Our Team at Get Wet Scuba
We are excited to take you on a wonderful journey through the world of Scuba Diving.
Katherine Peper
Owner/Instructor
Work in progress
Dive Captain/DiveMaster
John Blaser
Work in Progress
Jack Gavin
Instructor
Graduated from the US Naval Academy, commissioned in the USMC, served 20 years as an Attack Helicopter pilot. Upon leaving the service worked as a Financial Advisor with Merrill Lynch, and Salomon Smith Barney for 10 years. Recruited by a defense contractor, to support the USMC as a Supporting Arms Instructor at MCAGCC, Twentynine Palms.
Instructor
Patrick Schalk
Pat Schalk fell in love with diving while enjoying the crystal clear waters and exotic underwater environments in Okinawa, Japan. Scuba Diving since 2018, Pat worked his way through PADI Divemaster before transitioning to NAUI in 2020 as an instructor. Along with scuba diving and teaching, Pat enjoys flying, wood working, and tinkering with his 1980 Jeep CJ5.
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Austin Alverson
Instructor
Austin Alverson is both an avid Scuba diver and Freediver with only 5 years experience (three of which include instructing) but has logged over 1000 dives around the world, to include Japan, South Korea, and both US coastlines. He is both PADI and NAUI certified and can train divers up to Assistant Instructor or in numerous different specialties. Austin loves to pass what he has learned onto other divers, both experienced and just beginning. His dive interests include improving and expanding his technical, cave, and Underwater Criminal Investigation training.
Volunteer and Local Bear
Kathy Bear
I became involved with Get Wet Scuba in the late '90s when my late husband, Bob Carney was trained by Katherine Peper. I would go with him when the group would dive & I would watch their gear, car keys & make sure everyone was hydrated. After retiring from AT&T & a phone company nonprofit, I began volunteering at the scuba shop on the 29 Palms Marine base doing accounting & clerical work.
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James Jay Starling
U.S Marine Skillbridge Intern
James Jay Starling is a U.S. Marine, spending the last 6 months of his 5 year term with the USMC learning the ins and outs of the Scuba Diving industry. Certified as an open water scuba diver with PADI in 2015, James has dove in the Caymans, Alaska, California, and Hawaii. He is actively working towards his NAUI instructor certification and hopes to continue traveling the world both above and below the ocean's waves. He is an active university student studying Aerospace Engineering and Economics and enjoys Strategy video games.