I’m Don – otherwise known as Mack.

Welcome to my website.

Who am I?

I am a speaker and presenter, as well as a scuba diving, wreck diving, skydiving, flying, metal-detecting aficionado who also enjoys hunting for treasure. Most of my ‘treasure hunting’ currently encompasses ‘grubbing’ in the lakes and rivers of the Southwest Michigan.

I’m a charter member of Michigan Underwater Divers (MUD Club) which was founded in 1973. We are not just fair-weather divers, we dive all year round – even New Year’s Eve. If you are interested in joining us for a dive or two, would like to join the club, or just come to a meeting and find out more, please check out the website. Our meetings are the 3rd Tuesday of each month. We’d be more than happy to welcome you!

My love of diving started in the early 60’s when as an army brat I built diving helmets out of a 5-gallon food tin with my air supplied via a large-bore tire pump and an aircraft accumulator.

I graduated to scuba diving in 1967 and was ‘officially’ certified in 1972. My SCUBA certifications include Master Diver from NAUI and advanced open water certification from  PADI  and a commercial rating (Hard Hat) from the Coastal School of Deep Sea Diving. I have been certified as an Emergency Medical Technician and in Scuba Lifesaving and Accident Management.

Worked as a commercial diver for 10 years initially doing Nuclear, Biological, and Chemical (NBC) shallow water diving (less than 250′), these days my interests are centered mostly around shallow water ‘grubbing and wreck diving.

My first parachute jump was in the early 70’s under a round canopy – and a bit of a disaster – missing the airport completely and landing in a corn field. It was a long pickup truck ride back to the drop zone. I’ve since gotten better.

Through the years I have joined the United States Parachute Association and obtained a Master as well as Coach and Static Line Instructor ratings. It’s quite the rush to jump from gliders, hot air balloons, helicopters, and 727 jets – and it’s a heck of a lot of fun!

In addition to diving and jumping, my interests include sailplanes which prompted me to become a member of the Soaring Society of America (SSA) in 1972, crewing in the nationals in South Carolina and Michigan. Eventually, I became a  single engine pilot and aircraft owner.

These days, my time is spent flying to a local skydiving drop zone to get in the occasional jump, maintain flying proficiency and spend the majority of my time doing aerial photography, shallow water salvage, grubbing and searching for new ship wrecks.

My finds through the years consist of all kinds of ‘treasures’ (most of which my wife calls ‘trash’) – which include bottles, glasses, golf balls, coins, piggy banks, fishing lures, an elephant, cash registers, knives, bowling balls, golf clubs, false teeth, guns, boats, motors, anchors, safes, and even a sword – and my latest big find was an 80 foot shipwreck in Lake Michigan.

And, as always, I am on the hunt for a mini-submarine. If you know anyone that has one for sale, cheap,  email me!