About Us

James Conolly

SDI Open Water Diver Instructor

James began diving in 1989 with the Hart House Underwater Club while an undergraduate student at the University of Toronto.  He then moved to the UK to undertake professional training.  His subsequent career as an archaeologist has taken him all over the world.  He has worked in Syria, Turkey, Greece, Cyprus, Great Britain, Alaska, New Zealand as well as in the Great Lakes area of Ontario.  Over 20 years later with a wife and three (3) children and a successful career as a University Professor at Trent University in the Anthropology department, James re-certified as an Open Water Diver with Adventure Divers. 

Since then he has dove continuously during the summer and winter, logging hundreds of dives.  James enjoys all types of diving including Shipwreck, Night, Cold Water and Drift.  He is certified in numerous specialties including Deep, Night, Navigation, Nitrox and is also trained as a Gas Blender to dive with Triox (Trimix) and Dive Propulsion Vehicles (DPVs).  From his work as an Archaeologist, James has a particular interest in shipwrecks and works with organizations such as GUE, the Nautical Archaeology Society, Save Ontario Shipwrecks and the Ontario Marine Heritage Commitee to document and map shipwrecks in Lake Ontario, and Georgian Bay.  James shares his enthusiasm for diving with all his students and fellow divers.  It is a pleasure to have James working with us.