In 1953, Dolores fell in love with both her husband Mel and the ocean. Together they opened the first dive shop in the USA. She has helped invent prototypes of underwater cameras, spearguns and salvage equipment. In 1959, Dolores beat the World’s Underwater Endurance Record (submerged for 54 hours and 37 minutes) and still holds that women’s record. She’s done expeditions worldwide and helped create the salvage teams that discovered the 1715 Plate Fleet and the Nuestra Senora de la Atocha.