Bob Croft, the “father of American freediving,” has been selected by the Academy of Underwater Arts and Sciences as one of five recipients of the prestigious “NOGI” Award for 2016.
Croft was selected under the NOGI Sports & Education category for his pioneering work as a research subject for the U.S. Navy, where he helped prove that a human being could safely freedive beyond 300 feet.
The NOGI is the oldest and most prestigious in the diving industry, having been been awarded on an annual basis since 1960 to a select group of divers and undersea visionaries who rank at the top of their fields in arts, science, sports/education, environment, and distinguished service.
The AUAS was created in 1993 to administer the NOGI awards.
The other 2016 NOGI recipients include underwater photographer Stephen Frink in the Arts category, dive computer inventor Mike Cochran for the Science category, Hardy Jones in the Environment category for his work to save dolphins, and Bonnie Toth in the Distinguished Service category.
If you are interested in helping crowdfunding the expenses for Bob and his wife Edna to attend the NOGI awards in 2016 head over to https://www.gofundme.com/bobcroftnogi.
To read their full bios, check out the AUAS website. Also, check out DeeperBlue.com‘s interview of Bob at the 2012 DEMA Show below.
