Chuck Burns: Founder Member UNEXSO, NAUI Instructor #1372

Chuck Burns
Founding Member UNEXSO, NAUI Instructor

Chuck Burns started his diving career working with Jack Slack and Dick Tindall running their ski school at the Lucayan Beach Hotel in the early 60's When they found the Lucayan Treasure Wreck began doing some diving on

the wreck while working during the summers. In 1965 he and his family became founding members of UNEXSO and he started working there during the summer of 1965 and 1966.

After college he became a full time diver. In 1968 he was certified as a NAUI Instructor, #1372 and began teaching at the Club. "I think NAUI calls us the Diving Dinosaurs!," he said.

During that time the club was doing a lot of testing of Scuba

Chuck Burns - Photo by his daughter, Christmas 2008

Pro equipment and were the first to test the Jet Fin. He also was part of team doing experimental deep dives. One day, while on a trip to the Treasure Wreck shallow reef with some guests, Burns found 8" 4 ?" of 24 karat gold chain. That was the only gold ever found on the Lucayan Treasure Wreck.

"I was fortunate to be included in much of the testing and deep dives," he said. Eventually he was assigned to running the dive shop and keeping the repetitive dive tables for the guides on the trips.

After the club ran into financial difficulties in the late 60's his position was eliminated as it was not a revenue producing position. He then went to work at the Holiday Inn. That was the start of his career in the Hospitality Industry that spanned over 35 years. This career has moved him up and down the east coast of the US and throughout the Caribbean.

Currently he is the Director of Purchasing of the Wedding Experience which is a company that does weddings on cruise ships all over the world. The Wedding Experience operates in 73 ports and performs over 8,000 weddings a year. He is responsible for all the contracts for each of the vendors in every port and also in charge of offices in Miami, St. Thomas and Southampton England.