Basic gear from mid-twentieth-century Spain: Nemrod

[WeRtheOcean]

This must be the children's version, with the cutesy ocean imagery. Although, again, with such a short blade, I question how much good it really did. That's the trouble with being a kid: because you aren't taken seriously, you don't get serious equipment.

 

[David Wilson]

Thanks for the likes, jale and Luis. And for the posts, Dmaziuk and WeRtheOcean.

Today's Nemrod fins are the Granada and the Castille. Granada is the capital city of the province of Granada, in the autonomous community of Andalusia, Spain. Granada is located at the foot of the Sierra Nevada mountains, at the confluence of four rivers, the Darro, the Genil, the Monachil and the Beiro. And here are the fins of that name in 1962:

1964

1965

1966

1968

1970

1971

So the catalogues provided kittle information about these fins other than the limited size range EU 35-42). From the images, it is possible to tell that these are open-heel fins with extended foot platforms to protect the wearer's heels from stony beaches. The blade is relatively smooth on top and ribbed with two centre ribs on the bottom.

Further Nemrod Granada imagery:

 

[David Wilson]

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Today's second Nemrod fin is the Castilla. Castille is a territory of imprecise limits located in Spain. The Nemrod Castilla fin in 1961:

Spanish: "CASTILLA (H),-Modelo que cubre todo ek pié dejando descuboertps los dedos. Su trazado oblicuo hace imposibke los calambres. Calidad flotante. Muy indicada para la pesca submarina. Se fabrica en tres tallas y en color azul. PS/2147.-Talla 42-43-44 para caballero. PS/2148.-Talla 40-41-42 para caballero. PS/2149.-Talla 38-39-40 para caballero".
Rough translation: "CASTILLA (H),-Model with full foot coverage, exposing the toes. Its oblique layout makes cramps impossible. Floating quality. Very suitable for underwater fishing. It is manufactured in three sizes and in blue. PS/2147.-Size 42-43-44 for men. PS/2148.-Size 40-41-42 for men. PS/2149.-Size 38-39-40 for men".

1963

Note the spelling change from "Castilla" to "Castile" for the export model from Nemrod in Spain to Seamless States-side. In 1962, Seamless brought out an adjustable open-heel fin also called "Castile":

So the Castile/Castilla was a development of the Modelo H fin, which we reviewed earlier. The main difference was that the Modelo H had an obliquely cut blade tip, while the Castilla's was symmetrical.

At the weekend, we shall take a look at the Nemrod Cortez and Sevilla fins. Until then, keep warm, safe and well.

 

[David Wilson]

Thanks for the likes, Jale, АлександрД and Luis.

Today we look at Nemrod Cortez and Sevilla fins. Nemrod Cortez (or Cortes) fins may have been named after Hernán Cortés de Monroy y Pizarro Altamirano (above), 1485 – December 2, 1547), a Spanish conquistador who led an expedition that caused the fall of the Aztec Empire and brought large portions of what is now mainland Mexico under the rule of the King of Castile in the early 16th century. Cortes is immortalised in John Keats' poem "On First Looking into Chapman's Homer":

Much have I travell'd in the realms of gold,
And many goodly states and kingdoms seen;
Round many western islands have I been
Which bards in fealty to Apollo hold.
Oft of one wide expanse had I been told
That deep-brow'd Homer ruled as his demesne;
Yet did I never breathe its pure serene
Till I heard Chapman speak out loud and bold:
Then felt I like some watcher of the skies
When a new planet swims into his ken;
Or like stout Cortez when with eagle eyes
He star'd at the Pacific—and all his men
Look'd at each other with a wild surmise—
Silent, upon a peak in Darien.

As for Nemrod Cortez fins, they evolved more prosaically from the Nemrod Modelo H fins we reviewed earlier:

So a full-foot fin that was imported States-side by the Seamless Rubber Company. The design bore a close resemblance to the Cressi Rondine, which Healthways imported to the USA. Note the toe opening and the offset blade that characterised both models.

Further Cortez imagery:

 

[David Wilson]

Second Nemrod fin of the day is the Sevilla, named after Seville (above), the capital and largest city of the Spanish autonomous community of Andalusia and the province of Seville. It is situated on the lower reaches of the River Guadalquivir, in the southwest of the Iberian Peninsula.

Here is the first manifestation of the Sevilla:

And here is the second:

The difference? Look at the blade tips. Note also the absence of the toe opening (foot pocket drainage via the drain holes on the top) and the apparently straight blade, contrasting with the more conventional offset blades of other full-foots. It came with ribbed blades for reinforcement, which also contrasted with the iconic Cresso Rondine.

More Sevilla imagery:

The "Sevilla" name was reused after the discontinuation of the full-foot fin of that name to designate an adjustable open-heel fin:

We shall broach the subject of the Nemrod Combate and Profesional Gigante midweek. Until then, keep warm, safe and well.

 

[David Wilson]

Thanks for the likes, Jale and Luis.

Today's Nemrod fins are the Combate and the Profesional Gigante. "Combate", of course, translates to "combat" in English. The Combate fins in 1963:

1964

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1965

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1966

So a powerful fixed open-heel fin, "reversible for a perfect fit", which I take to mean that it can be worn bottom side up as well as bottom side down. My first impression is that this must be Nemrod's answer to The Spearfisherman's Duck Feet fins:

One more Nemrod Combate image:

 

[David Wilson]

Our second Nemrod fin today is the Profesional Gigante (Super-A). It was a fin designed for adult males with large size feet. Here it is in 1961:

Spanish: "PROFESIONAL GIGANTE (Super A).-Especial dura para grandes profondidades y para ser usada con escarpines. Se fabrica em dos tallas y en color negro. PS/2156.-Talla 43-44-45 para caballero. PS/2163.-Talla 41-42-43 para caballero".
Rough translation: "GIANT PROFESSIONAL (Super A).-Special hardness for great depths and to be used with booties. It is manufactured in two sizes and in black. PS/2156.-Size 43-44-45 for men. PS/2163.-Size 41-42-43 for men".

1964

1965

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1966

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1968

So an asymmetrical full-foot fin with a drain hole on top and a claim to be "non-cramping", designed for male of the species.

At the weekend we shall review Nemrod Jamaica and Costa Brava fins. Until then, keep warm, safe and well.

 

[David Wilson]

Thanks, Jale and Luis, for the likes.

And now for Nemrod Jamaica and Costa Brava fins. The former fins are named after Jamaica (James Bond beach above), the island country situated in the Caribbean Sea. Spanning 10,990 square kilometres (4,240 square miles) in area, it is the third largest island — after Cuba and Hispaniola — of the Greater Antilles and the Caribbean. Nemrod Jamaica fins in 1964:

1965

So an adjustable open-heel fin that does not seem to have remained long in production. Longish, convex-tipped blades. Unlike most open-heel fins, it is open-toed, which may have allowed for growing feet, considering that the fins only came in two middle of the range sizes. I could not find any extended product descriptions in the catalogues for these fins.

 

[David Wilson]

Now for Nemrod Costa Brava fins. The Costa Brava is a coastal region of Catalonia in northeastern Spain. Whilst sources differ on the exact definition of the Costa Brava, it can be regarded as stretching from the town of Blanes, 60 km (37 miles) northeast of Barcelona, to the French border, and thus includes the coastal parts of the province of Girona.

Nemrod Costa Brava fins:

So full-foot fins otherwise closely resembling the open-heel Jamaica fins. Note the more substantial centre rib on the base for reinforcement. Quite a robust fin to match the product name: "Costa Brava" in Spanish for "Rugged Coast". Note the brand name "Aqua Sub" on the foot pocket in the second image. Aqua Sub was Nemrod's economy line.

Midweek we shall proceed to Nemrod's Baleares and Competición fins. Until then, keep warm, safe and well. At least here Spring seems to be on the way albeit with gusty wind.

 

[David Wilson]

Thanks, Luis, for the likes.

Today's Nemrod fins are the Baleares and the Competición models. "Baleares" may refer to the Balearic Islands (above), an archipelago in the Balearic Sea near the eastern coast of the Iberian Peninsula. The archipelago is an autonomous community and a province of Spain; its capital is Palma. Nemrod Baleares fins in 1968:

1969:

1970

1972

1975

These fins appeared in a similar manner in the 1976 and 1977 catalogues. They were lighter full-foot fins with a better designed foot pocket, with two thin ribs in the centre of the blade for reinforcement and with the option of colours other than black and positive buoyancy. They are among the commonest Nemrod models available nowadays on auction sites.

Other Baleares fin imagery:

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