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| Deep Blue Discoveries |
Man's Love For The Sea Fuels New Business
By MATTHEW M. BURKE
Jeffrey G. Croll, 51, of Windswept Drive, Sandwich, fell in love with the ocean as a young boy, spending summers in Orleans. He would walk down to the water's edge
at a nearby cove and wonder what lay beneath the shrinking whitecaps that soon disappeared after they hit the rocks on shore. So Mr. Croll did what any inquisitive
adolescent would do: he grabbed a mask and a snorkel. He swam away from shore looking for answers to his inner musings. Along the coastline he noticed starfish,
crabs, and small fish, all amongst a garden of underwater vegetation, a scene he would carry with him for the rest of his life. He developed a love for inserting himself into the
domain of New England's sea creatures, which is why he founded Deep Blue Discoveries in June, a company designed to inform elementary and middle school-age
students about the complexities of New England's marine ecosystems through interactive presentations on diving. "I believe the ocean really is a unifying force of all life on
earth," Mr. Croll said, adding that it puts him in a meditative state. "It's a wonderful environment."
The wash-ashore Cape Codder, transplanted from New Jersey, would eventually make Orleans his permanent home. He later moved up-Cape to Sandwich, where he has
lived for the past 14 years. Mr. Croll's love for the ocean only grew as the years went by, and he eventually became trained in advanced open water diving. He said that he
became serious about diving in 2000 and earned the designation of divemaster through the pursuit of scuba certification and diving experience. Scuba diving would take the
personal fitness trainer and second-degree martial arts black belt to the Caribbean and other exotic locales. He wound up as a dive volunteer and volunteer marine educator
at The New England Aquarium in Boston in 2002. While he fed marine animals and helped to maintain the large recreated coral reef that is the main attraction of the aquarium,
he put his master's degree in education and human development from George Washington University to good use, teaching young people about the animals and plants there. Many people who
visited Mr. Croll at the aquarium, or have seen a crab in a small tidal pool, may see the creature as simple and even clumsy. But not Mr. Croll. He sees the crab as an animal that can do
things that human beings can only dream of. So one day earlier this year, Mr. Croll said he had an epiphany. He decided to give up his other forms of work and change his life. He decided to
form a business and offer people his perspective on marine life.
With his new business, Deep Blue Discoveries: Ocean Exploration Program, Mr. Croll tailors his lessons specifically to each school district's curriculum standards. He brings his dive
equipment into the classroom, where he shows a DVD narrated by himself. On the DVD, Mr. Croll is followed by a cameraman into the waters off Gloucester. He pays special attention to four
components of the ecosystem, the rocky coastline, the rocky shoreline, the sandy bottom, and kelp and vegetation areas. My presentation that I give to schools is very hands-on, interactive,"
he said. "It's shot so kids feel like they're diving with me." The DVD begins with Mr. Croll narrating from dry land. He introduces himself before heading into the water. There, with cameraman
in tow, he takes his time as he searches the different parts of the ecosystem. He finds everything from starfish to lobsters and barnacles to crabs. He identifies every species and discusses
their behavior and attributes carefully. "I tell the kids how these animals adapt, and they can actually see it," he said. "We're here to impact children's lives so that they love and respect the
ocean. The children are the foundation. They impact the moms, the dads, the grandparents, and the educators." While the DVD plays and the pre-recorded narration sounds, Mr. Croll is free
to add details and to share further insight into what the children are seeing. He also fields questions throughout the presentation.
Mr. Croll said he meets with teachers prior to his visits and learns what specific information they would like him to convey to best fit his presentation in their lesson plans. During on presentation
at Blackstone Elementary School in Boston, Mr. Croll showed students how to use his scuba gear in their school pool prior to the viewing. The actual act of diving, lessons on scuba gear
safety, and learning about the equipment are equally important to the divemaster. He stresses dive safety to the students during his presentations as well. "I tell the children that this is not the
Cape Cod Mall," he said. "This is a totally different environment that is really fun to explore." Mr. Croll said that while teaching the section on the rocky shoreline, he instructs children on
everything from animals, plants, water currents, and potential food sources. Going back to his theory on unity, he even discusses where specific living creatures lie on the underwater food chain
and how their existence relates back to humans on the food chain. He said that discussing chemistry is unavoidable as well, due to its integral role in the ocean.
Deep Blue Discoveries is a one-man operation, with Mr. Croll serving in just about every capacity for his company. Deep Blue's presentations can be geared toward anyone, regardless of their
age or even physical limitations. He wants to teach anyone who is enthusiastic about the sea, from senior citizen groups to youth groups, and at school on- and off-Cape. He said that the
feedback on his presentations from teachers has been "great" so far and hopes his business will continue to grow. He believes that children, as well as adults, take away some of the same
enthusiasm for diving that he first learned by simply putting on a snorkel and a mask and investigating what was beneath the surface of the water. And that, to him, makes it all worthwhile.
For more information about Mr. Croll's business, e-mail info@deepbluediscoveries.com
By MATTHEW M. BURKE
Jeffrey G. Croll, 51, of Windswept Drive, Sandwich, fell in love with the ocean as a young boy, spending summers in Orleans. He would walk down to the water's edge
at a nearby cove and wonder what lay beneath the shrinking whitecaps that soon disappeared after they hit the rocks on shore. So Mr. Croll did what any inquisitive
adolescent would do: he grabbed a mask and a snorkel. He swam away from shore looking for answers to his inner musings. Along the coastline he noticed starfish,
crabs, and small fish, all amongst a garden of underwater vegetation, a scene he would carry with him for the rest of his life. He developed a love for inserting himself into the
domain of New England's sea creatures, which is why he founded Deep Blue Discoveries in June, a company designed to inform elementary and middle school-age
students about the complexities of New England's marine ecosystems through interactive presentations on diving. "I believe the ocean really is a unifying force of all life on
earth," Mr. Croll said, adding that it puts him in a meditative state. "It's a wonderful environment."
The wash-ashore Cape Codder, transplanted from New Jersey, would eventually make Orleans his permanent home. He later moved up-Cape to Sandwich, where he has
lived for the past 14 years. Mr. Croll's love for the ocean only grew as the years went by, and he eventually became trained in advanced open water diving. He said that he
became serious about diving in 2000 and earned the designation of divemaster through the pursuit of scuba certification and diving experience. Scuba diving would take the
personal fitness trainer and second-degree martial arts black belt to the Caribbean and other exotic locales. He wound up as a dive volunteer and volunteer marine educator
at The New England Aquarium in Boston in 2002. While he fed marine animals and helped to maintain the large recreated coral reef that is the main attraction of the aquarium,
he put his master's degree in education and human development from George Washington University to good use, teaching young people about the animals and plants there. Many people who
visited Mr. Croll at the aquarium, or have seen a crab in a small tidal pool, may see the creature as simple and even clumsy. But not Mr. Croll. He sees the crab as an animal that can do
things that human beings can only dream of. So one day earlier this year, Mr. Croll said he had an epiphany. He decided to give up his other forms of work and change his life. He decided to
form a business and offer people his perspective on marine life.
With his new business, Deep Blue Discoveries: Ocean Exploration Program, Mr. Croll tailors his lessons specifically to each school district's curriculum standards. He brings his dive
equipment into the classroom, where he shows a DVD narrated by himself. On the DVD, Mr. Croll is followed by a cameraman into the waters off Gloucester. He pays special attention to four
components of the ecosystem, the rocky coastline, the rocky shoreline, the sandy bottom, and kelp and vegetation areas. My presentation that I give to schools is very hands-on, interactive,"
he said. "It's shot so kids feel like they're diving with me." The DVD begins with Mr. Croll narrating from dry land. He introduces himself before heading into the water. There, with cameraman
in tow, he takes his time as he searches the different parts of the ecosystem. He finds everything from starfish to lobsters and barnacles to crabs. He identifies every species and discusses
their behavior and attributes carefully. "I tell the kids how these animals adapt, and they can actually see it," he said. "We're here to impact children's lives so that they love and respect the
ocean. The children are the foundation. They impact the moms, the dads, the grandparents, and the educators." While the DVD plays and the pre-recorded narration sounds, Mr. Croll is free
to add details and to share further insight into what the children are seeing. He also fields questions throughout the presentation.
Mr. Croll said he meets with teachers prior to his visits and learns what specific information they would like him to convey to best fit his presentation in their lesson plans. During on presentation
at Blackstone Elementary School in Boston, Mr. Croll showed students how to use his scuba gear in their school pool prior to the viewing. The actual act of diving, lessons on scuba gear
safety, and learning about the equipment are equally important to the divemaster. He stresses dive safety to the students during his presentations as well. "I tell the children that this is not the
Cape Cod Mall," he said. "This is a totally different environment that is really fun to explore." Mr. Croll said that while teaching the section on the rocky shoreline, he instructs children on
everything from animals, plants, water currents, and potential food sources. Going back to his theory on unity, he even discusses where specific living creatures lie on the underwater food chain
and how their existence relates back to humans on the food chain. He said that discussing chemistry is unavoidable as well, due to its integral role in the ocean.
Deep Blue Discoveries is a one-man operation, with Mr. Croll serving in just about every capacity for his company. Deep Blue's presentations can be geared toward anyone, regardless of their
age or even physical limitations. He wants to teach anyone who is enthusiastic about the sea, from senior citizen groups to youth groups, and at school on- and off-Cape. He said that the
feedback on his presentations from teachers has been "great" so far and hopes his business will continue to grow. He believes that children, as well as adults, take away some of the same
enthusiasm for diving that he first learned by simply putting on a snorkel and a mask and investigating what was beneath the surface of the water. And that, to him, makes it all worthwhile.
For more information about Mr. Croll's business, e-mail info@deepbluediscoveries.com
| Jeff Croll of Deep Blue Discoveries, based in Sandwich, points to a Gloucester cove just prior to getting in the water in a scene from his DVD presentation used to teach school children about New England's marine ecosystems. For Mr. Croll, delivering these presentations across the state is a labor of love. He wants to share his passion for the sea, nurtured during his childhood summers in Orleans, where he began diving. |
SM