Scuba Diving Veteran

To say that Vic Lindal has a zest for life, boundless energy and a sense of adventure would be making mere understatements. Freshly back from scuba diving in Wakatobi Marine Park, Indonesia, Vic is full of the fabulous new experiences he had, “it has to be the best dive trip ever. The most fantastic coral, sponges and fish. The life under water was truly from another world,” he enthuses.

Vic is the kind of person who soaks up every thing that an experience has to offer. Not seen by him before were, amongst others, lion fish, flat head crocodile fish, sea snakes and in particular a pygmy sea horse which he appreciated being shown by the guide so small was it. He loved the attention to detail that was offered to the divers and the quality of the dive briefings, which, being one to want every possible scrap of information Vic very much appreciated. Clad in a light full or shorty wet suit he’d spend about 60 or 70 minutes on a dive; wall dives mostly of some 80 feet or so.

It might be considered lucky that Vic went on the drive trip, but to his way of thinking it’s synchronicity. A while back his dive buddies and he were at an event which involved underwater filming and one of them won a prize which just happened to be to diving in Wakatobi. Time went by and eventually they decided to make good on the offer and asked Vic along and naturally he jumped at the chance; through some fortunate timing and arrangements he was able to go.

Ever ready for an adventure or new experience Vic embraces all the opportunities that come his way, and if they don’t, he creates them. He himself is not a victim of what he calls AADD Adult Adventure Deficit Disorder and he urges others not to become afflicted by it. “I hear people say things like, someday I would like to take that trip or do some particular thing. But when the time comes they are not prepared or fit enough to take that adventure,” he says. “It is my crusade,” he affirms, “to help people get on with their lives and have adventures.”

Vic’s adventures run the gamut from cycling with his grandchildren, to scuba diving in tropical waters, to seeking out his Icelandic roots, to hunting for trilobites and much, much more. One of the biggest commitments he’s made is to “be fit for my grandchildren” of which he has ten. “I want to be fit for the experience,” he says. But whatever that experience happens to be Vic will embark on it with the grandchild in question from the moment the idea is sparked. “We do the research into the project from the beginning to the end,” he says, and they plan it carefully and visualize what it is they want to achieve. For instance, a recent adventure involved teaching two of his grandchildren how to ride bicycles. All three of them set times for the coaching and learn everything about the skill of cycling, rules of the road, equipment etc. before undertaking the first journey from Victoria to Mill Bay, via the ferry.

Always emphasizing the positive Vic thrives on planning these adventures with his grandchildren. He carries this enthusiasm through to his other activities some of which include refereeing volleyball and basketball teams. And, he has a tip for parents who have children participating in sports, “always carry a notebook while you are out there watching your children and write down all the things that they did well. Make these known to the children and help them relive all the positive experiences they had rather than the negative ones.”

Vic works as a personal coach and over the past 17 years he’s travelled far and wide delivering motivational speeches and consulting with a myriad of organizations and individuals. “I enjoy it and will continue to do it – there’s no reason not to,” he says. He makes sure that his speaking skills don’t become rusty by participating at Toastmasters, “your skills will fall through your fingers and you don’t notice they are gone,” he warns, “so stay sharp.” After all, when you make presentations people expect you to do well and besides you are always evaluated, he adds.

Vic’s been a sports consultant for the Government of British Columbia and was a school teacher of Math, P.E. and Special Education in Vancouver. But one of the best things he’s done is to coach Canada’s National Women’s Volleyball team from 1969/1977. He says his goal then, which was achieved, was to become the best team in North America.

A more recent goal was achieved when Vic and another granddaughter took the B.C. Parks and Recreation Fitness Instructor course together. They met regularly to go over the material and exercise and eventually received their strength training certificates. “We had to do a practical and we were tested together. We might be the only grandpa and granddaughter strength training combo,” he laughs.

Raised in Cordova Bay, Vic comes by his boundless energy through his parents who were both very much interested in exercise, good nutrition and loved badminton. Vic’s dad was about 65 when Vic finally beat him at an ongoing personal contest the two had had going for some years – walking on their hands across the lawn at Royal Roads.

There are some moments in Vic’s life which might be recognized as relaxation: he loves to read books that are not part of his current studies, and he meditates every morning. And, “I’m a good dancer,” he says, adding with a laugh “I’m working on my modesty!”

Vic’s future goals include completing a bicycle adventure with another granddaughter from Nanaimo to Qualicum, diving at Cayman Brac, men’s volleyball and “to continue inspiring the clients I have and new ones that come into my life and provide guidance so they can follow their life paths.” But what if people don’t know what it is they want to do? Vic says, write down all the things that you don’t like or don’t want to do, and then write a list of the polar opposites, then ask yourself what each of those things is going to look like. As for Vic he definitely doesn’t want to climb Mt. Everest, but he does want to do some back country camping. Being fit for the experience is the key, according to Vic, in terms of the physical, mental and spiritual.

Looking out at the grey, wind-blown ocean at Ogden Point Vic compares the scene to his view of life, “you can see the ripples on the ocean and there’s not much there, you have to plunge in and there a whole other world is opened up, but if you want to see the fine details you need a guide.”
This article just scratches the surface of Vic’s adventures to read more check out his website.
www.viclindal.ca
www.wakatobi.org

Written by Enise Olding