More of the "twin-snorkel mask" story

[El Graduado]

This post is a continuation of my search for the “twin-snorkel” mask in the 1961 Cozumel Coke ad I found and published on Augustus' "Diving in 1960" thread a few days ago. I found some more interesting stuff. Did you know there was a whole movie made in 1958 based on one of these contraptions? It was named, aptly enough, “The Snorkel.”

Although this example looks somewhat similar to the one in the Coke ad, it is more oval than triangular, it has a clear faceplate rather than amber, and the sides have a more form-fitting edge, unlike the stiff and uncomfortable-looking mask in the Coke ad.





The movie prop guys removed the ping-pong ball valves and added two twenty-foot-long hoses to the ends of the twin snorkels, which would make it impossible to use, but it was a movie, after all.

Later, I found a picture of a small boy with a mask that looks a lot like the one in the ad, except it didn’t have the snorkels. I figured maybe it was a similar model from the same company, like the Riviera Cannes model (with twin-snorkels) and the Riviera Monaco model (sans-snorkel) that I published on the earlier thread.




Following that lead, I found this Sears “El Capitan” swim set for sale on eBay. Again, it was a sans-snorkel model, but I think it is the right manufacturer:




Continuing my search, I ran across a copy of another movie, The Bloody Bride. What a hoot!

Man walks down beach. Man spies hand:




Hand is in close proximity to snorkel:



Man digs around snorkel and finds beautiful woman, breathing through snorkel:



Man continues to dig and hits the jackpot:



All I ever find are shells on the beach.

I did find one really weird US patent for a snorkel while I was searching the internet:



It is called the "Toilet Snorkel," and it is used just like the name says:


I wonder if it comes with a mask?

It is designed to help someone caught in a hotel high-rise fire to be able to breath air that is not full of smoke. Sewer gas, yes, but no smoke.

The search continues...

 

[Eric Sedletzky]

The toilet snorkel I could do without, especially right before my juicy tri tip Chrismas eve dinner I'm cooking.
But the lady in the sand was great!
Thanks again for all your research!

And also with the picture of the gal in the boat, I pay attention to such details as the material the boat is made out of, that's a wood frame/wood planked boat. Fiberglass wasn't used until the early 60's in any real production. Just like old Sea Hunt re-runs the skiff used was plywood which was normal for 1959.
I know, stupid, but I'm in the boat business so I can't help it.

 

[DandyDon]

Interesting finds. Neat...!

The Blood Spattered Bride (Spanish: La Novia Ensangrentada translation: "The Bloody Bride") is a 1972 Spanish horror film

It's available by the English title from Amazon for $9.78 but Youtube shows is for free.

 

[El Graduado]

I pay attention to such details as the material the boat is made out of, that's a wood frame/wood planked boat. I know, stupid, but I'm in the boat business so I can't help it.

Here's a photo for you, if you are into wooden boat construction methods:




It is an image of the mast step of the Highborn Cay Wreck. I believe K. C. Smith, our team photographer, took the photo, but it could have been any one of us except Don Keith, who is in the photo. The portion of the keel with the mast step, mast wedge and bilge-pump sump that you can see in the photo were completely covered by about four feet of concreted ballast stones and living reef when we (the Institute of Nautical Archaeology, Ships of Exploration and Discovery) decided to uncover a section to see what we could find below the ballast mound. I got the job of sledge-hammering all the way down to the wood. I weighed myself down with maybe 40 pounds of lead, so I could swing the sledge and not rebound and whaled away at it for two days, while the rest of the team mapped the site. By the third day, I was hardly able to move my arms any more, but what I uncovered was worth it. That was back in 1986. We believe the ship sank prior to 1520, since it had Lucayan ceramics aboard and the Lucaya Indians were reported extinct by then, all killed or carried away as slaves by the Spanish.

 

[cvchief]

You know I still haven't paid off on the beer I owe EG, but I really imagine it will start like this:

 

[JohnN]

 

[darook]

Someone needs to tell those lovely ladies that you don't need to wear that snorkel abomination when you are just in close proximity to the water.

That toilet snorkel is truly a stomach turning idea. However, given the option of that or sure death it is a clever idea and one I think anyone would be happy to have.