Doc is the Owner/Instructor of SD Shark Diving, was the pioneer who started the Great White Shark diving tours at Guadalupe Island and has been actively conducting shark diving tours since 1994.
Early History
San Diego Shark Diving Expeditions, Inc. was founded by noted underwater film makers and photographers Bob Cranston and Marty Synderman in 1986. By 1993 both Marty and Bob were getting so many film assignments that they needed someone to come in and take over the shark diving business that they had started. In late 1993 Paul “Doc” Anes purchased the company, retaining Bob Cranston as a consultant.
Doc’s Experience
As a 21st birthday present to himself he took scuba lessons in 1969. After transferring to San Diego State U. in 1970 he signed up for the first advanced scuba certification offered as an extension class taught by Mark Flahan who was the diving safety officer at SDSU. He progressed as an assistant instructor helping Flahan with the basic classes and eventually earned his NAUI instructor rating in 1974 as Instructor # 3734.
After graduation from SDSU he went back to an old skill of building custom boats, until 1982 when he was offered the diving operations manager position at the old Tortuga Club located at the East End of Grand Cayman Is. That was some good diving! He transferred to the Spanish Cove Resort at the NW end of the island in 1984 where he focused on just being a divemaster and boat captain. It was a pretty hot resort back then. Peter Hughes subsequently asked Doc if he wanted to take over the manager’s position of Dive Bonaire.
Doc worked there until Sept of 1985 when he returned to San Diego to get “re-civilized” Right back to building boats again and an occasional captain gig until 1993 when he got an “out of the blue” call from Bob Cranston. Bob owned San Diego Shark Diving at the time and was looking for someone to come in and take over the business. The rest is history.
Now we’re looking for new adventures with sharks around the world. To hear it from Doc-“This is the one job that really fits my personality, unfortunately now I’ve gotten myself into a situation where I am no longer employable at a “real” job so I’d better be good at the ‘sharkin’.
sd shark diving – San Diego Shark Diving Expeditions – great white shark diving
