Oldest Dive shop in Orange County

[Sam Miller III]

Been reading about all the dive shops in Orange County, some old - some new

What in you opinion is the oldest continually active dive shop in Orange County?

When established?

By whom?

Where? City? or Location?

(Please don't say Rene Sports (Shop))

SDM

---------- Post added September 12th, 2013 at 02:24 AM ----------

80 views and no responses!

 

[drbill]

Just a guess Sam as I've only been in SoCal since the 60s, but I'm thinking Ron Merker's Aquatic Center in Newport Beach.

 

[Sam Miller III]

Bill
I would suggest that you chat with your buddy the Egyptian born current owner of the Aquatic Center before you make another wild guess. Anothere question for you.....What super famous person once worked there and got his basic dive training at the Aquatic Center????

Better than another board where I asked the same question and received "Westwood" as an answer

All the experts on diving who post profusely about a huge variety of subjects and only one guess. Soon the very short history of recreational diving will be delegated to I think, I hear, I suppose, or some one told me, all devoid of basic factual data.

SDM

 

[Lopez116]

On behalf of the younger generation of bubble blowers, I will play...but, I preface this with "I really have no idea..."

Laguna Sea Sports???


Sent from my iPhone using Tapatalk 2

 

[MaxBottomtime]

[h=1]Clive Cussler worked at the Santa Ana Aquatic Center.[/h]

 

[scubatomwetzel]

I know Ron Merker's shop Aquatic Center was one.
New England Diver, Seal Beach.
Pacific School of SCUBA, Later the chain became Laguna Sea Sports, now Beach Cities SCUBA.

ok Sam. Now you lived in Orange County back then, seems you might remember.

 

[drbill]

Well, Sam... I said it was a guess. Besides, we had our own compressor back then so who needed a dive shop! Besides, I'm a marine biologist, not a SCUBA instructor... the animals (and seaweed) are what matter to me! Tee hee. In addition, Orange County was nothing but orange groves back then.

 

[DiveNav]

Do we get to win anything if we guess right?

I only got here in 1997 .. .so I don't have a clue. But, I can tell you who won the Regata in Bernate in 1981

Alberto (aka eDiver)

 

[SailNaked]

I went to the laguna shop in <72 , we bought my dad a dive watch for his birthday. I was < 6 too young to play. sorry.

 

[Mark Guccione]

So we now know it wasn't Merkers shop, how about Laguna Sea Sports 1958. Or was it "Diver Jays Scuba" Just kidding!

Sam, after a little more research I found this>>>Orange County - Did You Know? - by Dr. Sam Miller - History of SCUBA Diving