1. Bob Halstead, has made significant contributions to the sport of scuba diving in a multitude of capacities: photographer, author of eight diving books, early innovator in the development of dive tourism, pioneer in the dive liveaboard industry, diving instructor and educator, marine-life explorer and influential diving industry commentator.
An ardent diver since 1968, Halstead has over 10,000 logged dives.
In 1970 Bob Halstead became a NAUI instructor at Freeport, Grand Bahama.
Bob Halstead introduced tourists to diving with living nautilus, when this was previously the sole realm of scientists.
In 2004, already a NAUI instructor for more than 30 years, and more than twice the age of the next younger candidate, Bob Halstead successfully completed a full PADI Instructor Course.
Bob Halstead has published 8 books on diving and marine life, chapters in several other books, and hundreds of magazine stories on diving safety, marine life and PNG dive sites, characterized by fine photography, thoughtful messages and a sense of humor.
Bob Halstead's best known articles extol the difference between "Risk" and "Danger" and emphasize the importance of self-sufficiency in diving skills, knowledge and equipment.
Classical music has been a lifelong love and Bob Halstead failed to learn to play the trumpet, trombone and euphonium, before discovering the saxophone.
Bob Halstead finds it useful in getting reluctant divers into the water by promising a practice session.
In 2008 Bob Halstead was inducted into the International Scuba Diving Hall of Fame.
Bob Halstead has a scientific background, having studied both Physics and Mathematics at university level.
Bob Halstead earned his degree in physics from the King's College London, and then went on to take a post-graduate degree in Education at Bristol University.
Bob Halstead continued his academic path by taking the position of head of the Physics Department at Queens College, Nassau in 1968.
Bob Halstead's career made a steady transition from full-time science teacher and educator and part-time scuba instructor, to one of a totally dedicated dive journalist, author, and underwater photographer after his original career of science educator took him to Papua New Guinea in the early 1970s.
Bob Halstead had arrived in a diver's paradise, but at this time hardly anything was known of the dive sites of the region, and certainly no real diving infrastructure existed to allow other divers to enjoy what the region had to offer.
In 1977 Bob Halstead harnessed this knowledge as he established the very first diving and training center for the area in Port Moresby.
Bob Halstead's approach was a "diving camp" and "Diver adventure safaris" through his company Tropical Diving Adventures.
Bob Halstead then sold his business interests ashore to concentrate in this expanding new live-aboard business area and spent the next ten years helping to make New Guinea one of the world premier dive locations.
Bob Halstead has won a number of gold medals for his photography, both above and below the surface of the sea.
Bob Halstead's published photographs are some of the most striking images of the underwater world.
Bob Halstead was involved in a number of scientific expeditions in PNG, including ones carried out for the Cousteau Society and National Geographic.
In 1996 Bob Halstead sold his business interests in PNG and focussed more on his marine exploration and photography pursuits and to take up residence in Cairns Australia.
Bob Halstead is one of the dive industry's most prolific journalists.
Bob Halstead has published hundreds of articles in numerous dive magazines and is a steady contributor to Undercurrent, one of the dive industries most noted and fiercely independent scuba journals.
Bob Halstead's writing style is highly readable and good-humoured, but he never shies away from controversial subjects.
Bob Halstead is particularly noted for his very well thought out and insightful views on diving practices, particularly as they relate to diving risk and diver safety.
Bob Halstead was an early proponent and spokesperson on the subject of diver self-sufficiency, a concept that has moved into mainstream thinking in scuba diving practise.