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On May 31, 1951, 69 years ago my dive tribe assembled at Divers Cove in Laguna Beach California for a day of spear fishing and chasing abalone.
A time when the modern equipment was a dream in the future;
It was a time when there was no name, no organized diving, no titles, no magazines, few books, no training agencies and no SCUBA board....... we were just "a bunch of lousy divers" meeting on the beach to "Skin Dive"
Our equipment consisted of the crude equipment of the early 1950s era:
fins, mask occasional snorkel, often highly modified or home made. For thermal protection from the chilly California water many chose WW 11 surplus long wool under ware, topped with a GI sweater. Wet suits were about 5 years in the future but occasionally a diver would appear wearing the then new Barada "Bel Aqua" dry suit, which often as not leaked, filling with water further chilling the diver.
On that particular day, forgotten by most, or considered prehistoric by the majority, one of the tribe, whose face I can recall, but whose name has been long erased from my memory, appeared on the beach with a new toy called the "Aqua Lung" which we as many youths often do created a new name, the Aqua Lung was rechristened "The bubble machine," which. after all these years is still my name for the modern "SCUBA "
One by one we strapped our selves to the bubble machine; shoulder straps, chest strap, waists strap, crouch straps all tightly secured, regulator hose in mouth and with the last words of encouragement " Breathe out when you ascend or you will explode" One by one we dove the bubble machine.
It was fun, it was new and exciting but when the Aqua Lung was out of air it was considered about as welcomed in our tribe as a dead pelican
That was the last time the tribe were together as group. Life has a way of interfering- marriage, family, education and military service during the Korean war . They left us one by one , now I am the only remaining member who is not diving in the big reef in the sky . .
The events of that day 69 years ago changed the direction of my life. After my military service as an officer in USAF I returned to my beloved California im the mid 1950s and resumed by diving which has become an all consuming passion that has dominated my life - Even at my advanced age I cannot comprehend those who find joy in drowning worms attached to an expensive stick, who chase little white balls around a manicured pasture or play in the dirt of their yards. or set in a chair watching TV waiting for the end to come -- I just do not comprehend and will not accept that as a life style.
I have a thirty year old article from my news paper column "Dive Bubbles," the first dedicated news paper column devoted to diving in the US and possibly the world. The article is probably more applicable today to commemorate 69 years of Bubble Machine diving than it was 30 years ago when first published
If you have not read it .. May I present ...
~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~
"YOU CAN'T GO HOME AGAIN." '
By Dr. Samuel Miller,111
This summer I visited with some relatives and old friends to reconnect with my roots down in southern California, in smogsville, as the smog shrouded area of Los Angeles and Orange County is known by most Californians who reside in other areas of the state.
This visit certainly verified the message in the Thomas Wolfe book "You can't go home again" which I found so difficult to comprehend as a young college student. Yes, Thomas Wolfe was correct! "You can't go home again."
I spent a very early Saturday morning at Diver"s Cove ( Now renamed Heisler Park) in Laguna Beach, the fountainhead of American sport diving. It has been a popular diving location since recreational diving began along the California coast in the early 1930s. The cove as local divers referred to it, was catapulted from obscurity into international diving fame when it was chosen as the location for the world's first competitive spear fishing meet in June 1950. The Compton, California Dolphins Spear Fishing club, won the meet with a three man team consisting of the late great Ken Kummerfeild, Paul Hoss and Pat O'Malley.
Lots of changes have occurred in and around Divers Cove with the passage of these 60 almost 70 years.
In the early 1950s the rolling hills surrounding Diver's Cove were devoid of housing and covered with dry chaparral, which emitted the classic California golden glow always associated with the "Golden state." . Now when viewed from the cove the hills appear almost surrealistic emerald green, blanketed by modern multi- million dollar homes on well-manicured lawns interconnected labyrinth of roads.
It is no longer possible to drive up to the edge of the cliff at Diver's Cove and park haphazardly. Parking places are now regulated. They are neatly identified with white stripes on the concrete and crowned with a row of coin eating parking meters; silent sentinels waiting for the next quarter for fifteen minutes of violation free parking.
Also absent is the steel cable that provided beach goers and divers to access to the beach. It was a much-appreciated gift from some unknown beach lover who spent their time; money and effort to securely bury one end of the cable in cement and dangle the rest of the cable over the cliff to create a Tarzan style hand over hand beach access. Now modern stairs complete with handrails and a drinking fountain welcomes the divers to the beach
The beach scene I remember so well from my youth is now only a distant memory, but they are memories of gold as were the hills surrounding the cove.
In the genesis of recreational diving the beach was populated with young athletic sun tanned male youths clad in the diving costume of the era, baggy long underwear, tucked in to equally baggy swim trunks,* round often home made diving masks on their faces,** short green fins on their feet ***and the weapon of choice three or five prong 3 "Jab Stick"**** unceremoniously stuck in the ground.
Like ancient tribes returning from a successful hunt they stood in small groups, wrapped in surplus WWII olive drab army or navy blue blankets, shivering and blue lipped from the cold of the water and the chill in the air. Roaring bonfires fed by WWII surplus tires added much needed warmth as it belched fourth thick heavy black smoke into the clean crisp smog free Orange County air. *****
Divers Cove has now become a popular diving destination for dive training classes. It is populated every Saturday and Sunday morning by young certified diving instructors who have arrived before 7:00 to conduct an ocean check out dive for their classes of aspiring divers. Under the ever-watchful eye of their SCUBA instructor, young and old, male and female don the costume of modern diving. Bright colored wet suits or dry suits have replaced the long underwear for thermal protection; clear form fitting twin lens masks of clear silicone replaced the black round rubber masks; multi hued long lightweight split plastic fins now adorn their feet replacing the short green Churchill fins. Not a spearfishing weapon or abalone iron is insight, since this area has been a game reserve for over a generation.
Yes, there have been a lot of changes in the last almost 70 years. Tomas Wolfe's message has been verified. "You can't go home again," but you can relive fond memories from the distant past and dream and hope for the future of recreational diving.
Only the sea, the eternal sea, has relentlessly remained the same...
Samuel Miller, 111
Copyright Dr..Samuel Miller,111, Dr.Samuel Miller,IV & Lee/CCnews/TPR; may not be used with out permission of authors and Lee/CCnews)
~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~
(*Long underwear and/or heavy GI surplus OD sweater was the consume of diving ..
See SDM anniversary edition,2001, the John Steele Painting of me as a 20 year old right after WW11 --- in the winter weather long underwear and a GI sweater was used or if exceptionally warm water such as in Mexico old pajamas were used - not for warmth but to protect from sun burn)-
(** see my article "The Mask" made by the late great Charlie Sturgil )
(*** Churchills by Voit were green or greenish- WW11 surplus Churchills were black, Sea Net produced the fin of that era the "Frog feet ," (Art Brown's Duck feet did not appear until mid 1950s) snorkels if used were home made.
(****Jab stick - The original name for a pole spear. Power supplied by thrust of arm, later a plumbing elastic was discovered by Bill Barada
(***** Huge bonfires to warm up participants & avoid hypothermia- wrapped in a blanket or heavy GI surplus WW 11 overcoat
~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~
And that is the "Way it wuzzzz." in the beginning so many years ago and so many dives
SDM
A time when the modern equipment was a dream in the future;
It was a time when there was no name, no organized diving, no titles, no magazines, few books, no training agencies and no SCUBA board....... we were just "a bunch of lousy divers" meeting on the beach to "Skin Dive"
Our equipment consisted of the crude equipment of the early 1950s era:
fins, mask occasional snorkel, often highly modified or home made. For thermal protection from the chilly California water many chose WW 11 surplus long wool under ware, topped with a GI sweater. Wet suits were about 5 years in the future but occasionally a diver would appear wearing the then new Barada "Bel Aqua" dry suit, which often as not leaked, filling with water further chilling the diver.
On that particular day, forgotten by most, or considered prehistoric by the majority, one of the tribe, whose face I can recall, but whose name has been long erased from my memory, appeared on the beach with a new toy called the "Aqua Lung" which we as many youths often do created a new name, the Aqua Lung was rechristened "The bubble machine," which. after all these years is still my name for the modern "SCUBA "
One by one we strapped our selves to the bubble machine; shoulder straps, chest strap, waists strap, crouch straps all tightly secured, regulator hose in mouth and with the last words of encouragement " Breathe out when you ascend or you will explode" One by one we dove the bubble machine.
It was fun, it was new and exciting but when the Aqua Lung was out of air it was considered about as welcomed in our tribe as a dead pelican
That was the last time the tribe were together as group. Life has a way of interfering- marriage, family, education and military service during the Korean war . They left us one by one , now I am the only remaining member who is not diving in the big reef in the sky . .
The events of that day 69 years ago changed the direction of my life. After my military service as an officer in USAF I returned to my beloved California im the mid 1950s and resumed by diving which has become an all consuming passion that has dominated my life - Even at my advanced age I cannot comprehend those who find joy in drowning worms attached to an expensive stick, who chase little white balls around a manicured pasture or play in the dirt of their yards. or set in a chair watching TV waiting for the end to come -- I just do not comprehend and will not accept that as a life style.
I have a thirty year old article from my news paper column "Dive Bubbles," the first dedicated news paper column devoted to diving in the US and possibly the world. The article is probably more applicable today to commemorate 69 years of Bubble Machine diving than it was 30 years ago when first published
If you have not read it .. May I present ...
~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~
"YOU CAN'T GO HOME AGAIN." '
By Dr. Samuel Miller,111
This summer I visited with some relatives and old friends to reconnect with my roots down in southern California, in smogsville, as the smog shrouded area of Los Angeles and Orange County is known by most Californians who reside in other areas of the state.
This visit certainly verified the message in the Thomas Wolfe book "You can't go home again" which I found so difficult to comprehend as a young college student. Yes, Thomas Wolfe was correct! "You can't go home again."
I spent a very early Saturday morning at Diver"s Cove ( Now renamed Heisler Park) in Laguna Beach, the fountainhead of American sport diving. It has been a popular diving location since recreational diving began along the California coast in the early 1930s. The cove as local divers referred to it, was catapulted from obscurity into international diving fame when it was chosen as the location for the world's first competitive spear fishing meet in June 1950. The Compton, California Dolphins Spear Fishing club, won the meet with a three man team consisting of the late great Ken Kummerfeild, Paul Hoss and Pat O'Malley.
Lots of changes have occurred in and around Divers Cove with the passage of these 60 almost 70 years.
In the early 1950s the rolling hills surrounding Diver's Cove were devoid of housing and covered with dry chaparral, which emitted the classic California golden glow always associated with the "Golden state." . Now when viewed from the cove the hills appear almost surrealistic emerald green, blanketed by modern multi- million dollar homes on well-manicured lawns interconnected labyrinth of roads.
It is no longer possible to drive up to the edge of the cliff at Diver's Cove and park haphazardly. Parking places are now regulated. They are neatly identified with white stripes on the concrete and crowned with a row of coin eating parking meters; silent sentinels waiting for the next quarter for fifteen minutes of violation free parking.
Also absent is the steel cable that provided beach goers and divers to access to the beach. It was a much-appreciated gift from some unknown beach lover who spent their time; money and effort to securely bury one end of the cable in cement and dangle the rest of the cable over the cliff to create a Tarzan style hand over hand beach access. Now modern stairs complete with handrails and a drinking fountain welcomes the divers to the beach
The beach scene I remember so well from my youth is now only a distant memory, but they are memories of gold as were the hills surrounding the cove.
In the genesis of recreational diving the beach was populated with young athletic sun tanned male youths clad in the diving costume of the era, baggy long underwear, tucked in to equally baggy swim trunks,* round often home made diving masks on their faces,** short green fins on their feet ***and the weapon of choice three or five prong 3 "Jab Stick"**** unceremoniously stuck in the ground.
Like ancient tribes returning from a successful hunt they stood in small groups, wrapped in surplus WWII olive drab army or navy blue blankets, shivering and blue lipped from the cold of the water and the chill in the air. Roaring bonfires fed by WWII surplus tires added much needed warmth as it belched fourth thick heavy black smoke into the clean crisp smog free Orange County air. *****
Divers Cove has now become a popular diving destination for dive training classes. It is populated every Saturday and Sunday morning by young certified diving instructors who have arrived before 7:00 to conduct an ocean check out dive for their classes of aspiring divers. Under the ever-watchful eye of their SCUBA instructor, young and old, male and female don the costume of modern diving. Bright colored wet suits or dry suits have replaced the long underwear for thermal protection; clear form fitting twin lens masks of clear silicone replaced the black round rubber masks; multi hued long lightweight split plastic fins now adorn their feet replacing the short green Churchill fins. Not a spearfishing weapon or abalone iron is insight, since this area has been a game reserve for over a generation.
Yes, there have been a lot of changes in the last almost 70 years. Tomas Wolfe's message has been verified. "You can't go home again," but you can relive fond memories from the distant past and dream and hope for the future of recreational diving.
Only the sea, the eternal sea, has relentlessly remained the same...
Samuel Miller, 111
Copyright Dr..Samuel Miller,111, Dr.Samuel Miller,IV & Lee/CCnews/TPR; may not be used with out permission of authors and Lee/CCnews)
~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~
(*Long underwear and/or heavy GI surplus OD sweater was the consume of diving ..
See SDM anniversary edition,2001, the John Steele Painting of me as a 20 year old right after WW11 --- in the winter weather long underwear and a GI sweater was used or if exceptionally warm water such as in Mexico old pajamas were used - not for warmth but to protect from sun burn)-
(** see my article "The Mask" made by the late great Charlie Sturgil )
(*** Churchills by Voit were green or greenish- WW11 surplus Churchills were black, Sea Net produced the fin of that era the "Frog feet ," (Art Brown's Duck feet did not appear until mid 1950s) snorkels if used were home made.
(****Jab stick - The original name for a pole spear. Power supplied by thrust of arm, later a plumbing elastic was discovered by Bill Barada
(***** Huge bonfires to warm up participants & avoid hypothermia- wrapped in a blanket or heavy GI surplus WW 11 overcoat
~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~
And that is the "Way it wuzzzz." in the beginning so many years ago and so many dives
SDM
