Barry Lipsky, Long Island Divers Association

Barry Lipsky is the president of the Long Island Divers Association, a public safety diving instructor, firefighter, EMT, and lifelong diver. With more than 50 years of diving experience, Barry shares how his early passion for the sport grew into a commitment to dive safety, education, and advocacy. He discusses the Long Island Divers Association's efforts to preserve access to dive sites on Long Island, including the successful campaign to save the Old Ponquogue Bridge dive site and work that helped create the 12-Mile Reef, an artificial reef that expanded diving opportunities off the New York coast. Barry also shares lessons from public safety diving and emergency response, including practical considerations for liveaboard safety, emergency preparedness, and evaluating operators before a trip. The conversation explores how divers can help protect access to dive sites and support marine conservation efforts in their local waters. To learn more about the Long Island Divers Association, visit LIDAonline.com. 0:00 Introduction 3:05 Securing Access to Dive Sites 5:10 Public Safety Diving and Instruction 6:33 Liveaboard Safety 18:43 Preserving the Old Ponquogue Bridge 24:06 Long Island Shipwrecks and Reefs 29:34 Environmental Conservation and Eelgrass 31:05 Final Thoughts