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After Heart Surgery, I Have A New Scuba Buddy!

Written By: Adam Pick, Patient Advocate, Author & Website Founder
Page Last Updated: June 8, 2025

As many of you know, I loved Scuba diving before heart valve surgery. Thankfully... My heart surgeon, Dr. Vaughn Starnes, cleared me to Scuba dive after my Ross Procedure.

One of the key ingredients for a safe dive is having a trustworthy "buddy". You never know what can happen underwater. So, having a certified buddy swimming next to you always helps mitigate any potential risks. That said, I am happy to report that Ethan, my 14-year old son, recently got certified. So, Ethan is my new, lifelong Scuba buddy. :)

As we live in Los Angeles, our fist dive together was off the coast of Catalina Island which is known for its amazing kelp forest. One of the best moments of the Catalina dive came unexpectedly when a sea lion swam right up to us. That sea lion was humongous!

Catalina Island Kelp Forest & Sea Lion

Needless to say, it was a great dive but incredibly cold as the Pacific Ocean water temperature was just about 56 degrees. We needed hoods, a 7 millimeter full wetsuit, booties, and gloves to protect us against the chilly water.

The best moment of the dive was looking over and seeing Ethan having the time of his life. It is downright amazing how confident he is in the water. No fear. Pure joy. Yes, I'm a Proud Papa.

Here we are, on a different dive, looking at a puffer fish that just happened to be swimming by. :)

For anybody out there interested in Scuba diving after heart surgery, please check with your medical team to make sure it is okay. It's always best to be safe not sorry.

Written by Adam Pick - Patient & Website Founder

Adam Pick is a heart valve patient and author of The Patient's Guide To Heart Valve Surgery. In 2006, Adam founded HeartValveSurgery.com to educate and empower patients. This award-winning website has helped over 10 million people fight heart valve disease. Adam has been featured by the American Heart Association and Medical News Today.

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