Panama City Beach's Campoli named Diver of the Year

PANAMA CITY BEACH - When Bernie Campoli heard he was as a Beneath the Sea Diver of the Year for Service, he was surprised - though he probably shouldn't have been. 

Since he started diving in New Jersey in 1956, Campoli, 78, has developed an extensive diving resume. He's particularly well-known for his underwater photography with the Navy, which the National Associate of Underwater Instructors named him one of the year's top divers. 

“For over six decades, Campoli has been a recognized photographer of recreational, commercial and military diving. Campoli’s first published photo appeared in a 1955 issue of Skin Diver magazine over a half-century ago,” the NAUI press release said. “His footage continues to be used on Discovery...ABC, Learning Channel, History and Military channels, and featured motion pictures, according to the Academy of Underwater & Sciences."

His work, both with the Navy and for the commercial sector, has been part of numerous Navy publications, published in the National Geographic Foundation and part of Emmy winning documentaries. Through it all, Campoli has remained humble. 

“I don’t make a big deal about it,” Campoli said. “I’ve been doing it so long.”

Campoli’s military career brought him to Bay County from 1963 to 1964, to work on filming project SEALAB for the Navy. It was a brief stop before he headed off to Bermuda for a saturation dive.

But the Florida Panhandle called him back when he came to work at Naval Support Activity Panama City in 1974 as a technical photographer. After serving in that role, he retired in 2000 and decided to stick around.

“I still like this part of Florida,” Campoli said. “There’s a variety of things all over the state.”

 The diving industry in Florida, and as a whole, has changed a lot since he first started, when there wasn't any formal training. 

“It’s a whole community,” Campoli said. “When I first started there was nothing like it. There weren’t a whole lot of dive shops.”

He still goes diving and now spends his days traveling across Florida and the country. The Florida Keys is a spot he likes going back to for diving, which he said is a community full of people he likes to work with.

Later this month Campoli will return to his other home, New Jersey, for the Beneath the Sea scuba and dive travel show. Over 25 other divers are also being recognized by the Diver of the Year Award program, said NAUI.

This isn't Campoli’s first diving award. In 2010, he received the NOGI Award from the Academy of Underwater Arts and Sciences, which he said is like the Academy Award for his field.

“That’s probably the most prestigious award in diving,” Campoli said.