James Talacek
Dive Specialist
National Undersea Research Center
University of North Carolina at Wilmington
515 Caribbean Drive
Key Largo, Florida 33037

I grew up in the small town of Clayton, North Carolina with a large pond in my backyard. This gave me early access to fish, snakes, turtles and all of the other critters that accompany living out in the "boondocks." From an early age the water always intrigued me. My family went on frequent weekend trips to coastal NC where I gained respect and admiration for the ocean. After high school I attended UNCW where I earned my first diving certification. Diving on the wrecks and ledges off North Carolina made me realize that working underwater was how I wanted to make my living. Although I wasn't sure how I would accomplish that goal.

All of my early jobs consisted of various types of construction work including building houses, pouring concrete and erecting steel for commercial buildings. In 1993 I was able to couple my construction and diving experience into a job working for the NCDOT Underwater Unit. I was hired as an underwater bridge inspector and "learned the ropes" of commercial diving. Surface supplied hard hat diving was new to me, but I took to it with extreme enthusiasm. The job also consisted of extensive underwater construction including pumping concrete, welding and burning, epoxy injection, using hydraulic chainsaws and the occasional explosives job. Due to the wealth of training and "on the job" experience gained with NCDOT I was able to earn my Commercial Diving Supervisor certification.

During this time I also earned my U.S. Coast Guard Captain's license and Divemaster certification. This led to a side job of running dive charters on the weekends out of Carolina Beach. During my last six months with NCDOT I served as diving supervisor for the dive team stationed at the Outer Banks. I would probably still be there now, but the world's only seafloor habitat had a lure that I could not resist.

Working here at NURC I have many responsibilities including but not limited to: habitat technician, boat captain and working diver. The certifications that I have earned that are needed to perform this job include: divemaster, Coast Guard boat captain, nitrox diver, EMT (emergency medical technician), and DMT-A (advanced diver medic).

When not working I spend most of my free time skydiving. To date I have 252 jumps and counting. I also enjoy B.A.S.E jumping (see my picture), but it's hard to find places where it is legal to jump. I also like spearfishing, rollerblading and attending concerts and NASCAR races.

An anonymous quote I read on a skydiving poster has always stuck with me and I feel it's relevant to any quest in life: "COURAGE IS ABSOLUTE TRUST IN YOUR OWN ABILITIES……….. ONLY FEAR CAN KEEP YOU GROUNDED!!!"