Basic gear from mid-twentieth-century Australia: Turnbull etc

[David Wilson]

On to a second snorkel-mask in the Turnbull range. This one is called "Ocean Survey".

M1 Ocean Survey Mask

The catalogue caption read: "M1 Ocean Survey Mask. In green rubber, this is a full-face mask with a large round heavy SAFETY glass lens, and is designed to completely cover the nose and mouth. It features a wide head-strap, twin anodised aluminium snorkel tubes with ball valve assemblies securely held in a head harness. All metal parts are rust-roof, and the mask is designed primarily for swimmers who do not wish to dive, but to observe all underwater activities. "

While the Turnbull "Deluxe with snorkel" mask was designed to cover the eyes and the nose only, the Turnbull Ocean Survey provided full face coverage, including the mouth. Such full face masks often came with twin snorkels, presumably to ensure greater air inflow at the supply end. The only snorkel-mask of this kind still in production anywhere in the world is the 558 made by Eurobalco in Greece:

It's available from the Medex Fishing Megashop in Cyprus at BALCO MASK 558.

 

[David Wilson]

The third in this series is called "Father Neptune".

M2 Father Neptune Snorkel Mask

Catalogue caption: "M2 Father Neptune Snorkel Mask. In blue rubber, fitted with a SAFETY glass lens and rust-proof fittings, for surface viewing." The references to "safety" glass and "surface viewing" suggest a change of attitude between the 1950s and the 1960s with respect to snorkel-masks. During the 1950s, several diving book authors actually recommended using snorkel-masks, while those of the 1960s showed concern about the gear being used in any circumstance other than on the surface of the water.

The Father Neptune came with one snorkel fitted at the right-hand side of the mask body. The single snorkel curved backwards over the swimmer's head.

 

[David Wilson]

The final Turnbull snorkel-mask for review today is the M10 Snorkel Mask.

M10 Snorkel Mask

Catalogue caption: "M10 Snorkel Mask. In green rubber, fitted with a SAFETY glass lens, rustproof buckles and a wide metal rustproof lens-retaining band. Has exactly the same features as the de-luxe mask, but with the addition of a snorkel ball valve attachment securely held in a head-supporting harness. Is an improvement on the normal type of facemask, which is used in conjunction with the snorkel held in the mouth."

This model is clearly a much more elaborate affair with a harness instead of a headstrap to secure it on the face. I detect the influence of the enhanced Typhoon (Made in England) Super Star mask:

The Typhoon model was inspired in turn by the Hurricane (Made in France) counterpart:

Both the Typhoon and the Hurricane versions claimed that the valve would operate correctly whatever position the user was in. US Divers had a different version called the "Marino" for the American market:

So that's it for today and for snorkel-masks manufactured and distributed by Turnbull. Next time we'll take a look at Turnbull fins.

 

[Sam Miller III]

Thank you again David.
I have been active in diving for a long time -- My wife thinks toooo long !

I recall the Marino prominently displayed and advertised in the 1950s US Divers catalogs
But--- I do not ever recall seeing the Marino in any SoCal Shop, on the SoCal beaches or on the SoCal Charter boat The Maray (The worlds first dedicated diving charter boat )

The question Is.... "Who actually purchased and used a Marino mask ?"

Keep up the good work- great postings and remember I want the very first copy of your book - if you ever publish a book -
but it must be lavishly inscribed to me

SAM

 

[АлександрД]

can I add some offtopic?
your double-snorkel masks remind me some pictures...

but I think it is another model (of the mask)

 

[David Wilson]

Thanks, Sam. Your positive feedback, as always, is an inspiration and I promise you will be the dedicatee if I ever write that book!

Great pictures, АлександрД. The third one is new to me. Let me see if I can identify them.
No. 1.

May be an early Cressi Twin-Snorkel Medusa. The full-face mask with a cork-based valve in the second image below dates from 1946:

No. 2

This is a later Cressi Medusa G2 twin-snorkel full-face mask:

No. 3

This is the image I haven't seen before. The model is certainly reminiscent of the Milbro Seamaster (below) as the ball-valve cages are similar. It might also be an American-made Riviera or Voit, which came with similar cages, but the other features aren't quite right.

No. 4

Looks like another Cressi Medusa G2 Twin-Snorkel, as worn by the young lady wearing the mid-1950s Lillywhites wetsuit (variant of the Heinke Dolphin) in image No. 2.

 

[David Wilson]

As a postscript, АлександрД, here are a couple of sets of full-face mask and snorkel-mask drawings from old Soviet diving books sitting on my bookshelf. I don't think any of them represent a commercial product made in the USSR, they are likely to be representations of snorkel-masks made in western countries in the second half of the twentieth century. Unless you know different, of course!

 

[John C. Ratliff]

David,

I seem to recall using a full-face snorkel mask with two ping-pong balls in the snorkels at the YMCA Camp Silver Creek in the 1950s. The only thing about them that I remember is that they had a plastic lens that fogged up easily in the cold pond we used for swimming. I didn't use it in the swimming pool also at the camp, only in the pond, and as I recall, only once, before returning to my own mask and snorkel.

SeaRat

 

[АлександрД]

full-face mask and snorkel-mask drawings from old Soviet diving books

Can you tell names of this books? This pictures is there?

 

[David Wilson]

Can you tell names of this books? This pictures is there?

This one can be found on page 71 of P. P. Serebrenitsky's Техника подводного спорта, published by Lenizdat in 1969:

And this drawing can be found on page 56 of I. V. Merenov and B. V. Lazarev-Stanishchev's Спортсмен-легководолаз, published by Военное издательство Министерства обороны СССР in Moscow in1961 (Thanks for the correction, АлександрД, and the download information ):

I love drawings like these in old diving books because the detail is often so much clearer than it is on a photograph.