Celebrity snorkellers

[David Wilson]

During my online searches, I've chanced upon several images of prominent personalities from the past with fins, masks and snorkels. Here are a couple:

Jacqueline Bouvier Kennedy

Jacques Lowe - Photographs
Caption: "Bathing Suit with Flippers". Nantucket Bay, Hyannis Port. August 1960. The days between the end of the Democratic convention and the beginning of the general election campaign on Labor Day, were probably the most carefree the future President and his wife would have for the rest of their lives. Here Jackie, in old fashioned swim suit, a rubber bathing cap and carrying flippers, returns from an afternoon spent swimming and boating in Nantucket Bay near the Kennedy compound in Hyannis Port.

Princess Irene of the Netherlands

Result
Caption: Koninklijke familie in Italie, prinses Irene met snorkel. 7 augustus 1966. Translation: (Dutch) royal family in Italy, princess Irene with snorkel. August 7, 1966. The link above leads not only to three images of princess Irene but also to five images of two younger members of the Dutch royal family with period snorkelling gear (noteworthy combined snorkel-masks!), the latter dating from a 1959 North Sea coastal swim.

I hope the above pictures are of some interest. I started snorkelling in the late 1950s, so the pictures have a nostalgic value for me. Does anybody have any similar images of snorkelling celebrities, past or present? Or, simply, does anyone know of any celebrities who enjoy snorkelling?

 

[David Wilson]

Here's another, this time from my own country:

Quintin Hogg, Lord Hailsham

http://www.guardian.co.uk/education/gallery/2008/oct/08/denishealey.photographs?picture=338323363
Caption: Quintin Hogg, or Lord Hailsham, wearing flippers. Photograph: Denis Healey. Interesting because both the subject of the photograph and the person who took the photograph, Denis Healey, were leading British politicians of their age who served in rival parties.
Quintin Hogg, Baron Hailsham of St Marylebone - Wikipedia, the free encyclopedia
Denis Healey - Wikipedia, the free encyclopedia

 

[Sam Miller III]

David
Fantastic!

Claire Booth Luce an American wrote a story "The Long Snorkel" appeard in SDM about 1960s. pictures etc.

 

[David Wilson]

David
Fantastic!

Claire Booth Luce an American wrote a story "The Long Snorkel" appeard in SDM about 1960s. pictures etc.

When I read your message, Sam, I ran downstairs to my diving library bookcase and after a little rummaging I found the photocopied pages I was looking for. Indeed, "The Long Snorkel" by Clare Boothe Luce,

which I xeroxed from pages 49-64 of "Sports Illustrated", May 22, 1961, during one of my many visits, over the years, to the Walter library of the University of Minnesota at Minneapolis. The introduction reads:

In a memorable short story, the discoverer of 'God's Little Underwater Acre (Sports Illustrated, Sept. 9 and 16, 1957) returns to the submarine world she loves, to describe-with chilling intensity-an adventure no diver ever could, or should, forget

A cautionary tale about a snorkeller called Bryton Bixby, a Pulitzer Prizewinner, who catches sight of a "golden-haired, brown-limbed girl" in a scarlet bathing suit, who "pulled on a big pair of blue flippers, adjusted her face mask and snorkel and walked crabwise into the aquamarine sea": a latter-day Siren, or Lorelei, as CBL's story relates.

If Sam and I have whetted anybody's appetite for the narrative, then access
In a memorable short story, the discoverer of 'God's - 05.22.61 - SI Vault
where you can read it for yourself.

 

[Sam Miller III]

Clare Boothe Luce was well know a generation ago when she authored the "Long snorkel." Now she is all but forgotten by the present generation.

A quote from her Bio highlights her many accomplishments;

...." Rarely does one public figure become equally famous in each of the individual careers that he or she pursues; however, Clare Boothe Luce did so to the maximum. In her public life spanning several decades she gained equal as an editor, playwright, politician, journalist, and diplomat. In addition, the zeal in which she pursued each one of these careers resulted in her epitomizing the "talk-of-the-town." ...

Suggest that the reader might want to investigate her incredible career by googleing her name

 

[David Wilson]

A remarkable lady indeed, Sam. She epitomises a past era where breadth of achievement was still possible, in contrast to the ever deeper specialisation more typical of our own epoch.

One more celebrity snorkeller, a British film star:

Jude Law

Jude Law Snorkeling Photos | Snorkeling Blog
Caption: The 36 year old British hunk actor Jude Law was spotted snorkeling on vacation with ex-wife Sadie Frost and their kids Rudy, Rafferty and Iris in Rio de Janeiro, Brazil.

 

[tight rope walker]

Mr Wilson, I remember from your previous posts that you have a very impressive library. I would like to ask you a question. When I was alittle boy, I remember reading a story of a diver called commander Crabb. This was along time ago so I appologise if I get some of the facts wrong. From what I can remember, he belonged to the English navy in the capacity of like a froggman.He and his group would ride undewater sleds into enemy harbors and place explosive charges on the hulls of enemy ships. They had a special ship made up with a underwater door that allowed them to exit and enter under the water. I am trying my best to remember the details as this was a very long time ago. Do you have any books on commander Crabb? Am I close in my interpratation? Many thanks for your help. Rich

 

[David Wilson]

Hi, Rich!

Happy to help. The life of Lionel "Buster" Crabb

is said to have inspired Ian Fleming, the author of the "James Bond" books. He indeed served as a Royal Navy underwater combat swimmer during World War II and his disappearance while allegedly spying on a Soviet cruiser on a goodwill mission to England in 1956 remains something of a mystery. The headless body of a drysuited diver, assumed to be Crabb, was discovered in 1957.

For a full biography of Crabb, see Wikipedia's article at
Lionel Crabb - Wikipedia, the free encyclopedia
and "Spartacus Educational" at
Lionel "Buster" Crabb
The latter lists books about Crabb, e.g.:

Other volumes relating to Crabb include:
Marshall Pugh (1956) Commander Crabb
Joseph Bernard Hutton (1968) Commander Crabb is alive
Michael G. Welham and Jacqui Welham (1990) Frogman Spy

I don't have these titles in my library of diving books, so I can't recommend any particular one. Finally, for an update on the Lionel Crabb story, there's an interesting article from one of the UK's national newspapers, The Daily Mail, here:
Cold War mystery solved? I killed Buster Crabb says Russian frogman | Mail Online
reporting how a Russian has claimed to have killed Crabb while he was laying a mine on the Soviet ship in Portsmouth Harbour.

 

[tight rope walker]

Thank you so very much for your help. He was one of my heroes that inspired me to become a diver. I used to read about his exploits well into the night. Once again, many thanks..Rich

 

[David Wilson]

Just chanced upon a series of pictures of British actress Helen Mirren, star of "The Queen", preparing to snorkel with Oceanways Aquapro fins in Hawaii during November 2008:

More information and 8 more pictures at:
http://justjared.buzznet.com/2008/11/29/helen-mirren-hawaii/