Early Days Of Freediving

[RickI]

No fins, mask, arbaletes or slings, just kick, stroke and thrust.

Just put up a post about Guy Gilpatric, his times free diving off Antibes on the Côte d'Azue in the 1930's and his book, "The Complete Goggler" along with some photo excerpts at: Photo Of The Day!!! - Page 14 - FKA Kiteboarding Forums Some say it was the first book ever written on the subject.

Rick

 

[David Wilson]

I recently chanced upon an interesting picture captioned: "14th January 1939: Two bathers on the beach at Nice, France, show off their fins, the latest swimming novelty on the Riviera."

Swimming Fins

Although French naval officer Louis de Corlieu had patented his swim fin design in 1933:


Les objets relatifs à l'exploration sous-marine

I was unaware that his design was manufactured commercially. As for the masks the couple are wearing, I presume they are of the goggle type associated with Gilpatric.