contributes to the building and rebuilding of the infrastructures and foundations of New York’s shorelines. While Gene is passionate about his work, he’s also passionate about history,

and has been featured in prime time newscasts such as ABC, CBS, NBC, NY1,  for his historical dives and underwater findings. He has been the subject of featured articles in the

New York Times,  and  other newspapers and trade magazines. Among his underwater

discoveries are the remnants of Fort Lafayette, a Civil War confederate prison. Gene found

the sunken island along with the fort, built by Robert E. Lee, Exploring a different area,

he found a lost submarine, originally built to dive the ill-fated Andrea Doria. He also found the remains of the 150-year-old Dreamland Pier Piles in Coney Island.  He has provided many fascinating links to our country's past.

Gene has brought many artifacts into schools, in an effort to impart his passion for history.

In 1998, former Brooklyn Borough President Howard Golden awarded him with a citation for his

     "Outstanding Contributions to the Preservation of Brooklyn’s History."

Lenny Speregen

Certified Basic level at the age of 16, became an instructor at the age of 22.

In 1979 attended Commercial Diving School in New York. Lenny has worked

in the recreational and commercial diving field ever since. His list of clients

includes the Diving Equipment Marketing Association, several local dive

retailers, and several diving engineering houses in Connecticut. He is

currently certified to work on nearly every brand of diving equipment

currently on the market. He has over 17,000 repairs to date as of 2003. He is

also a member of the Historical Diving Society and the Northeast Equipment

Diving Group.  Lenny Speregen has also performed on television shows and

in the movies as a stunt actor. His list of credits include Miami Vice, Bette

Middler's Artyfacts, Nickelodeon’s Pete-n-Pete, as well as numerous

commercials.

When he is not diving, you can find him at the local dive shop talking diving,

breathing diving, and wherever possible playing with some new dive toy.

Beth J.P. Ritter is a published artist and writer, and Resident Artist of

Cultural Research Divers. A graduate of Parsons School of Design, she's illustrated many children's educational publications and greeting cards over the years. Her articles, written

mostly about personal experiences, convey her unique viewpoints of life. Beth has taught

in both elementary and junior high schools, and enjoyed many opportunities to impart her

love of all living things-- often expressed through art. "My Dad taught me early on

that all animals are beautiful; none of them are ugly." These days, she's found a passion for drawing underwater artifacts and vintage diving equipment. She loves drawing the historic artifacts, with all their details and imperfections". While drawing them, she feels more

connected to their histories.  "It's fascinating to consider that I'm holding and drawing

this artifact that someone held well over a hundred years ago. My contact and documentation

of it makes me part of its new history." As for drawing the vintage diving equipment?

"That's just fun."

Lou Siegel is currently an adjunct professor at both Dowling College

in the Department of Earth and Marine Sciences and at S.U.N.Y.

Farmingdale in the Biology Department.  His teaching load includes

such courses as Biology, Physical and Environmental Sciences and Marine Biology.   In June of 2003 he retired from 36 years as a teacher

and Science Chairperson on the high school level. During this time he was: an

early author and teacher of the New York City Marine Biology curriculum

which was offered at the experimental John Dewey High School in Brooklyn; Chairperson of the Department of Science and Oceanography at

Beach Channel High School in Queens; and Chairperson of the Science and Technology Department at Oceanside High School on Long Island. At

each site Lou not only met students during the school year but also more

often than not, organized and taught summer ecology and marine science courses. Lou was a founder, past president and active board member in the 30 year old New York State Marine Education Association. He has chaired several of their annual student and teacher conferences and is currently web master of the http://nysmea.orgweb page. Lou edited "Learning in the Estuary," a compilation of lesson plans, in 2002.   Lou has long been involved in pre- and in-service teacher education. Most recently, his course Shipboard Marine Science has been taken by a large cross-section of teachers and environmental educators.  Research projects have included studies of marsh grass, (Spartina alterniflora) and the horseshoe crab (Limulus polyphemus.)