We’re pleased to shine this month’s volunteer spotlight on one of our reliable, hard-working crewmembers in Oahu! We know you'll enjoy getting to know Gary and hope you'll watch his video interview at the end of the article. :-)

Gary Liebmann has been volunteering with ODA for a couple of years now in the roles of cleanup diver, ODA Advisory Board Member, and in 2024 as ODA Oahu Divemaster. It’s challenging to sum up how fortunate we are to have Gary (and his wife Temple – more about her below!) on our crew.

Our Founder and President Kurt Lieber shares this about Gary:

“He’s a dive instructor and is really dedicated to giving back to the oceans. When you make your living by teaching dive skills, he see’s firsthand all the damage that humans are causing. 

Gary lives on Oahu and knows the reefs like few others do. He’s the lead diver on all our boat cleanups and helps organize the He’eia Pier cleanups we do. 

Gary’s skills underwater have helped us remove hundreds of pounds of lead fishing weights from the heavily fished areas all around the island, as well as thousands of feet of fishing lines from the coastal reefs. He’s also been an integral part of the massive tire removals that we’ve done over the years. 

Cleaning up after outings can be laborious, but Gary always sticks with it right to the end! In fact, he’s become our official debris weigher (as you’ll see in the photos below).

I can tell you Gary is a blast to be with and makes friends with everyone. He’s a great organizer and ODA has benefited from his professionalism, leadership, and passion for keeping our reefs healthy and happy! Thank you, Gary, for being a top-notch Ocean Defender!”

Dear reader, be sure to look at the photo gallery below to see photos of Gary that clearly illustrate his dedication and positive presence…and infectious smile!

Please enjoy our Q&A interview with Gary

Q: What drew your attention to the ocean and when?

A: I was drawn to the ocean at a very young age. I grew up in New Jersey and my family would always take us to the Jersey Shore in the summer. I was fascinated as to how big the Atlantic Ocean was. The smells of the ocean and my curiosity about what lies beneath always had my imagination running wild. 

Q: What is your favorite ODA expedition?

A: If I had to pick a favorite ODA expedition, I would say the clean-up dive that involved the Canadian film crew for the Talking Trash series. Not only did we have the opportunity to clean up that day, but we were able to share our experience with a great group of people from Canada who share the same passions that we have when it comes to helping keep our environment clean and debris free. It was a lot of fun to learn about what they do and the different locations they have filmed over the past couple of years, and also for us to show them what an important role ODA plays on our small island. That day was a lot of fun for sure!

Q: Any funny stories to share?

A: Not sure if this is necessarily a funny story but I think it demonstrates the importance of proper planning. A little over a year ago when we were finishing up a dive, we were trying to pull a bucket of lead over the stern platform of the dive boat. The bucket was so heavy that three of us were trying to swing it over the edge to get it on the boat. Unfortunately, in about 100 feet of water, the bucket shattered, and we lost all of the lead to the bottom. We were all a deflated but there was nothing we could do. The captain recorded the GPS coordinates, and we headed back. About six months later we had a small group going out and we decided to try for a recovery mission, to be honest I think we all thought it was a long shot. The captain got us to the spot and down we went. One of our divers devised a plan to send out a diver with a real and we would spin in a circle pattern, with divers spaced out along the line,  to try to find the bucket.  I was at the end of the line and when I reached the end and the real was taught,  I noticed a shadow.  I couldn't believe it;  it was a huge pile of lead! Unfortunately, in our excitement to recover this pile of lead from 100 feet we realized we forgot one very important item, the lift bag! Thanks to one of the divers' quick thinking, we decided to send one of the divers up to the surface to signal to the boat. The boat was able to toss him a lift bag with a 5-pound weight attached and he dropped it down a line attached by a bolt snap. Long story short, we retrieved the lost stash of lead weighing in at well over 100 pounds! Now we could laugh a bit together at the debacle and celebrate the happy ending to the story.

Speaking of buckets... Here's Gary (and Mark) weighing debris.
There is a photo of the broken bucket - retrieved! - the photo gallery!

Q: Why do you like volunteering with ODA?

A: I like volunteering with ODA because I know I’m doing something very important by removing debris from the ocean and helping to keep our coral reefs and the marine life that inhabit our waters safe and healthy. I also enjoy the camaraderie that comes with being part of such an organization. Being a member of ODA affords me the luxury of doing what I’m most passionate about, scuba diving, while spending that time with an amazing group of people who are passionate about protecting our oceans and the environment. 

Gary gives the dive briefing to the ocean cleanup crew.

Q: Your wife Temple also volunteers. Can you talk about the positives of volunteering together? Did one or the other start first with ODA or did you both “dive in” at the same time?

A: Hmmm, I think we started to volunteer about the same time. Temple and I have always tried to be involved in some type of organization. Prior to ODA we spent most of our time volunteering our time with our daughters marching band and other events while she was in high school.  When she graduated, we had an empty space that we needed to fill and that's when we found ODA. I love volunteering with my wife! She spends her time crewing on the boat and taking photos as well as organizing events and volunteering, while I spend most of my time underwater cleaning up or ensuring that everyone is safe while they are cleaning. It's a great way to stay connected, especially now that we are empty nesters!

Mr. and Mrs. Liebmann - we think they're a pretty amazing couple!

Q: Aside from diving with ODA, where else do you like to dive and why?

A: If I’m not diving with ODA, I occasionally spend a couple days a week as a part-time dive instructor. If I’m not on a boat working with students or guiding a dive, I'll try to break away with friends on the  weekend for some fun dives around Oahu. My favorite area to dive is anywhere on the Southeast corner of the island which also happens to be where ODA focuses most of its attention because of the heavy fishing that takes place there.

We hope you’ll take a moment to watch Gary’s video interview!