Black Man Under the Deep Blue Sea: Memoirs of a Black Commercial Diver in Southeast Asia

by Tony Wells

After moving from small-town USA to Hawaii at the tender age of 14, SCUBA diving introduced Tony to a fascinating new world of thrills and adventure that would shape the course of his life forever. He never let the fact that he was the only black kid involved deter him in his quest to explore the underwater world. This autobiography describes the exciting, true, and oftentimes humorous story of how he overcame being the product of a broken family, stereotyping, numerous challenges, several close calls, and countless other eye-opening events to become the only black American commercial deep sea diver to work in the demanding offshore oilfields in Southeast Asia, the Middle East, and Africa in the 80s and 90s, where, at the slightest mistake, the rich oil companies were ready to send a diver packing his bags and heading back to shore, never to be hired again.

220 pages, Paperback

First published September 24, 2007

Reviews

[Tami · Rating 5 out of 5]

Growing up in Hamtramck, Michigan, Tony Wells couldn't possibly have imagined that he'd someday be a commercial diver who worked all over the world. In fact, when he moved to Hawaii when he was fourteen, he didn't even know how to swim. Interested in learning dive, he taught himself how to swim and then practiced until he could pass the swimming portion of the entrance exam. Then, the real work began.

I found Tony's story fascinating. Commercial diving is one of those jobs that seems so glamorous and filled with adventure. The truth is that it's dangerous and hard work. Still, through this occupation, Tony has traveled all over the world. He's worked in Singapore, Thailand, India, Malaysia, Egypt, and Pakistan. He's done everything from working on pipelines and doing underwater repair to photography and treasure hunting. No he's never come face to face with a shark but he's had a number of dangerous close calls.