DIVE DRY WITH DR. BILL #742: IN MEMORY OF...
In addition to the diverse assemblage of algae, invertebrates and fish our Casino Point Dive Park has a number of interesting features of human creation. I've written about several of the wrecks in the dive park such as the Suejac and the Pisces, as well as the safe that was deposited there over a decade ago. Today I shall talk about objects much sadder than the rusted out hulks.
Dedicated divers like myself have a great affinity for the ocean. It is the source of much pleasure as well as a wealth of interesting knowledge to be obtained by careful observation of its critters. Many of us would like to spend more time beneath the sea than on land. The "silent world" is a place of peace and relaxation to us and allows us to escape the topside political chaos of today.
Therefore, a number of divers request that, upon their death, their lives be memorialized in the sea. Even my parents, who were not divers but lived next to the sea, wanted their ashes mixed together and dispersed in Sarasota Bay, Florida. After all, life came from the sea and is sustained by oxygen and fresh water created from it. On every dive I make in the park, I encounter at least one memorial to a deceased diver.
The most commonly seen memorial is the one placed in the park in 1997 honoring the life of Jacques Yves Cousteau. The Captain played a crucial role in developing the demand regulator that SCUBA divers use. In addition his pioneering exploration of the global seas and production of movies and TV series were often the inspiration for a number of us divers and marine biologists. I was honored to play a part in the production of the two hour Channel Islands episode in "Cousteau's Rediscovery of the World" series on TBS. Sadly, today it is almost impossible to read the inscription on his plaque, but many divers visit it each week.
Another plaque less frequently seen but of interest to me is the one for Nejat Ezal. Ezal passed away in April of 1994 due to shallow water blackout while free diving off our island's coast. He was a graduate student at UCSB when he died. Although I did not know him personally, we were both there pursuing graduate degrees and associated with UCSB's Marine Science Institute. Nejat did work in Antarctica studying krill which may explain why our paths didn't cross. Much too cold for me to dive!
A more recent memorial is the one placed for dive instructor Patric Nichols last year. I did know Patric as he would come out to the dive park frequently to teach. He had an infectious smile and obviously enjoyed instructing and spending time in the water. Patric passed away in December of 2015 while diving a rebreather on the wreck of the squid boat Infidel off Catalina's East End.
There have also been a number of other memorials placed in the park for divers who passed away. Most of these were temporary and disappeared rather quickly. One honored a law enforcement officer, but I have not seen it in some time. Another involved a photograph of a diver in a small model rowboat with oars. My frequent dive buddy, Gary Garibaldi, was most inquisitive about this one. Perhaps he had encountered this diver before.
One memorial I'm glad I have not seen is for that infamous marine biologist, videographer and writer named Dr. Bill. Of course if one ever magically appeared in the park, I wouldn't be there to see it anyway! Hopefully I'll kick my cancer and be diving for a long time to come!
© 2016 Dr. Bill Bushing. For the entire archived set of nearly 700 "Dive Dry" columns, visit my website Star Thrower Educational Multimedia (S.T.E.M.) Home Page
Image caption: Cousteau and Nejat Ezal plaques; Patric Nichol's memorial and Gary checking out one for an unknown diver.
In addition to the diverse assemblage of algae, invertebrates and fish our Casino Point Dive Park has a number of interesting features of human creation. I've written about several of the wrecks in the dive park such as the Suejac and the Pisces, as well as the safe that was deposited there over a decade ago. Today I shall talk about objects much sadder than the rusted out hulks.
Dedicated divers like myself have a great affinity for the ocean. It is the source of much pleasure as well as a wealth of interesting knowledge to be obtained by careful observation of its critters. Many of us would like to spend more time beneath the sea than on land. The "silent world" is a place of peace and relaxation to us and allows us to escape the topside political chaos of today.
Therefore, a number of divers request that, upon their death, their lives be memorialized in the sea. Even my parents, who were not divers but lived next to the sea, wanted their ashes mixed together and dispersed in Sarasota Bay, Florida. After all, life came from the sea and is sustained by oxygen and fresh water created from it. On every dive I make in the park, I encounter at least one memorial to a deceased diver.
The most commonly seen memorial is the one placed in the park in 1997 honoring the life of Jacques Yves Cousteau. The Captain played a crucial role in developing the demand regulator that SCUBA divers use. In addition his pioneering exploration of the global seas and production of movies and TV series were often the inspiration for a number of us divers and marine biologists. I was honored to play a part in the production of the two hour Channel Islands episode in "Cousteau's Rediscovery of the World" series on TBS. Sadly, today it is almost impossible to read the inscription on his plaque, but many divers visit it each week.
Another plaque less frequently seen but of interest to me is the one for Nejat Ezal. Ezal passed away in April of 1994 due to shallow water blackout while free diving off our island's coast. He was a graduate student at UCSB when he died. Although I did not know him personally, we were both there pursuing graduate degrees and associated with UCSB's Marine Science Institute. Nejat did work in Antarctica studying krill which may explain why our paths didn't cross. Much too cold for me to dive!
A more recent memorial is the one placed for dive instructor Patric Nichols last year. I did know Patric as he would come out to the dive park frequently to teach. He had an infectious smile and obviously enjoyed instructing and spending time in the water. Patric passed away in December of 2015 while diving a rebreather on the wreck of the squid boat Infidel off Catalina's East End.
There have also been a number of other memorials placed in the park for divers who passed away. Most of these were temporary and disappeared rather quickly. One honored a law enforcement officer, but I have not seen it in some time. Another involved a photograph of a diver in a small model rowboat with oars. My frequent dive buddy, Gary Garibaldi, was most inquisitive about this one. Perhaps he had encountered this diver before.
One memorial I'm glad I have not seen is for that infamous marine biologist, videographer and writer named Dr. Bill. Of course if one ever magically appeared in the park, I wouldn't be there to see it anyway! Hopefully I'll kick my cancer and be diving for a long time to come!
© 2016 Dr. Bill Bushing. For the entire archived set of nearly 700 "Dive Dry" columns, visit my website Star Thrower Educational Multimedia (S.T.E.M.) Home Page
Image caption: Cousteau and Nejat Ezal plaques; Patric Nichol's memorial and Gary checking out one for an unknown diver.
