Harry Vetter, 81, was born in Long Beach California in 1928. He grew up in the Redondo Beach area where his life was shaped by the Pacific ocean coastline that surrounded him. Harry developed both a love and respect

for the ocean as he experienced it via body surfing, tidal pool exploring, as well as skin diving during his formative years. After graduating from Compton Jr. College in 1949, he purchased his first SCUBA regulator from Rene Bussoz's Sporting Goods in Westwood, California, thereby teaching himself to use the SCUBA by referring to E.R. Cross's Hard Hat Diving Manual. He truly was self-taught. Quickly mastering the sport, he started teaching diving in motel and backyard swimming pools in 1952, though no certifications were issued at these sessions.

In these early days, Harry helped to distribute copies of the first issue of Skin Diver Magazine, in which his photograph can be seen on the last page of that December 1951 issue.

Harry then moved on to teach the first YMCA SCUBA classes in the United States at the Long Beach, California YMCA from 1954-1956. Vetter then