Finally some real instruction!

[Couv]

Our fellow scubaboard member Couv worked for Roland.

I sure did. According to Roland, his father "taught" him to dive by outfitting him in the gear and taking him out in Lake Pontchartrain. Every time Roland would try to hold on to the side of the boat from the water, his dad would hit him on the hands with a hard rubber hose.

How's that for "real instructions?"

 

[Sam Miller III]

I recall Roland very well -- never met him- but we were both in to elimaiting all the fish in the ocean at the same time

It was Roland as I recall who gave use the NOGI award
Ie New Orleans Grand Isle aka NOGI

The LA Co had a saying "there is NO edge to grab hold of in the ocean " or words to that effect we made divers not people who dive - with a guide to hold their hands--what a heck of a mess our instruction has become. They dive once a year on vacation yet have amass 500 dives in a years time !

I have the book - it is inscribed to me by John and Clint (aka Morgan)
Knew them well - they were LA Co UW instructors - now both diving in the big reef in the sky- sad!

Sam Miller, 111

 

[lowflyer]

WOW!
That first couple of pictures of the woman and her gear brings back memories. That is the same rig I first used as a youngster. The full face mask, "upside down" tank, etc. I don't remember using weights but did have a small pack that would inflate when squeezed if needed. Father taught me how to dive in the 1950s. Don't know where he learned. Didn't need a c card for air fills either. Good thing because we didn't have one. It's a miracle we didn't injure ourselves.

 

[JamesBon92007]

WOW!
That first couple of pictures of the woman and her gear brings back memories. That is the same rig I first used as a youngster. The full face mask, "upside down" tank, etc. I don't remember using weights but did have a small pack that would inflate when squeezed if needed. Father taught me how to dive in the 1950s. Don't know where he learned. Didn't need a c card for air fills either. Good thing because we didn't have one. It's a miracle we didn't injure ourselves.

My daughter was working for Home Instead for a while and her client was about 90. We had him over for Christmas dinner and he told us stories about how he built his first scuba outfit from a CO2 fire extinguisher.

 

[David Wilson]

LSU 33
Miami 17



Now back to our regularly scheduled programming. We too are in the middle of renovations and I've uncovered a book authored by an old acquaintance of your's @Sam Miller III .
"Invitation to Skin and Scuba Diving" by John D.Craig and Morgan Degn.

View attachment 478664

John D. Craig and Morgan Degn's book had slightly different titles when it was published in the USA and then in the UK:

1. John D. Craig and Morgan Degn (1965) Invitation to Skin and Scuba Diving, New York: Simon and Schuster.

2. John D. Craig and Morgan Degn (1967) Introduction to Skin and Scuba Diving, edited by Brian Hesketh, London: Cassell.

Images courtesy of the Australian Classic Diving Book website at CLASSIC DIVING BOOKS - USA.

I have both American and British versions of the publication, the former dated 1965, a second paperback printing, the latter a paperback dated 1969 and published by Sphere Books Limited of London with an acknowledgement to the original publisher Cassell in 1967. Brian Hesketh, who edited the British edition, was the editor of Diver Magazine.

 

[Sam Miller III]

@couv
A little more on the authors of the book "Invitation so Skin & SCUBA "

John D Craig
John D Craig made a fortune at a very young age - around 21 as I recall. This gave him financial independence which allowed him to travel the world in search of adventure - including early diving adventures

In 1930s he published a book "Danger is my business," which was a runaway best seller and created even more income.
Returning home to SoCal he became involved in several Hollywood UW productions

WW11 he was a Combat photographer with the rank of LT Col

He produced an early UW TV program with Zale Parry as a female cohost

He was a very active LA Co UW Instructor

Morgan "Clint" Degn
Had been a Sr Aquatic Specialist for LA Co UIA
Modeled for several dive equipment companies
Joined with Craig to write the book
Established the first dive shop specializing in UW Photographic equipment "Photo-Marine "
Way too early in marketplace - it failed
Clint developed a UW lecture program went on the road lecturing to schools, service clubs etc

Clint and I some how never got along - we were acquaintances but not close friends (???)

John D Craing and I were friends and on rare occasions a diving buddies- we remained in touch until his passing at age 90. Johns wife Millie was know for her baked beans- so special ! At every LA Co event they were the first to disappear. Before she passed she honored me with the recipe Her beans have now become a favorite in our family

I hope all this makes your book just a bit more valuable to you
It is by all standards a vintage or antique and should have value to you as a heirloom

Cheers from CenCal. where it all began - so many years ago with so many untold often forgotten stories

Sam Miller, 111

 

[Sam Miller III]

@lowflyer

"…... That is the same rig I first used as a youngster. The full face mask, "upside down" tank, etc. I don't remember using weights but did have a small pack that would inflate when squeezed if needed. Father taught me how to dive in the 1950s. Don't know where he learned. Didn't need a c card for air fills either'
~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~.
You indicate you are from the SW.
Were did your early diving experiences take place ?

The full face mask appears to be a "Normal Aire" made in Canada - a rare one in the US

the small pack was possibly the :"Res-Q -Pac" about the size of a package of cigarettes-- tie it to your wrist - squeeze to inflate -- one usage only

All diving "Lungs" sold ta that time included a small ten page instruction booklet

C card were not required for air until 1970s --"if you can carry it in, it will be filled " Or you don't need to show a drivers license to purchase gasoline"

SDM, III

 

[lowflyer]

@lowflyer

"…... That is the same rig I first used as a youngster. The full face mask, "upside down" tank, etc. I don't remember using weights but did have a small pack that would inflate when squeezed if needed. Father taught me how to dive in the 1950s. Don't know where he learned. Didn't need a c card for air fills either'
~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~.
You indicate you are from the SW.
Were did your early diving experiences take place ?

The full face mask appears to be a "Normal Aire" made in Canada - a rare one in the US

the small pack was possibly the :"Res-Q -Pac" about the size of a package of cigarettes-- tie it to your wrist - squeeze to inflate -- one usage only

All diving "Lungs" sold ta that time included a small ten page instruction booklet

C card were not required for air until 1970s --"if you can carry it in, it will be filled " Or you don't need to show a drivers license to purchase gasoline"

SDM, III

Started diving in Lake Erie.

My faulty recollection is that the full face mask was called an Aqua Pack, but not sure. I have a picture of me in the kit (above). It had a large "button" on the side to press to clear the mask. Maybe it was the Canadian mask you mention. We were close to Canada.

Yes about the Res-Q-Pac.

I guess my father learned from the instruction manual you mention.

Regards.

 

[Sam Miller III]

I don't recall a Aqua Pack-from what you describe and I recall it was a Canadian Normal Aire -
there are a lot of things that have been forgotten in the dust of history

SDM 111

Those are some historic photographs
It appears to be a Canadian Normal Aire, but possibly some other long forgotten unit
Note the Res-Q- Pac off to the left in picture # 2 ….the genesis of the current BCDs
Thanks for sharing

SDM

 

[Couv]

John D Craig
John D Craig made a fortune at a very young age - around 21 as I recall. This gave him financial independence which allowed him to travel the world in search of adventure - including early diving adventures

In 1930s he published a book "Danger is my business," which was a runaway best seller and created even more income.

"Danger is My Business" is in my library and is an excellent read. John D. Craig also presented a TV program with the same title; if one has access to NetFlix there is a disc available with a few episodes worth watching.
Rent Danger Is My Business (2007) on DVD and Blu-ray - DVD Netflix