Member Bios

Travis’s Swanson “Founder”

Being born and raised in South Central Alaska definitely helped fuel my thirst for adventure. From the time I could first walk until the day I took off on a motorcycle after graduating high school, life consisted of dealing with harsh elements, exploring, and spending time with family and friends in the outdoors. Needless to say that with the chilly waters of Alaska one of my childhood activities was not exploring below the surface of the ocean. My first experience with the underwater world was on a winter escape to Hawaii were at the age of 11, my mother took me on a snuba adventure. All I can say is that after that experience I was hooked. I was so excited during my first experience that even my instructor was amazed at just how fast I sucked through my air but at age 11, I didn’t care I just wanted to do it again.

At the age of 15, after just finishing a season of commercial fishing, I was in a horrific motorcycle accident that left me with a paralyzed right arm and upper torso. As one can imagine, my life completely changed. Instead of dealing with the typical, what appear to be important at that age, issues of teenage life, I was faced with a different path of complicated surgeries and years of therapy. After a unique surgery were they took nerves out of my feet and put them in my shoulder, the hope of keeping my right arm and gaining some mobility became a real possibility. One type of therapy I was involved in was “aquatic therapy” and it was during these sessions that I realized that even with limited mobility in my right arm, being in the water enhanced what I could do. So with a pure fascination with the underwater world, a personality that is always up for an adventure and with this unique level of comfort while in the water it was only natural that my life, from that point until today, has revolved around our aquatic world.

In 1998, while managing a dive store in Portland Oregon, I sold my motorcycle, bought an underwater camera and started my own company called Hydrus. With no experience and no money just big dreams and determination, I am proud to say that over the last many years we (my good friends) have had many wonderful adventures and accomplished tasks that many said were impossible.

These tasks that I am proud to have been involved in were not something that I did on my own but rather they were the accomplishments of an amazing group of people who believed in the idea of going after your dreams and never believing others who doubt. Andy, you are missed but I know one day we will be diving again. Rest in peace my friend.