Monica Losey

Always the water bug growing up, I learned to SCUBA dive in 2005 so my boyfriend, Brett Kriegel, and I could share a common interest.  I almost didn’t finish the certification as I hated my training but had already invested some money so stuck with it. 

I bought my first digital camera (an Olympus UZ C-770) and underwater housing for my first dive trip to Belize.  Our DM, Carlos, in Belize basically retaught me how to dive and showed me how to use the camera and my desire to get photos to help with my buoyancy control.  I wasn’t hooked until my first night dive in Cozumel when I got to see the critters come to life and interact with me.  I have upgraded my camera only once since then and  I am now shooting an Olympus PEN E-PL3; the mirrorless, micro-4/3rds technology as I don’t want to contend with the investment and hassle of a full DSLR rig and am perfectly content with what my rig, Lightroom, & I produce.

In my relatively short time as a diver, I’ve been fortunate enough to dive the Philippines, Bali, South Africa, Zanzibar, Belize, Bonaire, Cayman Islands, Cozumel, Flower Gardens, BVI, and St. Croix with my favorite being the Philippines.  More recently, I’ve spent time with non-diving travels to see different animals, experience various cultures, and discover history first-hand.  These travels have brought me to such places as the Arctic Circle for polar bears, Cambodia for temples, Vietnam for the history, Laos for the elephants, Rwanda for mountain gorillas, Tanzania for chimpanzees, and South Africa for the great white shark cage dive.  

I was recruited into HUPS in 2008 at Houston SeaSpace when the allure of the workshops caught my attention and the camaraderie and helpfulness of the members got me hooked.   Since then I have participated and contributed in different capacities, always thankful and appreciative for the great educational support provided by all of the members.  When I’m not traveling, I work at Dow Chemical so I can finance my next big experience!