Jarrod Jablonski
Encyclopedia
Jarrod Jablonski is a pioneering technical diver
and record setting cave diver
. Jablonski is one of the main architects behind the 'Doing It Right
' (or DIR) system of diving.
. He attended Forest Hill Community High School
where he graduated in 1987. He then attended the University of Florida
, graduating in 1992 with a degree in English
and again in 1994 with a degree in Geology
.
In 1984, Jablonski took his first recreational diving
certification course. While in college, he decided to try cave diving and was certified in 1989. Also, in 1989 he became an open water instructor and currently holds certifications for GUE
, NAUI, PADI
, CMAS
, YMCA
and PDIC
. He began his career as a cave diving instructor in 1990 and currently holds instructor trainer certifications for GUE, IANTD
, NSS-CDS
, and the NACD.
Jablonski became a fellow of The Explorers Club
in 2008 and currently resides in Gainesville, Florida
.
From 1993 to 1996, Jablonski was a scientific diver at the University of Florida supporting research on groundwater in the Santa Fe River
Basin.
During this time, he also served on the board of directors
for the National Association of Cave Diving (1995–1998) where he was also training director in 1997. Jablonski was also a board member for the National Speleological Society
- Cave Diving Section (1996–1998) as well as serving on their training committee from 1995 to 1997. He was a member of the advisory board
for the International Association of Nitrox and Technical Divers
from 1996 to 1998.
As training director for the Woodville Karst Plain Project
(WKPP), Jablonski saw a need to expand his role to benefit a larger population of divers. In 1998, Jablonski founded Global Underwater Explorers
(GUE), a scuba diving
organization that provides education within recreational, technical
and cave diving
. It is a not-for-profit, membership organization, based in High Springs, Florida
, United States
. Jablonski serves on the board of directors as the president and training director. When GUE was formed it was co-located with Extreme Exposure dive store that was also founded by Jablonski in 1998. However, Extreme Exposure has now changed locations, which has allowed for further growth of the organization.
Jablonski served on the board of directors for Florida Speleological Researcher, Inc from 1998 to 2002.
In 2000, Jablonski founded Halcyon Manufacturing and serves as President and Chief Executive Officer
(CEO) of the company.
s at an average depth of 285 feet. In July 1998 Jablonski, again diving with Irvine and Scarabin traveled 18,000 feet in Wakulla Springs O-Tunnel. Jablonski and his regular dive buddy
WKPP director Casey McKinlay currently hold the world record for the longest ever penetration on a cave dive, at 26,000 feet while exploring "Q" tunnel of Wakulla Springs.
On May 20, 2007, Jablonski and McKinlay set off from Turner Sink to try and find a connection but were unable to when the cave became impassable after 3 miles (4.8 km). On July 28, 2007, the divers explored 1220 feet (371.9 m) of new passage before discovering an exploration line from Wakulla Springs. On Dec 15, 2007, they completed a traverse from Turner Sink to Wakulla Springs, covering a distance of nearly 36000 feet (11 km). This traverse took approximately 7 hours, followed by 15 hours of decompression. That dive established the Wakulla
– Leon Sinks
Cave System as the longest underwater cave in the United States and set another record as the longest cave diving traverse.
The Florida House of Representatives adopted a resolution
in 2011 "...recognizing the Woodville Karst Plain Project for its outstanding contributions to the State of Florida through scientific research and its dedication and tireless efforts to promote the protection of the state's precious natural water resources" (HR9053). Jablonski was cited in the resolution for his part in the 2007 dive that created the Wakulla – Leon Sinks Cave System.
Technical diving
Technical diving is a form of scuba diving that exceeds the scope of recreational diving...
and record setting cave diver
Cave diving
Cave diving is a type of technical diving in which specialized equipment is used to enable the exploration of caves which are at least partially filled with water. In the United Kingdom it is an extension of the more common sport of caving, and in the United States an extension of the more common...
. Jablonski is one of the main architects behind the 'Doing It Right
Doing It Right
Doing It Right is a holistic approach to scuba diving. According to the DIR approach fundamental skills, teamwork, environmental and situational awareness, and the use of a highly optimized and streamlined equipment configuration are the fundamentals of DIR diving...
' (or DIR) system of diving.
Background
Jablonski was born on April 24, 1969 in West Palm Beach, FloridaWest Palm Beach, Florida
West Palm Beach, is a city located on the Atlantic coast in southeastern Florida and is the most populous city in and county seat of Palm Beach County, the third most populous county in Florida with a 2010 population of 1,320,134. The city is also the oldest incorporated municipality in South Florida...
. He attended Forest Hill Community High School
Forest Hill Community High School
Forest Hill Community High School also known as Forest Hill or The Hill, is a coeducational public high school in West Palm Beach, Florida with an enrollment of more than 1800 students...
where he graduated in 1987. He then attended the University of Florida
University of Florida
The University of Florida is an American public land-grant, sea-grant, and space-grant research university located on a campus in Gainesville, Florida. The university traces its historical origins to 1853, and has operated continuously on its present Gainesville campus since September 1906...
, graduating in 1992 with a degree in English
English major
The English Major is a term in the United States and a few other countries for an undergraduate university degree focused around the consumption, analysis, and production of texts in the English language...
and again in 1994 with a degree in Geology
Geology
Geology is the science comprising the study of solid Earth, the rocks of which it is composed, and the processes by which it evolves. Geology gives insight into the history of the Earth, as it provides the primary evidence for plate tectonics, the evolutionary history of life, and past climates...
.
In 1984, Jablonski took his first recreational diving
Recreational diving
Recreational diving or sport diving is a type of diving that uses SCUBA equipment for the purpose of leisure and enjoyment. In some diving circles, the term "recreational diving" is used in contradistinction to "technical diving", a more demanding aspect of the sport which requires greater levels...
certification course. While in college, he decided to try cave diving and was certified in 1989. Also, in 1989 he became an open water instructor and currently holds certifications for GUE
Global Underwater Explorers
Global Underwater Explorers is a scuba diving organization that provides education within recreational, technical and cave diving. It is a not-for-profit, membership organization, based in High Springs, Florida, United States....
, NAUI, PADI
Padi
Padi or PADI may refer to:* Padi, Chennai, India* Padi , a musical group* Paddy field, a type of cultivated land * Professional Association of Diving Instructors, a scuba organization...
, CMAS
Confédération Mondiale des Activités Subaquatiques
The Confédération Mondiale des Activités Subaquatiques is the World Underwater Federation. CMAS is the international umbrella organisation for recreational diver training organisations represented in the CMAS Technical Committee and underwater sports governed by the CMAS Sport Committee...
, YMCA
YMCA
The Young Men's Christian Association is a worldwide organization of more than 45 million members from 125 national federations affiliated through the World Alliance of YMCAs...
and PDIC
Professional Diving Instructors Corporation
The Professional Diving Instructors Corporation is an international SCUBA training and certification agency. It has an estimated 5 million active recreational divers....
. He began his career as a cave diving instructor in 1990 and currently holds instructor trainer certifications for GUE, IANTD
International Association of Nitrox and Technical Divers
International Association of Nitrox and Technical Divers is a SCUBA diving organization concerned with certification and training in Enriched Air Nitrox diving, Technical diving and Free diving.- History :...
, NSS-CDS
National Speleological Society
The National Speleological Society is an organization formed in 1941 to advance the exploration, conservation, study, and understanding of caves in the United States. Originally located in Washington D.C., its current offices are in Huntsville, Alabama...
, and the NACD.
Jablonski became a fellow of The Explorers Club
The Explorers Club
The Explorers Club is a professional society dedicated to scientific exploration of Earth, its oceans, and outer space. Founded in 1904 in New York City, it currently has 30 branches world wide...
in 2008 and currently resides in Gainesville, Florida
Gainesville, Florida
Gainesville is the largest city in, and the county seat of, Alachua County, Florida, United States as well as the principal city of the Gainesville, Florida Metropolitan Statistical Area . The preliminary 2010 Census population count for Gainesville is 124,354. Gainesville is home to the sixth...
.
Career
Jablonski started teaching cave diving at Ginnie springs in 1990 and continued there until 1996.From 1993 to 1996, Jablonski was a scientific diver at the University of Florida supporting research on groundwater in the Santa Fe River
Santa Fe River
The Santa Fe River is a river in northern Florida. The watershed of the river is approximately and spreads across southern Columbia, southern Suwannee, western Bradford, far southern Baker, Union, northern and eastern Gilchrist, and northern Alachua counties. The headwaters of the river are...
Basin.
During this time, he also served on the board of directors
Board of directors
A board of directors is a body of elected or appointed members who jointly oversee the activities of a company or organization. Other names include board of governors, board of managers, board of regents, board of trustees, and board of visitors...
for the National Association of Cave Diving (1995–1998) where he was also training director in 1997. Jablonski was also a board member for the National Speleological Society
National Speleological Society
The National Speleological Society is an organization formed in 1941 to advance the exploration, conservation, study, and understanding of caves in the United States. Originally located in Washington D.C., its current offices are in Huntsville, Alabama...
- Cave Diving Section (1996–1998) as well as serving on their training committee from 1995 to 1997. He was a member of the advisory board
Advisory board
An advisory board is a body that advises the board of directors and management of a corporation but does not have authority to vote on corporate matters, nor a legal fiduciary responsibility...
for the International Association of Nitrox and Technical Divers
International Association of Nitrox and Technical Divers
International Association of Nitrox and Technical Divers is a SCUBA diving organization concerned with certification and training in Enriched Air Nitrox diving, Technical diving and Free diving.- History :...
from 1996 to 1998.
As training director for the Woodville Karst Plain Project
Woodville Karst Plain Project
The Woodville Karst Plain Project or WKPP, grew out of a cave diving research and exploration group established in 1985 and incorporated in 1990 to map the underwater cave systems underlying the Woodville Karst Plain, a area...
(WKPP), Jablonski saw a need to expand his role to benefit a larger population of divers. In 1998, Jablonski founded Global Underwater Explorers
Global Underwater Explorers
Global Underwater Explorers is a scuba diving organization that provides education within recreational, technical and cave diving. It is a not-for-profit, membership organization, based in High Springs, Florida, United States....
(GUE), a scuba diving
Scuba diving
Scuba diving is a form of underwater diving in which a diver uses a scuba set to breathe underwater....
organization that provides education within recreational, technical
Technical diving
Technical diving is a form of scuba diving that exceeds the scope of recreational diving...
and cave diving
Cave diving
Cave diving is a type of technical diving in which specialized equipment is used to enable the exploration of caves which are at least partially filled with water. In the United Kingdom it is an extension of the more common sport of caving, and in the United States an extension of the more common...
. It is a not-for-profit, membership organization, based in High Springs, Florida
High Springs, Florida
High Springs is a city in Alachua County, Florida, United States. The population was 3,863 at the 2000 census. As of 2004, the population recorded by the U.S. Census Bureau is 4,139 .-Geography:High Springs is located at ....
, United States
United States
The United States of America is a federal constitutional republic comprising fifty states and a federal district...
. Jablonski serves on the board of directors as the president and training director. When GUE was formed it was co-located with Extreme Exposure dive store that was also founded by Jablonski in 1998. However, Extreme Exposure has now changed locations, which has allowed for further growth of the organization.
Jablonski served on the board of directors for Florida Speleological Researcher, Inc from 1998 to 2002.
In 2000, Jablonski founded Halcyon Manufacturing and serves as President and Chief Executive Officer
Chief executive officer
A chief executive officer , managing director , Executive Director for non-profit organizations, or chief executive is the highest-ranking corporate officer or administrator in charge of total management of an organization...
(CEO) of the company.
Expeditions and projects
Jablonski has been setting records for cave penetration for many years. In 1995 he and Geologist Todd Kincaid pushed the Manatee Springs cave system to 11,074 feet. On April 25, 1997, Jablonski along with George Irvine and Brent Scarabin set a new penetration record of 11,000 feet in Wakulla Springs. They utilized Halcyon semi-closed circuit rebreatherRebreather
A rebreather is a type of breathing set that provides a breathing gas containing oxygen and recycled exhaled gas. This recycling reduces the volume of breathing gas used, making a rebreather lighter and more compact than an open-circuit breathing set for the same duration in environments where...
s at an average depth of 285 feet. In July 1998 Jablonski, again diving with Irvine and Scarabin traveled 18,000 feet in Wakulla Springs O-Tunnel. Jablonski and his regular dive buddy
Buddy system
The buddy system is a procedure in which two people, the "buddies", operate together as a single unit so that they are able to monitor and help each other.-Advantages:...
WKPP director Casey McKinlay currently hold the world record for the longest ever penetration on a cave dive, at 26,000 feet while exploring "Q" tunnel of Wakulla Springs.
On May 20, 2007, Jablonski and McKinlay set off from Turner Sink to try and find a connection but were unable to when the cave became impassable after 3 miles (4.8 km). On July 28, 2007, the divers explored 1220 feet (371.9 m) of new passage before discovering an exploration line from Wakulla Springs. On Dec 15, 2007, they completed a traverse from Turner Sink to Wakulla Springs, covering a distance of nearly 36000 feet (11 km). This traverse took approximately 7 hours, followed by 15 hours of decompression. That dive established the Wakulla
Wakulla Springs
Wakulla Springs is located south of Tallahassee, Florida and east of Crawfordville in Wakulla County, Florida at the crossroads of State Road 61 and State Road 267...
– Leon Sinks
Leon Sinks
The Leon Sinks Geological Area is located on the Woodville Karst Plain in southern and southwestern Leon County, Florida, United States. It is a mature karstic area on the Upper Floridan Aquifer...
Cave System as the longest underwater cave in the United States and set another record as the longest cave diving traverse.
The Florida House of Representatives adopted a resolution
Resolution (law)
A resolution is a written motion adopted by a deliberative body. The substance of the resolution can be anything that can normally be proposed as a motion. For long or important motions, though, it is often better to have them written out so that discussion is easier or so that it can be...
in 2011 "...recognizing the Woodville Karst Plain Project for its outstanding contributions to the State of Florida through scientific research and its dedication and tireless efforts to promote the protection of the state's precious natural water resources" (HR9053). Jablonski was cited in the resolution for his part in the 2007 dive that created the Wakulla – Leon Sinks Cave System.