- Messages
- 5,141
- Reaction score
- 4,137
- # of dives
- 5000 - ∞
When the original bubble machine arrived in the US it was a piece of junk but the only piece of junk available. So we made do, even though it presented the diver with certain challenges
The regulators were the now the so called "Vintage" US Diver (Aqua Lung) double hose which provided a number of failure points :
1) the large cloth rubber impregnated cloth diaphragm always comes to mind-- and "swallowing the diaphragm" became into the vintage divers lexicon as a traumatic event
"Swallowing the diaphragm" happened to me twice;
First time while breathing very hard ripping up a reef for an elusive bug. As I grabbed the bug the diaphragm ruptured - I had swallowed the diaphragm and was swallowing copious amounts of water.
I got on my horse blowed and goed and flaired and I was there at the surface breathing pure (at that time) California fresh air.
The second time was considerably more traumatic - I was diving with three friends off my boat for lobsters. One member complained after his first dive that he regulator was breathing "wet." We all took a hit off of it and declared it breathed fine, no problems. I said "Lets change regulators I will dive yours and you dive mine"
It did breathe a "little wet" but acceptable for that era's regulators, and I continued on my search for the California bug. I was over body length back in a crevice working hard and breathing hard placing considerable strain on my air consumption. One breath I received a trickle of water with my inhalation
the next time a flood of salt water- the diaphragm had ruptured "swallowed the diaphragm."
I backed out to the crevice turned my youthful sun tanned body towards the surface and once again I blowed and goed and I faired and I was there -- California fresh air and the sun shining in my face.
Not soon enough the original French made Aqua Lung was modified and replaced by the American made US Divers DA Aqua lung and
And that wuzz way it wuzz in the days of our dives--so long ago
I would live to dive another day and tell the story of "Swallowing the diaphragm"
~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~
It is recognized that recreational diving began and concentrated in SoCal primarily in three counties. San Diego with the great Bottom Scratchers in 1930s. Orange county with Herb Samson and his cameras and world record Spear guns and in LA County with Charlie Sturgil (LA CO UW Instr) who created so many items of diving it would be impossible to list and Bill Barada (LA CO UW Instr) who created the dry suit in 1948and was instrumental is establishing organized diving.
Recreational diving began a eastward in December 1951 with Skin Diver Magazine published in Compton California and the American retailers who offered mail order diving equipment and books for self instruction (oh the Horror !) Sears in 1956, Wards in 1957 and Pennys in 1964. this was followed by NAUI in 1960, the late great John Gaffney's NASDS and finally PADI incorporated
@Scuba Lawyer
@Akimbo
@Marie13 a little dive history
The regulators were the now the so called "Vintage" US Diver (Aqua Lung) double hose which provided a number of failure points :
1) the large cloth rubber impregnated cloth diaphragm always comes to mind-- and "swallowing the diaphragm" became into the vintage divers lexicon as a traumatic event
"Swallowing the diaphragm" happened to me twice;
First time while breathing very hard ripping up a reef for an elusive bug. As I grabbed the bug the diaphragm ruptured - I had swallowed the diaphragm and was swallowing copious amounts of water.
I got on my horse blowed and goed and flaired and I was there at the surface breathing pure (at that time) California fresh air.
The second time was considerably more traumatic - I was diving with three friends off my boat for lobsters. One member complained after his first dive that he regulator was breathing "wet." We all took a hit off of it and declared it breathed fine, no problems. I said "Lets change regulators I will dive yours and you dive mine"
It did breathe a "little wet" but acceptable for that era's regulators, and I continued on my search for the California bug. I was over body length back in a crevice working hard and breathing hard placing considerable strain on my air consumption. One breath I received a trickle of water with my inhalation
the next time a flood of salt water- the diaphragm had ruptured "swallowed the diaphragm."
I backed out to the crevice turned my youthful sun tanned body towards the surface and once again I blowed and goed and I faired and I was there -- California fresh air and the sun shining in my face.
Not soon enough the original French made Aqua Lung was modified and replaced by the American made US Divers DA Aqua lung and
And that wuzz way it wuzz in the days of our dives--so long ago
I would live to dive another day and tell the story of "Swallowing the diaphragm"
~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~
It is recognized that recreational diving began and concentrated in SoCal primarily in three counties. San Diego with the great Bottom Scratchers in 1930s. Orange county with Herb Samson and his cameras and world record Spear guns and in LA County with Charlie Sturgil (LA CO UW Instr) who created so many items of diving it would be impossible to list and Bill Barada (LA CO UW Instr) who created the dry suit in 1948and was instrumental is establishing organized diving.
Recreational diving began a eastward in December 1951 with Skin Diver Magazine published in Compton California and the American retailers who offered mail order diving equipment and books for self instruction (oh the Horror !) Sears in 1956, Wards in 1957 and Pennys in 1964. this was followed by NAUI in 1960, the late great John Gaffney's NASDS and finally PADI incorporated
Some of you will question or discus "Swallowing the diaphragm" with your LDS or fuzzy faced instructor and will be met with a blank stair for the event called "swallowing the diaphragm." disappeared and most divers who have experienced "swallowing the diaphragm."
But Now you know...
Number of Dives ? Unknown - Have been a SSI Pro 5000 since beginning
Failures ?
2 with vintage equipment
Nothing of note with modern equipment
Sam Miler, III
@caruso FYI - recheck PM But Now you know...
Number of Dives ? Unknown - Have been a SSI Pro 5000 since beginning
Failures ?
2 with vintage equipment
Nothing of note with modern equipment
Sam Miler, III
@Scuba Lawyer
@Akimbo
@Marie13 a little dive history