Diving Pioneers and Innovators
by
Bret Gilliam
A Review by Leslie Leaney
The
author
of
this
book
co-founded
what
is
arguably
the
classiest
American
diving
magazine
on
the
market
today.
Fathoms.
The
print
and
content
standards
Bret
Gilliam
set
for
that
magazine
have
journeyed
to
his
magnificently
produced
book
which
records
the
history
of
some
of
diving's
most
creative
and
adventurous
individuals.
The
content
is
rooted
in
face-to-face
interviews
with
a
stellar
group
of
first
and
second
generation
divers
who
are
pioneers
in
their
fields.
As
the
title
states,
some
are
also
innovators
who
have
developed
garage
ideas
into
multi
national
companies,
and
brought
about
advancements
in
the
equipment
that
we
use
today,
such
as
Oceanic's
HUD
mask.
The
interview
list
includes
someone
for
everyone:
Zale
Parry,
Stan
Waterman,
Bev
Morgan,
Chuck
Nicklin,
Ron
and
Valerie
Taylor,
Peter
Benchley,
Dick
Bonin,
Wes
Skiles,
Bob
Ballard,
Mike
deGruy,
Michele
Hall,
Paul
Humann,
John
Chatterton,
Greg
MacGillivray,
Bob
Hollis,
Al
Giddings,
Ernie
Brooks,
Howard
Hall
and
Bret
Gilliam.
Most
names
will
not
need
introduction
to
professionals
in
the
recreational
and
technical
diving
communities.
There
are
the
"brand
names"
from
that
industry
as
well
as
those
from
underwater
imagry,
plus
others
such
as
Peter
Benchley
and
Bob
Ballard,
who
enjoy
recognition
with
the
broarder
general
public.
The
tone
of
the
book
is
immediately
set
by
the
Dedication
page
which
recognizes
"those
eternal
personalities"
Dick
Anderson,
Paul
Tzimoulis,
Peter
Gimbel,
Ron
Church,
Sheck
Exley,
Mike
Kevorkian,
Frank
Scalli,
E.
R.
Cross,
Bill
Meistrell,
John
Cronin,
Rob
Palmer,
Jack
McKenney,
Bill
Turbervile,
Cliff
Simoneau,
Larry
Smith
and
Dr.
Bob
Dill.
To
reinforce
the
author's
commitment
to
the
historical
aspects
of
the
book,
the
HDS
is
graciously
given
a
full
page
to
present
its
purpose
and
mission.
And
we
certainly
are
certainly
grateful
to
be
included
in
a
publication
of
this
quality.
From
the
historical
perspective
there
is
some
real
early
treasure
in
the
characters
drawn
together
here.
Waterman
was
in
the
sea
in
1934,
and
many
others
like
Parry,
Bonin,
Brooks,
Nicklin
and
Morgan
in
the
late
1940's
early
1950's.
Their
early
world
was
one
of
spear
fishing
and
word-of-mouth
scuba
training.
They
were
connected
by
their
love
of
the
sea,
and
they
each
stayed
their
heart's
course
and
have
lived
a
life
connected
to
the
sea.
Numerous
other
early
sea
lovers
also
tried
to
make
a
career
out
their
passion
for
diving.
Then,
as
now,
it
proved
to
be
a
difficult
thing
to
do.
Those
that
were
able
to
convert
the
intoxication
of
this
new
adventure
into
a
meaningful
career
became
the
pioneers
of
the
sport.
However,
scant
attention
was
given
to
the
historical
relevance
of
what
was
being
invented,
discovered,
and
photographed
or
filmed.
Few
participants
thought
what
they
were
doing
would
qualify
for
the
designation
of
"historic."
But
some
of
it
was
and
those
involved,
and
still
vertical,
tell
some
of
those
stories
here.
In
the
books
pages
you
will
get
to
know
a
very
select
group
whose
work
in
the
underwater
realm
has
elevated
them
to
diving's
MVP
status.
By
granting
practically
unlimited
editorial
space
to
each,
the
interviews
have
captured
not
only
the
history
of
these
careers
but
also
the
essence
of
the
subject's
character.
Each
interview
provides
a
personal
link
in
the
chain
of
diving
history
that
connects
us
all
to
the
birth
of
the
sport,
and
it
also
records
some
of
the
mile
stones
they
created
along
the
way.
The
ground-breaking
underwater
IMAX
adventures
of
the
Halls,
deGruy
and
MacGillivray
provide
a
modern
day
contrast
to
the
historic
toils
of
Giddings,
Waterman,
and
Nicklin
who,
along
with
their
departed
colleagues
Boren
and
McKenney,
set
the
American
standards
for
underwater
cinematography.
MacGillivray's
Hollywood
experiences
move
the
diving
action
from
encounters
with
sharks
to
encounters
with
Richard
Zanack
and
Stanley
Kubrick.
And
there
are
other
interfaces
with
influential
non
divers
sprinkled
throughout
the
book.
The
breadth
of
experience
recorded
by
the
interviewees
in
the
pages
goes
far
beyond
the
content
of
the
average
diving
book,
and
the
interviewers
and
editors
are
to
be
congratulated
in
letting
these
full
stories
be
told.
"What
do
you
call
a
thousand
lawyers
at
the
bottom
of
the
sea?"
-
"An
awfully
good
start!"
introduces
the
fascinating
career
of
Paul
Humann.
Michele
Hall
scores
a
note
for
history
when
she
is
asked,
"If
we
had
a
Diving
Mount
Rushmore,
what
four
persons
should
be
carved
into
that
cliff
face?"
Her
first
name
is
Hans
Hass.
John
Chatterton
relates
the
triumphs
and
tragedies
of
his
wreck
diving
adventures
as
he
awaits
Australian
film
director
Peter
Weir
to
turn
them
into
a
major
movie.
The
late
Peter
Benchley
is
ushered
onto
the
page
with
arguably
the
most
recognizable
opening
sentence
in
modern
day
sea
fiction.
"The
great
fish
moved
silently
through
the
night
water,
propelled
by
short
sweeps
of
its
crescent
tail."
The
line
is
easy
to
read,
but
was
not
easy
to
write.
Under
Gilliam's
adept
steering
Benchley
provides
the
Hollywood
back-story
to
a
print
and
celluloid
icon:
-
although
most
dive
store
owners
of
the
late
1970's
would
call
it
something
much,
much
different.
However
it
is
not
the
purpose
of
this
review
to
detail
something
from
everyone
involved,
but
rather
to
provide
a
glimpse
into
the
wealth
of
historical
detail
provided.
The
subjects
open
up
many
personal
doors
for
the
first
time
in
print.
This
is
their
story
in
their
own
words,
and
not
what
your
buddy
maybe
heard
third
hand
at
the
local
club
meeting.
The
divers
interviewed
here
illuminate
some
of
their
historic
path
which
includes
the
discoveries
of
their
personal
journey.
Theirs
has
been
a
unique
experience
and
this
book
gives
these
special
characters
a
chance
to
share
some
of
their
adventures.
It
is
one
of
those
books
that
could
be
placed
in
a
time
capsule
that
would
be
opened
a
century
from
now.
It
is
diving
history
told
by
the
makers
not
the
historians.
Perhaps
the
most
appealing
element
of
this
book
is
that
it
is
easy
to
imagine
that
you
are
actually
siting
opposite
the
divers
as
they
tell
their
story.
For
me
it
felt
like
I
could
have
been
relaxing
on
the
back
of
a
dive
boat
and
watching
the
sun
set
listening
to
someone
who
has
had
a
measurable
influence
on
the
overall
culture
of
diving.
Very
rare
air
indeed.
2007
First
Edition.
Hard
bound
8"
x
11
1/2"
with
dust
jacket,
489
pages,
color
and
b&w
photos.
$60
plus
$11
p&p
domestic
shipping.
CA
residents
add
7.75%
sales
tax.
For
overseas
rates
contact
HDS
office
at
hds@hds.org.
