|
Joe Liburdi
58 Years Beneath the Sea
Joe Liburdi started diving in 1952, when divers wore
twin-hose regulators and scuba lessons consisted of the
words, "Blow and go!" In 1966, he
founded the Liburdi Scuba School for servicemen in the
Philippines. That was also the year he took his first
underwater photograph with a Calypso camera. Expressing his
impressions of inner space has been his challenge and reward
ever since.
He has explored the waters of Japan, Micronesia, Malaysia,
Southeast Asia, and Eastern Africa. He has dived the
Caribbean, the Great Barrier Reef, the Red Sea. He has
enjoyed the tepid waters of |
 |
the
Fijian archipelago and explored the cold, green depths
of British Columbia and Puget Sound. His photographs
document the moods, moments and fascination of nearly
six decades beneath the seas.
Joe's encounters have appeared in numerous publications,
including the most popular American diving magazines,
Skin Diver, Scuba Diving, Dive
Training, and Sport Diver. He has been published in
Undersea Journal, Alaskan Air Magazine, the Digital
Photographer, and the list goes on. He has coauthored
seven books: A Guide to Our Underwater World, The
Underwater Photo Logbook, How to Use Sea & Sea, How to
Use the Motor Marine II, The Complete Guide to Sea &
Sea, The New Guide to Sea & Sea, and The Complete Guide
to the Motor Marine III.
Joe has received the NAUI Man in the Sea award and
PADI's Distinguished Achievement Award for his
contributions to the sport of diving. He has been
applauded for his 16mm film of Mt. St. Helens" ravaged
Spirit Lake in
|
Joe Liburdi and Harry Truitt in 1972 |
a BBC documentary called "Legacy of a Volcano?. In 1995
Joe was elected to Scuba Schools International's Platinum
Pro 5000 society for having
pulled 5000 dives. But if we?re counting, it's closer to
double. In 2004 Joe was selected as contributing still
photographer for National Geographic Diver Almanac and
National Geographic Passport to Adventure DVD-ROM.
After retiring from the USAF in 1972 Joe opened his
first of three dive shops in the Pacific Northwest. In
1985 Joe and his wife Cara came to California and
launched Underwater Exposures, Inc. and Orca
Publications, a publishing and marketing firm. In 1991
Joe and his sons founded Liburdi's Scuba Center in
California, one of the industry's foremost training and
retail facilities |
and the largest dealer of underwater imaging equipment in Southern California. Joe retired
from the retail sector in 2005 but continued to teach
underwater imaging and lead photo adventures around the
world.
Joe is an industry pioneer. The white hair is testament
to a career spanning 58 years. But his enthusiasm for
diving and photography keep him young. And now Joe's
love of the sport has lured him out of retirement and
back into retail. In September 2009 Joe opened a new
shop in Irvine called Joe Liburdi's Dive & Photo. He may
well be the oldest man to ever open a dive shop. He
certainly is the most experienced.
It is rumored the man has gills.
Joe Liburdi in his new shop opened in 2009, Joe Liburdi's Dive & Photo
|
