Divmstr223
Contributor
sam miller:
Where is Mo2?...I would love to borrow some of his wit so I could easily turn this into a "we're all gonna laugh at you and you'll look like dork" thread... :14:
ah well....a nice thought...
San Mateo Rocks
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Where is Mo2?...I would love to borrow some of his wit so I could easily turn this into a "we're all gonna laugh at you and you'll look like dork" thread... :14:
ah well....a nice thought...
MK 1 swimmer, someone explain please.
John
John
OP
Divmstr223:Where is Mo2?...I would love to borrow some of his wit so I could easily turn this into a "we're all gonna laugh at you and you'll look like dork" thread... :14:
ah well....a nice thought...
How about, You show up at Diver's Cove donning 1960's dive gear, tie into to a cable and rappel down to the sand, we will laugh at you and you'll look like a dork.
Ok, I know that one was obvious, and that is a different thread, but I didn't get to weigh in before...
I'm clueless on the Mark I swimmer terminology too...
Divmstr223
Contributor
ScubaBob92651:
I think we were on the same page with that one...
and me 3 for the Mark I swimmer...
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Richard Dick Bonin was a Lt (Jg) during the Korean war sereving under LtCdr Doug Fane. After the war he along with Gus Dela Valle purchased an established company from Dick Klien of Heaththways. The name of the company was "Scuba Pro."
Being an ex military he gave the fist ScubaPro regulator the name of Mark 1, then 11, 111, and so on to where ever it is today...
Therefore Mark I indicates a basic or first in upper eschelon of diving circles...
SDM
Being an ex military he gave the fist ScubaPro regulator the name of Mark 1, then 11, 111, and so on to where ever it is today...
Therefore Mark I indicates a basic or first in upper eschelon of diving circles...
SDM
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Just for you SCUBA Bob92651....
A little history--not too much I hope...
YOU CAN’T GO HOME AGAIN…”
By Dr. Samuel Miller
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 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 refer 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 Ken Kummerfeild, Paul Hoss and Pat O’Malley.
Lots of changes have occurred in and around Divers Cove with the passage of fifty-seven years.
In the 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, round diving masks on their faces, short green fins on their feet and the weapon of choice a “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 the final 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 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 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 fifty plus 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
DR, SAMUEL MILLER, 111
FYI...
For a number of years I wrote the first reguarly scheduled diving news paper column in California, the US and possibly the world...The above article is a portion of one of the articles.
I was also the co-author 40 years ago of the first dive guide for Orange County--long out of publication but still quoted by "some"- for Orange county.
For a number of years I was a presenter at "The Scuba show" on Orange County diving..
I was also the first guest editor of Skin Diver magazine--I recall in 1963 (?)
And there is a lot more...
And yes, I and others swam to the "Rocks" "Dean Mans Reef" and "Miller's Reef" many many years before you and others presented you expertise to the computer about noble sport and the birthplace of recreational diving...
I certainly encourage you to continue ...
SDM 111
As an after thought --you might want to check out on this "California Kelp divers" an locate a thread about #one and only son...something about "Dr. Sam,IV." Maybe comment about him or his training...Again I look forward to reading your comments
A little history--not too much I hope...
YOU CAN’T GO HOME AGAIN…”
By Dr. Samuel Miller
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 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 refer 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 Ken Kummerfeild, Paul Hoss and Pat O’Malley.
Lots of changes have occurred in and around Divers Cove with the passage of fifty-seven years.
In the 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, round diving masks on their faces, short green fins on their feet and the weapon of choice a “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 the final 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 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 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 fifty plus 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
DR, SAMUEL MILLER, 111
FYI...
For a number of years I wrote the first reguarly scheduled diving news paper column in California, the US and possibly the world...The above article is a portion of one of the articles.
I was also the co-author 40 years ago of the first dive guide for Orange County--long out of publication but still quoted by "some"- for Orange county.
For a number of years I was a presenter at "The Scuba show" on Orange County diving..
I was also the first guest editor of Skin Diver magazine--I recall in 1963 (?)
And there is a lot more...
And yes, I and others swam to the "Rocks" "Dean Mans Reef" and "Miller's Reef" many many years before you and others presented you expertise to the computer about noble sport and the birthplace of recreational diving...
I certainly encourage you to continue ...
SDM 111
As an after thought --you might want to check out on this "California Kelp divers" an locate a thread about #one and only son...something about "Dr. Sam,IV." Maybe comment about him or his training...Again I look forward to reading your comments
OP
Thanks for clearing that up Sam! I've learned a lot from your posts and, since I didn't get started in this world until the Mk 15 was around, I have a lot to learn...
OP
Thanks again Sam, I do learn a lot from the history. Case in point, I now need to update my statement to:
You show up at The Cove donning baggy long underwear, a round diving mask and short green fins, tie into to a cable and rappel down to the sand, I will take some video footage of you and apply the Sepia filter. After which, we will laugh at you and you'll look like a dork.
You show up at The Cove donning baggy long underwear, a round diving mask and short green fins, tie into to a cable and rappel down to the sand, I will take some video footage of you and apply the Sepia filter. After which, we will laugh at you and you'll look like a dork.
Sam, you are not the only knucklehead to repel down that stupid cable . But then again, I was young and stupid then. I now do most of my dives from a boat or simply go to the Casino Dive Park with the occasional visit to Hawaii!
Its funny to see the look on the faces of newly minted Instructors when I tell them how we used to dive.
One of my favorite haunts as a kid was abalone gathering at Catalina and diving the Kelp beds of the then sandy beaches of South Carlsbad State beach.
Dave
Older and not one bit wiser.
. But then again, I was young and stupid then. I now do most of my dives from a boat or simply go to the Casino Dive Park with the occasional visit to Hawaii!Its funny to see the look on the faces of newly minted Instructors when I tell them how we used to dive.
One of my favorite haunts as a kid was abalone gathering at Catalina and diving the Kelp beds of the then sandy beaches of South Carlsbad State beach.
Dave
Older and not one bit wiser.
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BOB
BRAVO!
Those were the days....
Only a precious few were honored as participants of a era that will never be experienced again...they were the fathers of the sport you are now enjoying as you too, pass through life.
As I am approaching my 80th decade of life and 60 plus years of diving all I can advise is enjoy!
I must decline your movie offer...Knees and an equalibrium problem from too many compressions and decompressions does not make for a good mountain goat...But I wish you well in your endeavors...
Now I must return to serious writting,
SDM
BRAVO!
Those were the days....
Only a precious few were honored as participants of a era that will never be experienced again...they were the fathers of the sport you are now enjoying as you too, pass through life.
As I am approaching my 80th decade of life and 60 plus years of diving all I can advise is enjoy!
I must decline your movie offer...Knees and an equalibrium problem from too many compressions and decompressions does not make for a good mountain goat...But I wish you well in your endeavors...
Now I must return to serious writting,
SDM
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