Vintage Diving Photos

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Albert Falco (17 October 1927 – 21 April 2012)[1] was a French scuba diving veteran and champion of underwater conservation. He was one of the longest-serving diving companions of Jacques Cousteau, Chief Diver, and later Captain of the RV Calypso.[2] He lived in France and was active in preserving aquatic ecosystems.[3][4] He played several leading roles on Cousteau's films, like The Silent World (1956), World Without Sun (1964) and Voyage to the Edge of the World (1976).

Falco was also on the Ocean Advocacy Advisory Board of Sea Shepherd Conservation Society, a non-profit ocean conservation organization.

 

[Sam Miller III]

I, and I assume others, appreciate you featuring Albert .

My first meeting of Albert when I was an official US observer on the US (Scrips eta) US sea trails of the DDS Denise. off San Diego California in the very early 1960s. and he was the pilot .

Albert is one who is almost forgotten by most but deserves so much credit as a major component of the calypso diving team.
He was indeed a diver's diver !

I have a copy of the Silent World inscribed to me by Albert, which is in a place of honor on my book shelf.

Keep up the great work ! Your post are the way I start the day here in sunny California.

Your friend
SAM MILLER

 

[trapezus]

I, and I assume others, appreciate you featuring Albert .

My first meeting of Albert when I was an official US observer on the US (Scrips eta) US sea trails of the DDS Denise. off San Diego California in the very early 1960s. and he was the pilot .

Albert is one who is almost forgotten by most but deserves so much credit as a major component of the calypso diving team.
He was indeed a diver's diver !

I have a copy of the Silent World inscribed to me by Albert, which is in a place of honor on my book shelf.

Keep up the great work ! Your post are the way I start the day here in sunny California.

Thank you Sam , I was begin diving with their films and episodes. I have same book in my book shelf too.
Osman

 

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Crédit photo: Norman Parkinson

 

[Erich S]

Sam, you're a lucky guy to have known Albert Falco. Another one of my favorites was Philippe Cousteau.

 

[Sam Miller III]

Angel fish wrote
"Sam, you're a lucky guy to have known Albert Falco. Another one of my favorites was Philippe Cousteau. "
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I also knew hilippe Cousteau. As I recall I first met him at an LA County UW Instructors annual banquet in the 1960s at the height of his career .

Tommy Thompson was a diving buddy, close friend and neighbor as well as the PR for US Divers (Aqua Lung)
! was a some what the golden goose in the LA county program receiving numerous recognitions:
"Outstanding Contributions to Underwater Instruction" ( I had developed some new and exciting training exercises and had proposed the diver/ instructor rating system - which was rejected by LA CO UW Instructors and later NAUI but copied by PADI. Now we have all sorts of PADI heroes running around with all sorts of titles.

I had also been acclaimed "The out standing LA CO underwater Instructor of the year" and on the training staff for the LA Co UICC ,,,,which is still going strong and will soon begin 65th year and 65 UICC

So Tommy arranged for Philippe & his wife to set next to my wife and I. Both wives were expecting ...I don't recall which one for us -- We had 5 in 5 years to the day, so the evening's conversation was being pregnant and children.

I taught the annual US Divers company SCUBA class for a number of years. During that time I did see Philippe several times and continued our chat about our children.

I assume that surprises you ? We were fathers first and lousy divers second.

I met JYC long before he received world wide fame with the "Undersea world of Jacques Cousteau" and I have 7 of his books personally inscribed to me. I also met his son, the heir apparent, Jean Michel about 25 years ago and have several books inscribed by him.

<<<< For a number of years US Divers presented a week long 40 hour regulator, valve and equipment repair course. I attended a number of the courses just to repair and replace my equipment,

Son Sam IV was 12 years old when he attended -- The youngest ever to attend the repair course John Cronin, the then GM of US Divers and later founder of PADI, discovered Sam IV was taking the repair course and he became John's favorite. Every day Sam IV would come home with something from the class a shirt or piece of new equipment. By the end of the week he a complete set of equipment.

Several weeks later I drove Sam IV to US Divers where JYC personally presented him with his latest inscribed book, which now sets in a place of honor on his book case.

Sam IV ? He became a NAUI (Life) instructor, a PADI instructor, a SSI Pro 5000 (only 4 father and sons have received the Pro 5000) and now is a ER & Hyperbaric doctor >>>>

As some American Civil war general so apply stated "He who gets there firstest with the mostest wins "
We were at the right place at the right time with the right credentials. We were just a bunch of lousy divers ...

,The sun is up. the weather is great, time to go down the hill to the beach with my little dog Max

SDM


Attached Files:

 

[Erich S]

Thanks Sam for your fascinating recollections on some of the heroes from my youth. I was only lucky enough to see and hear JM Cousteau speak in the diving Mecca of Youngwood, Pa in 1979.

 

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Sam , you are very lucky Jane Russell 's familiar

 

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Jack Yves Cousteau