Please Share Sea Hunt Memories

[marshallkarp]

As many of you know, I help out with the Underwater Videographer Podcast. We are planning a special Sea Hunt 50th Anniversary Special in December.

Many of you, like me, developed the interest in diving from watching Sea Hunt. As part of the Special, I wanted to give any of you the opportunity to share any memories of Sea Hunt or Lloyd Bridges. Also, you may want to share how the Show influenced you into diving. I plan to read the best ones on the Podcast intro.

Thank you for your help.

 

[tonka97]

Mike Nelson's loving sense of oneness with the ocean is inspiring. His ability to problem solve at depth is enviable, and continues to serve as a model for me as I begin to bumble through a diving issue.

Mike made me proud to be an American.

Thank you Lloyd! and all of the crew that made Sea Hunt an immortal experience.

 

[wedivebc]

My favorite episode called "The Roustabout" was about a guy who gets trapped when a bunch of debris falls on him. The only guy available to help Mike is a commercial diver who has a rebreather. "You know those things will kill ya" Mike says. The RB guy takes a couple of oxtox hits after diving to below 50 ft. Great stuff

 

[Jim Lapenta]

I have 39 episodes on VHS. My favorite one for one reason is it shows how to help someone equalize. Get them into the escape hatch on a sub. When the pressure starts to build and they are screaming in pain yell at them. Over and over repeat "C'mon boy pop em!" This will help them to squeeze their nose with the force of a vise and bulge out their cheeks while turning colors in an attempt to blow their eardrums out from the inside. I'm still waiting for the chance to try it with a student.

On the other hand it did inspire me to want to dive even though it took over 35 yrs to do it. But it was also responsible for one of the worst whippings I ever got from my mom. We always had a backyard pool. Well one day after watching Sea Hunt the night before I got the idea to "be like Mike". This was before anybody ever heard of some guy with the last name of Jordan. I proceeded to get my mask that my grandfather had bought me. It was a US Divers with the rubber skirt and I think cost him about 12 bucks in 1968. My full foot duck fins that were not as good and came with the full face mask I had that had the two snorkels attached to it with the balls in them that were supposed to keep out water. Problem is they were so light that they also kept out air on the surface when you inhaled! Then the part that got me the beating. I proceeded to strap on the old metal fire extinguisher that I had wrapped a couple boy scout web belts around on me and climb up the ladder to the pool. As I was standing on the small deck preparing to enter my own watery realm of adventure, my mom looked out the kitchen window. That was it. I heard "JAMES ANTHONY! What the hell do you think you're doing?!!!" Then the screen door flew open. I was dragged off the deck. THe tank taken from my back, mask pulled off my head, and still wearing my fins, marched/dragged into the house where my Irish/Italian mother proceeded to show me one of the other uses for a wooden spoon. This was back when parents were still allowed to discipline their kids. I was forbidden to do that ever again, kept out of the pool for a week while my brother and sister taunted me with their splashing around. It took two weeks before I was even allowed to use my mask and fins and go under for any length of time. If only mom could see me now. She died in 1977. 23 yrs later I got certified. I miss them both. Thanks Lloyd for the memories, the entertainment, and one of the worst beatings I ever got. I owe ya buddy. Rest in Peace.

 

[Cave Diver]

Thanks Lloyd for the memories, the entertainment, and one of the worst beatings I ever got. I owe ya buddy. Rest in Peace.

If this anecdote doesn't deserve to get read on the air I can't think what would!

 

[marshallkarp]

I'm still laughing. As I have to work today, the day after Thanksgiving, I was sort of bummed, but that really brightened my day. That looks like a keeper.

 

[shakeybrainsurgeon]

I recall when Mike Nelson fought underwater, he usually ended up ripping the other guy's mask off or cutting his regulator hose... I remember a lot of communicating by banging his knife on his tank, and numerous cave rescues when he had to teach some neophyte how to breathe off a regulator (bite hard and blow in and out).

I loved the show --- I asked for and received this one Christmas, the old Remco "frogman"... any other "old timers" remember this toy, from when plastic was cheap and toys were huge (hoping this picture file comes through):

 

[sytech]

Where did you get the 39 eposodes? I have never seen the show broadcast anywhere.

Mike Nelson and Superman were my heroes growing up. I wonder if Netflix has some episodes?

Sy

I have 39 episodes on VHS. My favorite one for one reason is it shows how to help someone equalize. Get them into the escape hatch on a sub. When the pressure starts to build and they are screaming in pain yell at them. Over and over repeat "C'mon boy pop em!" This will help them to squeeze their nose with the force of a vise and bulge out their cheeks while turning colors in an attempt to blow their eardrums out from the inside. I'm still waiting for the chance to try it with a student.

On the other hand it did inspire me to want to dive even though it took over 35 yrs to do it. But it was also responsible for one of the worst whippings I ever got from my mom. We always had a backyard pool. Well one day after watching Sea Hunt the night before I got the idea to "be like Mike". This was before anybody ever heard of some guy with the last name of Jordan. I proceeded to get my mask that my grandfather had bought me. It was a US Divers with the rubber skirt and I think cost him about 12 bucks in 1968. My full foot duck fins that were not as good and came with the full face mask I had that had the two snorkels attached to it with the balls in them that were supposed to keep out water. Problem is they were so light that they also kept out air on the surface when you inhaled! Then the part that got me the beating. I proceeded to strap on the old metal fire extinguisher that I had wrapped a couple boy scout web belts around on me and climb up the ladder to the pool. As I was standing on the small deck preparing to enter my own watery realm of adventure, my mom looked out the kitchen window. That was it. I heard "JAMES ANTHONY! What the hell do you think you're doing?!!!" Then the screen door flew open. I was dragged off the deck. THe tank taken from my back, mask pulled off my head, and still wearing my fins, marched/dragged into the house where my Irish/Italian mother proceeded to show me one of the other uses for a wooden spoon. This was back when parents were still allowed to discipline their kids. I was forbidden to do that ever again, kept out of the pool for a week while my brother and sister taunted me with their splashing around. It took two weeks before I was even allowed to use my mask and fins and go under for any length of time. If only mom could see me now. She died in 1977. 23 yrs later I got certified. I miss them both. Thanks Lloyd for the memories, the entertainment, and one of the worst beatings I ever got. I owe ya buddy. Rest in Peace.

 

[BRS]

I saw Lloyd Bridges interviewed in his later years. He remarked that he was relieved that he "No longer had to hold his stomach in."

 

[Nemrod]

You can get epsiodes on ebay. I have the full set but many are not very good quality, others are OK. Played on an upconverting DVD on a large flat panel LCD HDTV they are stunning the way they take on a cinematic glow.

Anyways, Mike Nelson lives in all vintage divers, he is still with us as we reinact a SeaHunt episode with every dive be it the Might O of Pensecola or a snoozer dive at Key Largo, Sea Hunt is alive and well.

Last summer at Wazee at the Vintage Dive ralley we had a fellow, name d Mike, dressed in the exact gear including a grewy wetsuit and many pictures were taken as he waded into the water and did a short dive--looked like Mike Nelson to me.

Not only that, recycling old vintage dive gear rediuces your carbon footprint by not buying all sorts of thermoplastic petroleum consuming and CO2 producing plastic parts---Mike would be proud.

And, if you want your hoses cut, we reinacted that at Weeki Wachee but I will be happy to pull my Vulcan Knife or SeaHawk and cut your hoses any time you like .

Have a great Thanksgiving and thank you Mike Nelson, you were there for us.

Oh, Zale Perry dove at another vintage ralley but I was away on buisness so could not attend. It is said that she is still a great diver fully at ease with a double hose regulator.

N