Gary Kulisek Interview and Diving Books & Movies Recommendations

In 2020, I spent half a year living in Puerto Galera, the Philippines, during the global lockdown, as I trained to become a Divemaster.

During this time I improved my scuba knowledge and experience, dived around some beautiful sites and met some incredible individuals. 

One such character whom I encountered was a scuba diving legend Gary Kulisek, who had endless stories to tell from a lifetime spent diving to a beyond and above level! 

You can check out the eye opening interview with Gary by clicking here.

Below, is a list Gary’s favourite diving books and movies of all time:

BOOKS

#1) Deep Descent

Gary says: “This is the story of diving the Andrea Doria, which many consider to be the Mount Everest of diving”.


#2) Dark Descent

Gary says: “From the same author of Deep Descent, except this time it’s about diving the Empress of Ireland. The book also goes into a lot of detail about wreck diving; the people it attracts and the lifestyle it entails”. 


#3) The Last Dive

Gary says:   “A particularly good book. It is tragic in a way but gives a glimpse into the addictive nature of diving. A lot of the questions you asked me, are talked about in this book and discussed in even greater detail”.


MOVIES

#1) Big Blue

Gary says: “I think that everybody who dives should watch this as it’s all about the scuba lifestyle. Big Blue is my number 1 recommendation”. 


#2) The Abyss

Gary says: ” This is kinda a science fiction diving movie. It’s functionally inaccurate, hypothetically and theoretically accurate and there’s not much misinformation”. 


#3) 47 Meters Down

Gary says: “Highly implausible, highly improbable, highly stupid. but incredibly amusing”. 


#4) Sanctum

Gary says: “Too many mistakes and too many inaccuracies but a good flick all the same”. 


#5) A Few Good Men

Gary says: “Commercial diving in the united states navy – accurate to a fault, albeit not the kind of diving people normally do these days, being brass helmets and all”.


about the author

Alex

Hi, I’m Alex.

I’m the creator of Diving Squad, a scuba diving travel blog shaped by a five-year odyssey spent diving and drifting through Southeast Asia, Latin America, and parts of Europe.

In 2023, I landed in Panglao, Bohol — and loved it so much I ended up staying. I’ve been based here ever since, working as a PADI Scuba Diving Instructor, guiding dives and teaching courses, while continuing to build Diving Squad.

When I’m not in the water, I’m usually editing underwater photos and footage, planning the next trip, or cruising around Bohol — but never for long before the reefs pull me back.