October Spotlight Diver: Theresa Summers
Born and raised in Orange County, Southern California, Theresa Summers has always been drawn to the ocean. From surfing every weekend as a teen to exploring the water through snorkeling and jet skis, it was only natural that she eventually found her way into scuba diving.
As an adult, Theresa finally had the opportunity to get certified. Though her mom worried about her diving with sharks (Theresa admits she didn’t share those shark stories until her 30s!), her love of the ocean kept pulling her deeper.
In her 40s, with greater financial freedom, she dove even more—and after retiring in her early 50s, she made diving a true lifestyle. Today, Theresa dives around the world, visiting a new country nearly every month, and averaging 100+ dives a year for the past five years straight. 🌍🐠
She has now been to at least 40 countries or more, with her Top 5 favorite dive destinations being:
• The Red Sea
• The Maldives
• Cuba
• Belize
• Socorro, Mexico
Favorite Adventures
For Theresa, nothing beats liveaboards—the ultimate “eat, sleep, dive, repeat” experience.
Why NABS Matters
For Theresa, joining NABS has been especially meaningful. For the first 15 years of her dive journey, she never saw another Black diver—except as staff in the Caribbean. Now, seeing Black divers represented around the world fills her with pride and joy.
👏🏽 Let’s celebrate Theresa for her passion, dedication, and adventurous spirit!
Theresa has alway been an inspiring person. Her passion and openness to new adventures is exemplary. She has always immersed herself in and her family into other cultures. Much deserved sis! Catch you under the waves…..
Rich
Theresa has been absolutely inspirational to me through out my whole life. Now that she is an amazing diver with almost NO fear, it adds to the list of why she’s someone to look up to. She’s always the dive instructors favorite and the best dive buddy on every adventure. She is fun, reliable, and smart….(and maybe a little crazy around sharks!). That’s why I am lucky having the privilege to call her MOM.