Mark Williamson

"We work hand in hand with them, servicing equipment and giving them every break we can with equipment," said Mark Williamson of High Plains Scuba.

Many of the recreational divers who partake in the event go on to working with the LCDR and vice versa, Williamson said.

Mark Williamson, an advanced instructor at High Plains Scuba Center, said about 15 to 20 new divers are certified every month, most of who dive in lakes and reservoirs in Colorado to keep their skill level up.

"A lot of people head down to the Caribbean for vacation and dive there," he said."But the rest of the year, they dive in Colorado."

For the past eight years Williamson has been an avid scuba diver, even though he lives in land-locked Colorado.

"If you look at a confirmed diver, anything bigger than a mud puddle and we're in it," Williamson said.

"Because of the low visibility in the reservoir, the divers aren't looking for golf balls as much as they're feeling for them," said Mark Williamson, training director for High Plains Scuba.

Despite Colorado's land-locked location, Williamson said the state ranks No. 3 in certified scuba divers per capita.