A SO CAL dive history question?

[scubadada]

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Where did you pull that up from?

It is true ER Cross who owned Divers Supply did in fact make a two stage, single hose regulator, starting in 1951. I never saw one but do have a picture of one.

But not the answer... ER qwas late in the game and closed shop in 1957 or 8..or maybe later to sail

SDM

I recall reading it in a history of dive regulators. I believe the model was called the Sport Diver.

 

[scubadada]

...Question what did Louis de Corlieu call his fins ?

Propulseurs de natation et de sauvetage, Churchill changed the name to swimfins, of course, Makapuus

I spent my time body surfing at the Wedge as a young person.

 

[Ojai Diver]

How about Rene Bussoz, founder of U.S. Divers in Santa Ana, CA, circa 1954?

 

[covediver]

Mel Fisher (the treasure hunter and finder of the Atocha), early 1950s, Los Angeles

 

[The Chairman]

Having @sam miller around is better than any wikipedia article. That he's chosen SB to share his knowledge is beyond awesome. To celebrate that, I have bestowed on him our very first "Scuba Legend" award.

 

[muzikbiz22]

Recreational scuba diving was born in Southern California and the Underwater Sports Shop was one of the first dive shops in the country. Originally located at 5914 Second Street, Long Beach, it graced the cover of Skin Diver magazine’s February 1956 issue. In 1959, proprietor Bill Hogan moved his store to the foot of the then newly-rebuilt Belmont Shore Pier where our shop remains to this day.

Bill Hogan sold the shop to a man named Sam Lecocq - a former colleague of diving pioneer Jacques Cousteau. Sam held many early SCUBA patents, among them the aluminum scuba cylinder and the “WaterLung” – the first single-hose regulator. During this period (circa 1962), the father of one of the current owners was certified in this shop’s very same pool.

Tom Murray, the next owner, changed the name to Pacific Sporting Goods and owned the shop for the next 31 years. Tom made his mark in the freediving and hunting community and became known as one of the most knowledgeable repair technicians around.

Now know as Deep Blue Scuba and Swim Center, in the Aquatic Captial of the world, Long Beach California.

 

[Sam Miller III]

Having @sam miller around is better than any wikipedia article. That he's chosen SB to share his knowledge is beyond awesome. To celebrate that, I have bestowed on him our very first "Scuba Legend" award
.

~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~
Pete I am indeed honored !
My wife thanks you,
my children thank you,
my little dog Max even thanks you
but
Most of all I graciously THANK YOU !

SAM

 

[The Chairman]

Pete I am indeed honored !

Sam, I humbly suggest that it is us who are honored by your presence here. I've only gilded a lily for those who can't see the true treasure.

 

[Sam Miller III]

How about Rene Bussoz, founder of U.S. Divers in Santa Ana, CA, circa 1954?

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Nope!
Rene owned a men' s clothing store ,,,Imported Aqua Lungs converted store to a Sports shop which became US Divers
sold US Divers to Cousteau and investors on December 31, 1954.

The investors were SoCal business men; a real-estate developer and three auto dealers with JYC becoming the chairmen of the board.

Now you know
SDM

 

[Sam Miller III]

Mel Fisher (the treasure hunter and finder of the Atocha), early 1950s, Los Angeles

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Mel was a transplanted Indiana chicken farmer as I recall from Goshen Indiana (the same town as the great UCLA basket ball coach Wooten -The wizard of Westwood )
His chicken farm was not too far from the ocean , therefore he became an early enthusiast of diving and open his first shop in a converted chicken coop in (I think) Westchester California .

He moved his shop to Catalina Avenue and ran it for a while until Treasure fever grabbed him and he disposed of all his SoCal assets. His boat "The Golden Doubloon" was sold to the late Eddie Sukamura and his dive shop was sold to two LA Co UW instructors who ran it for a while until personal problems required them to sell it. Barry Friedman LA Co UW instructor purchased the shop and ran the shop until it was totally closed several years ago

Mel was a shop owner never a dive manufacturer--

As fellow LA Co UW instructors I knew and was loosely associated with Mel for many years He was certainly one of a kind - A very unique individual

SDM