James Cook:  

airplanes and hung from cables and ropes from helicopters. I have cross raging rivers. I was the lead climber on the mountain rescue team. I've been a scuba diver for 37 years. I was a hyperbaric chamber operator for 8 years. I've worked for a Law firm, I've been a councilman, I've made bond rating presentations on wall street, I've lobbied the Congress in Washington D.C. The years of working for the fire department have taken their toll. After falling through burning roofs and hanging out of helicopters and getting busted up on cliff rescues I have torn ligaments in my knees, tears in the rotator cuffs of my shoulder and assorted other bangs and bumps. After 3 surgeries and probably 2 more in the future it has slowed me down a little. I am doing a little less impact sports. I deep sea fish in Mexico and Hawaii, I snorkle hours on end in Mexico and Hawaii, I also ocean kayak and do a little body surfing and boogie boarding. I also sail a 26 foot sailboat out of Los Alimitos in Long Beach but not nearly as often as I should. I am not complaining about the battle scars and the fire department has been a fantastic career and it has given me a lifestyle with many opportunities but it is a young man's job and I am ready to head out to pasture in the next year or so. Hopefully I will have more time to sail and RV and travel and play. We have homes in Oahu, Laguna and in Needles on the Colorado River and have time shares in Cabo San Lucas. It has been a great ride and I can't wait to see what comes next. I have a group of 4 families of long time friends and we share a lot of these adventures and travels together. I have known one since junior high school and the other two since the freshman dorms at USC. To their children I am Uncle Jim and I encourage them to live life to it's fullest.