Leif Loved Boats and the Sea

I've written before about how much Leif loved boats and being on the sea . . . not swimming in it, so much, but sailing, motorboats (especially fast ones), and diving. Peter W. took this photo of Leif sometime in 1991, when they were out on a boat in the sea around Puerto Rico, maybe on a dive. I notice the diving knife strapped to Leif's leg, and of course he is wearing those Oakley sunglasses, but the shirt tied around his head is a different look for him. The color of the water in the Caribbean is so beautiful, that marvelous turquoise blue that looks to perfect with the sky and clouds. The temperature was just right, the winds soothing and balmy. Leif seems so at home.

Leif - Palominito Island, Puerto Rico - July 1991 - Age 16

In July 1991, we were invited to go on a day trip by private boat to the island called Palominito off the eastern coast of Puerto Rico. It was a lovely yacht and we had a beautiful day swimming and picnicking. This yacht even had a hand-held shower the you could wash the salt water off with before you got back into the boat, and a nice set of steps to make it easier to get back aboard. The water was the gorgeous Caribbean turquoise, and quite warm.

Leif was at his physical best, slender, muscular, and tanned. This photo is of him using the shower before getting aboard. I wish I had better photos of that day.

We made other trips to Palominito; Peter W. and Leif went SCUBA diving there. We also went to the islands of Culebra and Vieques in the same general area off the northeastern coast of Puerto Rico.

There was one trip we took with an army captain when we rented a sailboat and sailed out to Vieques. It was a lovely day, but unfortunately, no one was a really good sailor, and coming back into port we managed to run the keel aground on a reef. How embarrassing!

Leif enjoyed being around the water, the beach, boats, and diving. That same summer when he was 16, we sent him on a teen sail adventure in the British Virgin Islands, ActionQuest, which he loved. I wrote about that some time ago.

I think it was memories of how much he had enjoyed Puerto Rico that were part of the reason Leif wanted to move to Florida so much. Unfortunately, he didn't have the companionship he needed here to make going to the beach enjoyable, and didn't have the money to go out on boats or SCUBA diving, so he made little use of the wonderful beaches here.

Leif & Us - Colorado Springs - May 28, 1991 - Age 16

It's hard for me to believe that the Leif I knew when he was a child and in high school, the one who loved the water, swimming, playing in the waves, SCUBA diving, became the man who wouldn't go in the water after the army. We couldn't get him to go to the pool with us, and if he went to the beach, he didn't go in the water. I don't know whether it was because he became self conscious about being overweight, or whether it was a symptom of depression, not enjoying things he had previously loved to do.

This photo of him was taken at the hotel pool where we were staying when we flew from Puerto Rico to Colorado Springs for Peter Anthony's graduation from the Air Force Academy. He sure looks right at home, doesn't he? At 16, he was tall and slim. His hair was getting long, and he looked like he belonged on the cover of a romance novel.

The evening after the pool photo was taken, we three went to one of the Academy Graduation Balls. My sister, Lannay, and my brother, Donovan, and my mother were also there. Leif was dressed in his snazzy, stylish "silver" suit. My, how all of us have changed! Peter W. is in his Army mess dress blues.

That was quite a trip. After Peter's graduation, he took off for South America with his best friend Dave, and we flew to California to visit Peter W's parents and then to Oregon to see Jerri's Uncle Jerry and cousin Marji. We all enjoyed the trip. It was a welcome interlude from the stress of being with the military during Desert Storm, the first Gulf War.

Leif SCUBA diving in Cerro Gordo, Puerto Rico with his Dad - August 1990

When we moved to Puerto Rico in July 1990, Peter W. and Leif discovered SCUBA diving. There was an excellent instructor on Fort Buchanan, where we lived, Harry Hauck, a former Navy frogman. The two of them took the class and began diving with him at sites around Puerto Rico, and off the coast at smaller islands like Culebra.

Harry had several missions, one of which was to clean up the underwater areas of the beaches in Puerto Rico, which were cluttered with trash like disposable diapers, soft drink cans, bottles, and more. The Fort Buchanan divers could go on cleanup dives free, and Peter W. and Leif participated in several of them. The green shirt is one that the divers got to "advertise" their mission. I don't have a photo of Leif in the shirt, but he and Peter were proud to wear them.

These photos were taken at Cerro Gordo, Puerto Rico at the completion of their NAUI SCUBA course when they did their first cleanup dive on August 19, 1990. Leif was 15 years old.

The Fort Buchanan divers and Harry got quite a bit of media attention, including newspaper articles, for their cleanup dives.

Leif was proud of his dual SCUBA certification. He got his PADI certification while on a teen sail in the British Virgin Islands the following summer.

I don't think Leif ever did any more SCUBA diving after we left Puerto Rico in the summer of 1992. He would have liked to, but the opportunities in Kansas and New York were limited and he didn't have the money for such an expensive hobby when he had acquired others that were easier to pursue in those geographical areas.