Aself-described“ poor kid” looking to make ends meet, he pushed his way into the local dive shop— and never left. Over the years, Stone transitioned from helping around the shop to running it. In 2008, he officially purchased Southern Ocean Sports and has since expanded it into an operation that blends professional instruction with global-scale adventure.
The shop offers year-round scuba training for everyone from beginners to instructor-level divers, with a strong emphasis on safety and accessibility. Students start in the classroom, move to pool sessions, and finish with freshwater or saltwater dives, as the two have separate certifications. Young divers can begin as early as age 10, and Stone has personally taught students as old as 92.
That sense of belonging is the heartbeat of the shop. Those who step into the building and take a chance on diving are welcomed as part of the“ Kraken’ s crew,” regardless of their background or experience.
Southern Ocean Sports does not just teach people how to dive— they take them places. The shop hosts two to three major international trips each year, offering world-class dive experiences in some of the planet’ s most breathtaking underwater locations. Past trips have included diving with whale sharks and marine iguanas in the Galápagos Islands, exploring coral reefs and historic shipwrecks in the British Virgin Islands, and swimming with tiger sharks in the Bahamas.
10 Valdosta Scene | June 2025