatalities
Dr. Craig nelson - science behind diving fatality investigations
Dr. Craig Nelson
This program offers a rare behind-the-scenes look at the science of diving fatality investigations and provides valuable knowledge for every diver committed to making the sport safer.
Join SFDI Wednesday, August 5 for an Extraordinary Evening with Dr. Craig Nelson.
What really happens when a diving fatality is investigated? When news of a diving accident spreads, online discussion forums quickly fill with rumors, speculation, and theories—but they rarely provide the facts.
Our club is honored to welcome Dr. Craig Nelson, a long-time diver and forensic pathologist in Raleigh, North Carolina. He will take us beyond the rumors and into the science behind diving fatality investigations.
In this presentation, Dr. Craig Nelson will explain how diving fatalities are investigated, how forensic pathologists determine the cause and contributing factors of a fatal dive, and how those findings are used to improve diver safety. Drawing on his unique background as both an accomplished diver and practicing forensic pathologist, he will share real-world insights into accident investigation, the role of the medical examiner, and how lessons learned from these tragedies contribute to safer diving through the work of Divers Alert Network (DAN).
Dr. Craig Nelson - Deep Dive on accident investigation
Dr. Craig Nelson
ABOUT Dr. Craig Nelson
Dr. Craig Nelson is a practicing forensic pathologist with the North Carolina Office of the Chief Medical Examiner in Raleigh. His career represents a rare combination of elite diving experience and forensic medical expertise, making him uniquely qualified to interpret the circumstances surrounding diving fatalities and the lessons they hold for improving diver safety.
A lifelong diver, Dr. Nelson was first certified in 1989 and became a diving instructor in 1996. That same year, he earned the prestigious Rolex Our World-Underwater Scholarship, spending the following year traveling the world exploring professional careers in diving. His work with Lifeguard Systems in New York teaching underwater body recovery and water rescue ultimately inspired his pursuit of forensic pathology.
After earning his medical degree from Wake Forest University School of Medicine, Dr. Nelson completed his pathology residency at the University of Arizona and a fellowship in forensic pathology at the San Diego County Medical Examiner's Office. Following more than five years as a Deputy Medical Examiner in San Diego, he returned to North Carolina in 2014, where he continues to serve as a forensic pathologist.
Throughout his medical career, Dr. Nelson has remained active in the diving community as a member of public safety dive teams, combining his passion for diving with his forensic expertise. His work has also included conducting diving fatality reviews for Divers Alert Network (DAN), helping advance diver safety through careful scientific investigation and analysis.
JULY SPEAKER: StePHEN Frink - Photographer, Publisher FOR DAN's Alert Diver Magazine, VIA ZOOM
Picture of a beautiful turtle with open mouth by Stephen Frink
My Hometown - Visions of Key Largo, A Retrospective
Key Largo by Stephen Frink
Join us on July 1st as internationally acclaimed underwater photographer Stephen Frink takes us on a captivating journey through the waters that launched his remarkable career.
Stephen arrived in Key Largo in 1978 to open a small photo studio, processing E-6 slide film and renting cameras to local divers. Over the decades, he has become one of the world's most prolific underwater photographers, traveling the globe to capture breathtaking images beneath the surface.
Despite his international success, Key Largo remains close to his heart. In this special presentation, Stephen will share stunning photography, personal stories, and unique insights into what make the Florida Keys one of the world's premier diving destinations. Whether you're a diver, photographer, or ocean enthusiast, this promises to be an entertaining and inspiring evening you won't want to miss.
by Stephen Frink
Stephen Frink
ABOUT Stephen Frink
Stephen Frink is among the world's most frequently published underwater (UW) photographers, with a career spanning four decades. He arrived in Key Largo in 1978 to open a small studio dedicated to UW photo services, primarily renting cameras and processing E-6 slide film, but he soon began to receive assignments to photograph and write articles for the consumer dive publications of the day.
He worked as a photojournalist for Skin Diver magazine for 17 years, covering much of the Caribbean, Bahamas, and Florida Keys for the publication. Subsequently, he worked as the Director of Photography for Scuba Diving magazine. Since 2009, Stephen has been the publisher of Alert Diver magazine, a beautiful coffee-table collectible publication for members of the Divers Alert Network.
Clients for assignment photography have included Scubapro, Victoria's Secret, Aqualung, Oceanic, Canon, Nikon, Subgear, Mercury Marine, Jantzen, Alcan Aluminum, R.J. Reynolds, Seaquest, Henderson Aquatics, American Express, Hanes, and Club Med. Rolex Watch Company has also engaged Frink for both personal endorsement and commercial product photography.
Stephen teaches master's-level courses through the Stephen Frink School of Underwater Digital Imaging each summer in his home waters off Key Largo, Florida, and offers dive excursions emphasizing underwater photography through his travel company, WaterHouse Tours. For many years, Stephen served as the North American distributor for Seacam housings and strobes and remains involved as a brand ambassador.
When off the road, Stephen divides his time between residences in Key Largo, Florida, and Rougemont, North Carolina.