Episode 8: Randy Randazzo | 50 Years of Long Island Diving, Wrecks & Hampton Dive Center
In this episode of the Dive Long Island Podcast, I talk to Randy Randazzo, owner of Hampton Dive Center and one of Long Island’s most experienced dive professionals.
With nearly five decades of diving experience, Randy shares how he got started as a teenager diving the waters of Shinnecock Bay, his time at the PADI International College in California, and the journey that led him to build Hampton Dive Center from the ground up.
We discuss the evolution of scuba equipment, the challenges and rewards of Northeast diving, public safety diving, Flight 800, technical diving, and some of Long Island’s most iconic wrecks, including the Oregon, San Diego, and Coimbra. Along the way, Randy shares stories of great white sharks, pilot whales, historic shipwrecks, and the lessons he’s learned from a lifetime spent underwater.
Whether you’re a new diver, a seasoned wreck diver, or simply curious about the history of diving on Long Island, this conversation offers a fascinating look at how the local dive community has evolved over the last 50 years.
Topics discussed:
- How Randy got started diving in 1979
- Training at the PADI International College
- Flight 800 and supporting recovery operations
- Building Hampton Dive Center
- Public safety diving equipment and training
- The evolution of scuba gear and dive education
- Long Island wreck diving and exploration
- The Oregon, San Diego, and Coimbra wrecks
- Technical diving and decompression diving
- Sharks, whales, and unforgettable underwater encounters
- Why Long Island remains one of the most unique places to dive
Learn more about Hampton Dive Center:
Instagram: @HamptonDive
Facebook: Hampton Dive Center
Website: https://www.hamptondive.com
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Instagram: @DiveLongIsland
YouTube: @DiveLongIsland
Facebook: Dive Long Island
See you between dives.