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2011 inductees (cont.)
Bev Morgan began free diving and surfing in 1949, a year after leaving high school and became a Los Angeles County lifeguard in1952. That year, he purchased an early Aqua Lung scuba unit and founded the Los Angeles County Instructors program which was the first scuba instructor's program available to the public. He also wrote the first Instruction manual which was based on the Scripps Institute program and also the Underwater Safety, a standard diving book of the 1950's.
Bev’s ideas and inventions have had a huge impact on commercial and sport diving for nearly half a century. He also began manufacturing wetsuits and developed what would become Body Glove. As an early diving writer and photographer his work appeared in Skin Diver magazine, and also dove commercially for abalone and in the oilfields. In 1966, in association with Bob Kirby, a former Navy diver, he started The Kirby Morgan Corporation, a company that would change the face of commercial diving forever with its development of lightweight, comfortable, professional diving gear. It also produced the diving equipment for the movie "Sphere." Today the company is the world standard for surface supplied diving helmets and its products are employed in every ocean in the world. Kirby Morgan, a name that has become synonymous with outstanding diving equipment and the company through which Bev Morgan continues to serve the diving industry.
Allan Power has a vast knowledge of the President Coolidge; he is the man they call 'Mr President'. Nearly 40 years ago, Allan came to Santo on a salvage expedition and has remained to become the 'caretaker' of this magnificent underwater adventure.
With over 15,000 dives on the wreck his knowledge is arguably unrivaled. He has spent a total bottom time of more than one and a half years diving her and has taken over 20,000 divers to visit the Lady alone as well as frequently guiding divers to other parts of the ship. His connection with the phenomenal Boris is unmatched and only Allan could charm this monster Cod- many have tried, without success - and to this day Allan quite misses Boris.
After a morning's dive, share coffee/tea and buns (cakes) with Allan in his house. Here you can listen to his experiences, ask questions about the Coolidge, her history and diving around Santo and meet your fellow divers. His house is a mini-museum where he has collected artifacts, books and photographs of the Coolidge and Santo.
In addition, the 2011 Diving Pioneers include: Hugh Bradner (USA), who developed the wetsuit, Louis de Corlieu (France), who is credited with inventing the swim fin and John Scott Haldane (Scotland), who developed staged decompresion tables.
