My “Scuba Storyteller” Book: With Thanks to Dive Pacific Editors

When I started writing advertising copy 50 years ago, I had no aspirations to create the Great American Novel. However, after I became a certified diver 40 years ago, and my first scuba story was published 31 years ago, I’ve led a double life ever since: advertising writer/journalist/blogger by day, scuba writer by night.

Along the way, I cranked out an estimated 8,000 projects for clients worldwide, including about 1,500 travel blogs. But when my archive of scuba articles in magazines and websites kept growing worldwide––across North America, Central America, Europe, and Down Under––I saw a world of opportunity with unlimited visibility.

So earlier this year, I realized that a collection of my favorite stories could entertain and educate both B2B and B2C audiences. It’s called “Scuba Storyteller: Mostly Humorous Diving Tales by an Addicted AquaNut” and includes about a dozen Dive Pacific blogs and magazine articles dating back to 2008, with Dave Moran, Warrick Powrie, Catherine Milford, and Jenny Craig as the editors.

I’m Eternally Grateful For William Cline’s Foreword.
My writing colleague at Scuba Diving Industry Magazine excitedly introduced me to the great folks at Best Publishing Company. After their Editorial Board approved my outline in the spring, we were off to the races to complete the book this year.

In his Foreword, he said, “Gil’s stories aren’t just stories––they’re little underwater adventures disguised as essays. He doesn’t just write about diving; he writes about life through diving. And if you’re lucky, you get to see the ocean and even hour business––through his unique, comedic, and deeply human lens…

“But what sets ‘Scuba Storyteller’ apart is the sheer diversity of tales. Every story reveals something: about diving, about humanity, and sometimes, about ourselves. If you’re a dive retailer, a liveaboard operator, an instructor, or just a passionate diver, this is the book for you.”

William wrapped up his thoughts with, “So do yourself a favor. Dive in. And enjoy one of the most refreshing, entertaining, and downright human books ever written about our sport.”

13 Chapters With 65 Stories and 40+ Images.
My first magazine-style article––“Diary of an Unemployed Ad Man”­––was printed in 1989 by Adweek. As my first “webpage hit” that I now call my first “blog”, it became a turning point in my writing career because it gave me the confidence to become a successful freelance copywriter, as well as to start promoting myself a few years later as a “Scuba Storyteller”.

Here's a summary of my book and its most popular stories…
Chapter 1: Love and Marriage offers stories such as “Waterlogged Proposal,” “Maui March Madness: Honeymooning with Humpbacks,” “My Dive Buddy Wears Diapers,” “Waiting to Inhale,” “Family Planning,” “The First Time If Ever I Saw Your Fish,” among others.

Chapter 2: Freezing My Fins Off only has one article, “Warm Memories of Hypothermia,” and it's why I’ve never taken a giant stride into water colder than 75°F. ever since.

Chapter 3: Small Liveaboards and Ginormous Cruises chronicles trips to Central America (“Don’t Stop Belizin’”), Southern California’s Channel Islands (“A Little Kelp With My Friends”), Baja California (“The Day I Rode a Manta Ray,” “Cozumel, Mahahual, Roatan by Cruise Ship”), and more.

Chapter 4: A Taste of My Own Medicine contains “The Sun Also Burns,” “Low Anxiety: Getting Narked in Belize’s Great Blue Hole,” “Heavy Breathing on Half Dome and Other Ways to Stay in Shape for Diving,” plus a few more.

Chapter 5: Diving in Micronesia features “Kosrae: Untapped Pacific Gem,” “NECO Marine, Palau Resort: Still the Wow Factor for Pristine Diving,” and three other articles.

Chapter 6: Stories from ScubaDiverLife.com has six blogs––about getting married underwater, photo tips, Little Cayman’s Bloody Bay Marine Park, 3D-printed terra cotta tiles as Red Sea artificial reefs, and more.

Chapter 7: B2B Stories for Divers and Dive Shops showcases 14 stories from the SDIM archives, including “Harnessing The Gray Tsunami for Your Dive Operation,” “To A.I. or Not A.I.: That Is the Question,” “My First Time,” four articles on “How to ‘Blue’ Your Business––And Make More Green,” “Garmin’s Revolutionary SubWave Sonar Technology,” and others.

Chapter 8: Whale Tales highlights “Maui: A Whale of a Sun-Splashed Winter Wonderland” and “How to Adopt a Marine Mammal” from DivePacific.co.nz.

Chapter 9: Blue Friday: Don’t Shop… Dive! includes three stories about this growing global initiative to get divers into the water and out of the malls on Black Friday.

Chapter 10: The Warmer, The Better focuses on “Diving on Oahu: West Side Story,” “Diving With The Oldies,” “Say Hello to My Little Cayman Friends,” “Budgeting Your Bottom Time: Or Is It Cost Per Dive?,” and several others.

Chapter 11: Deep Diving Interviews spotlights Diving With a Purpose founder Kenneth Stewart, the multi-talented Eric Douglas, Avelo Dive Systems, and “Jaws @ 50: This Shark Still Has Legs–An Interview With Wendy Benchley” (Peter’s widow).

Chapter 12: P.S.: The Advertising Years features my very first blog, plus my ten favorite ad headlines, because I know that pithy titles entice readers to dive into any copy. This cumulative knowledge is how I became the “Scuba Storyteller” I am today.

Chapter 13: A Final Thought wraps it up with “Why I Dive.”

Early Reviews: Other Diving Authors Love It.

“Divers have some of the best stories––and scuba addict Gil Zeimer has more than most. The seasoned writer has created a rollercoaster of a read that’ll have you on your toes for the whole read––and provides plenty of laughs along the way too. This memoir-divelog-biopic-travel blog tells the tale of Gil’s journey, including becoming an unemployed ‘ad man’, taking the marital plunge with a dive-averse partner––and of course, there’s a great bunch of encounters from his underwater adventures. It’s a fun book that covers enough topics to keep both divers and non-divers turning the pages.”
– Catherine Milford, Editor, Divepacific.co.nz

“Gil Zeimer’s new book is just as the name implies. A walk through the author’s life, illustrated with anecdotes, short personal stories, and real-life examples that played a significant role in communicating the areas that shaped Gil’s life, bringing into sharp focus what made him a leader in the recreational scuba diving industry.”
– Dan Orr, Past President, Divers Alert Network

“This is more than a dive book—it’s a biopic on paper. At times, I was laughing so hard I nearly peed in my drysuit; other times, I caught myself thinking, ‘Damn! I need Gil to give me writing lessons!’ Whether you’re a diver or not, this book has something for you. Enjoy the ride!”
– Jeffrey Bozanic, Ph.D., JeffBozanic.com

“This is not just a diving icon’s life journey, but a legacy document for all of us in the dive industry to treasure and hopefully emulate.”
– Dr. Terry Cummins OAM. Ph.D., Dive Queensland

“Gil Zeimer is an extraordinary storyteller. His book chronicles his longtime passion for scuba diving with heart and humor. There’s something here for divers of all ages.”
– Cathryn Castle Garcia, scuba industry professional, writer, and consultant at ClearStoryCoach.com

“Gil takes us on his personal journey as an addicted AquaNut. Scuba Storyteller is a combined memoir, travel log, how-to (or how-not to), and a bit of history.”
– Jeff Cinciripino, Founder and President, Scuba Educational Alliance of Connecticut

“Scuba Storyteller is an upbeat and accessible read, offering insights that appeal to both divers and non-divers to embrace adventure together.”
– Gretchen Ashton, CFT, SFT, SFN, SSC, NBFE, ScubaFit.com

Buy It Now.

Please visit Amazon for the Kindle and paperback versions.

Since 1985, Gil has authored more than 300 scuba articles, blogs, and newsletters that have appeared in over 25 magazines and websites. His first book is debuting this month on Amazon.