Ed Stetson has been teaching scuba diving at the University of California, Santa Barbara for over 30 years.  He is a NAUI Instructor Course Director (NAUI #7157) and also teaches at Santa Barbara City College’s Marine Diving Technology Program.  Ed has organized some of the largest and most successful non-profit events to benefit divers: The Santa Barbara Underwater Film Festivals honoring diving pioneers Hans and Lotte Hass, Ernie Brooks, Bev Morgan, Lad Handelman and others; the annual Historical Diving Society’s Benefit Charters to Guadalupe Island to dive with great white sharks; the Santa Barbara Refresher and Rescue Workshops.  Always an unpaid volunteer, all the proceeds have been donated to the HDS and diving scholarships Ed established: UC Santa Barbara Research Divers, Santa Barbara City College’s Marine Diving Technology Department and the Brooks Institute of Photography’s Undersea Division. Ed Stetson is the man behind the scenes; quietly making things happen.

Ed is a licensed captain (100 ton Master) with the United States Coast Guard, a licensed Emergency Medical Technician with the State of California and a Sergeant with the Santa Barbara Harbor Patrol.  He has twice been name the California Boating Safety Officer of the Year.  He is also the Director of the Zale Parry Scholarship for the Academy of Underwater Arts & Sciences.

Ed has been organizing dive charters since 1980.  Many have become annual events.  2014 will mark the 34th Annual Catalina Island Dive Charter and the 22nd Annual Santa Barbara Reunion Charter to the Channel Islands.  The Annual Guadalupe Island White Shark charter to benefit the Historical Diving Society has featured Special Guests Stan Waterman, David Doubilet, Rodney Fox, Valerie Taylor, Ernie Brooks, Howard & Michele Hall, Bev Morgan, Bob Meistrell, Chuck Nicklin, Dan Orr, Leslie Leaney and others.  The 2014 guests will be Zale Parry and Sylvia Earle.  All proceeds are donated to the HDS.

Ed Stetson loves creating events that brings divers together. His goal is to keep divers involved in diving, whatever their age or physical ability. Ed’s proudest accomplishment is having helped several hundred new divers find careers in marine related fields across the world.  In recognition for all his work, Ed was awarded the prestigious NOGI Award in 2011 from the Academy of Underwater Arts & Sciences in the category of Sports and Education.