EXPLORATION AT THE HAYSTEAD

Where dark skies, deep water, and lifelong discovery converge.

In the rolling landscape of Buckingham County, Virginia, The Haystead sits beneath some of the most exceptional night skies in the region. Just minutes away, the 1,561-acre James River State Park earned designation as an International Dark Sky Park — a recognition of rare natural darkness and minimal light pollution that makes the Milky Way, meteor showers, and deep-sky objects vividly visible to the naked eye.

Here, exploration moves with the rhythm of the land.

Days are filled with model rocketry, hands-on science, and curiosity-driven discovery. As evening settles in, telescopes align, conversations quiet, and the sky becomes an open observatory. Guided by weekly insights gathered from the Dome at the Science Museum in Richmond, observing sessions connect local skies with real-time astronomical knowledge — turning every clear night into an opportunity for wonder.

Exploration at The Haystead is not an event.

It is a way of living — looking up, learning constantly, and sharing discovery together.

BENEATH THE SURFACE

Experience forged through decades of diving, science, and global expeditions.

Long before The Haystead became a place for exploration, the ocean served as the classroom.

David brings more than 26 years of professional diving experience, having trained and guided divers through multiple agencies including PADI, NAUI, SDI, TDI, and ERDI. As a NAUI Course Director, scientific research diving instructor, dive boat captain, and former fire and rescue EMT and first responder instructor, his career combined technical mastery with a relentless commitment to safety and education.

Beside him stands Dr. Laura — a multi-agency Divemaster and double PhD in Molecular Biology — whose scientific perspective adds depth and purpose to every expedition. Together, their backgrounds in science, exploration, and field operations created a foundation that proved invaluable in challenging environments around the world.

Both share a lifelong passion for sharks and shark diving, pursuing encounters that blend respect, research, and adventure.

Though retired from full-time instruction, David and Laura still lead select private expeditions, continuing to explore the world’s oceans with the same curiosity that drives their astronomy and land-based work today.

The journeys featured below represent only a small glimpse into a lifetime spent exploring both the night sky above and the deep water below.

Expedition Highlights

From remote reefs to open-ocean shark encounters, these past expeditions capture the moments where science, skill, and adventure intersect — stories written in saltwater, starlight, and experience.