srh
Regular Diver
Posts: 16
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Post by srh on Mar 1, 2015 10:46:23 GMT -8
Hello,
I just found this forum coincidentally while updating some research on one of South Florida's mid-1960's first all female dive clubs called the Diving Damsels. I'm an avid reader of dive history and collector of dive periodicals the world over. My favorite reads center on historical topics related to underwater photography and the photographers of yesteryear.
I'd love to make new connections and more importantly learn more on a variety of vintage scuba/free diving related topics. Not to mention am always interested in buying or trading dive periodicals with others.
Thank you in advance for reading.
Sam Hodge
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Post by nikeajax on Mar 1, 2015 13:16:10 GMT -8
Ahoy Sam, welcome aboard matey! It's always good to have new crew mates... We have all sorts of esoteric knowledge and love to think outside the box: I am skeptical by nature, and always want to know why things are, as opposed to just accepting dogmatic beliefs. I also love anything different, kind of a Healthways junkie, and doing my best to make sure that Diver Don stays hooked; Searat John gave me my first taste...
I'm a fine as well as graphic artist and writer: I write young adult stories that are historical fiction. I live in California with my wife.
Jaybird
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Post by SeaRat on Mar 1, 2015 22:35:57 GMT -8
Sam,
Welcome aboard here! I've been on this website for a while now, and can attest to the enthusiasm of our small group of vintage divers. I regularly go into used book stores, and pick up diving books, and ones on underwater photography too. I just picked up a rather now one (1994) titled Diving Pioneers, An Oral History of Diving in America, by Eric Hanauer. It includes three women diving pioneers in America, Zale Perry, Dotty Frazier and Norine Rouse. It has multi-page biographies of these pioneers, and I'm anxious to read it (I have several other projects cooking too). 'Happy to have you here.
John
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Post by JES on Mar 4, 2015 5:10:10 GMT -8
Welcome aboard!
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Post by surflung on Mar 4, 2015 12:26:59 GMT -8
Welcome to the club Sam.
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Post by diverdon on Mar 4, 2015 18:25:59 GMT -8
Hey Sam,
Welcome. Do you dive vintage gear? Stories and photos are always welcome.
DD
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srh
Regular Diver
Posts: 16
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Post by srh on Mar 6, 2015 20:30:57 GMT -8
Thank you for your warm welcome Jaybird. I think I have some old Healthways catalogs in a box somewhere. I always wondered the relationship, if any between Healthways and Sportways? Never did make the time to research but perhaps you will know?
Sam
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srh
Regular Diver
Posts: 16
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Post by srh on Mar 6, 2015 20:36:31 GMT -8
Sam, Welcome aboard here! I've been on this website for a while now, and can attest to the enthusiasm of our small group of vintage divers. I regularly go into used book stores, and pick up diving books, and ones on underwater photography too. I just picked up a rather now one (1994) titled Diving Pioneers, An Oral History of Diving in America, by Eric Hanauer. It includes three women diving pioneers in America, Zale Perry, Dotty Frazier and Norine Rouse. It has multi-page biographies of these pioneers, and I'm anxious to read it (I have several other projects cooking too). 'Happy to have you here. John Thank you John. You know, I guess I haven't spent enough time at some of the used book stores. Especially here in South Florida I assume there should be a great deal to offer. Usually I'm perusing online but will have to check out a few stores.
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srh
Regular Diver
Posts: 16
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Post by srh on Mar 6, 2015 20:44:34 GMT -8
Hey Sam, Welcome. Do you dive vintage gear? Stories and photos are always welcome. DD Hi DiverDon, I'm afraid to say the only thing vintage about me is my taste in old dive periodicals and underwater photography books. Perhaps my underwater camera and housing collection as well but that's about it. Occasionally I'll still take out an old camera underwater but as far as vintage dive gear I really don't have much to tell. Other than a 70's SCUBA tank dive shops refuse to fill. :-) That said, I am constantly reading up on the evolution of say for example drysuits on the market since the mid-50's to current. I'm admittedly booksmart with history but short on personal experience with some of the aging dive gear. I'd rather read and learn from all of your stories. Sam
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Post by SeaRat on Mar 6, 2015 20:49:50 GMT -8
I've had some pretty spactacular results from the used book stores, and also picked some books up at public libraries. At the public libraries, they sometimes take their older (read old) books out-of-service and sell them at fund-raising events for very little money. I'll try getting a couple of my titles that I got this way a bit later. A bit later; I picked up Jim Thorne's book, Occupation Adventure, Taylor Garnett Evans & Co., Ltd., Watford, Herts, London, 1963 for $6.00. So these are interesting places to go and find these old books. By the way, I really like your profile photo. That looks like a sea bass, or some fish similar, with a brood of young. Is that correct? Here's a photo I took in the North Umpqua River of some of our Oregon fishes. I'll post it when I can get into Photobucket from my other computer. Here's one of those photos, of Northern Pike Minnows spawning and Red-sided Shiners in their mating colors (the smaller fish in the foreground). Photo Copyright John C. Ratliff, 2015 John
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srh
Regular Diver
Posts: 16
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Post by srh on Mar 7, 2015 14:56:18 GMT -8
I've had some pretty spactacular results from the used book stores, and also picked some books up at public libraries. At the public libraries, they sometimes take their older (read old) books out-of-service and sell them at fund-raising events for very little money. I'll try getting a couple of my titles that I got this way a bit later. A bit later; I picked up Jim Thorne's book, Occupation Adventure, Taylor Garnett Evans & Co., Ltd., Watford, Herts, London, 1963 for $6.00. So these are interesting places to go and find these old books. By the way, I really like your profile photo. That looks like a sea bass, or some fish similar, with a brood of young. Is that correct? Here's a photo I took in the North Umpqua River of some of our Oregon fishes. I'll post it when I can get into Photobucket from my other computer. Here's one of those photos, of Northern Pike Minnows spawning and Red-sided Shiners in their mating colors (the smaller fish in the foreground). Photo Copyright John C. Ratliff, 2015 John Hi John, Thank you for your interest in my image. Indeed you are correct in that this type of Sea Bass is one of the largest, commonly known as the Atlantic Goliath Grouper. In the photo is a Goliath surrounded by common baitfish. The baitfish use the Goliath for protection from aggressive Jacks and other kinds of fish. They form balls around the Goliath seeking protection, often to the dismay of the Goliath who will grunt using their gill plates to make a booming noise whereby the fish will momentarily disperse. This species of fish has a long history with skin divers since the 50's in that they were excellent trophies given their enormous size and relative ease in spearing. They are or had been somewhat curious and extremely social fish to a degree that many of the early skin divers discontinued spearing because it wasn't sporting. That said, they were popular with topside fishermen and were nearly fished out of existence in Florida. They remain protected since the 1980's as they are slow to mature and their recovery is starting to become noticeable. I have a project we are starting this year on this species. Check out the Experience video on this site and then click on the galleries to view more photos. goliath.sfups.org/In recent years I've been exploring more freshwater clear lakes and rivers. If you have spawning events in the rivers in Oregon please let me know more. Some of the best action underwater occurs during these times. I look forward to checking out Oregon some more. Sam
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Post by SeaRat on Mar 7, 2015 20:32:30 GMT -8
Sam, Our spawning activity occurs in the rivers of Oregon for a number of different fishes. The one I've been following is the red-sided shiner ( Richardson's balteatus (Richardson)), and occurs in late spring or early summer when the water temperature gets to about 60 degrees F. This is the fish that is in the foreground in the above photo. The Umpqua northern pike minnows (formerly named Umpqua squawfish, Ptychocheilus oregonensis Ptychocheilus umpquae and (Richardson)) spawn at about the same time. I have photos of the northern pike minnows trying to eat the red-sided shiners, and of the red-sided shiners eating the eggs that were broadcast spawned by the northern pike minnows. This was in the North Umpqua River, near Roseburg, Oregon. I'm now in the Portland, Oregon area, and dive near the town of Gladstone in the Clackamas River. There last year I observed for about ten minutes the spawning of these same red-side shiners (different watershed) species, and have also seen the spawning of lampreys (primitive fish, eel-like but not an eel). Several species of salmon spawn in these rivers too, although I have not seen this, I have seen the redds that they make to spawn. I've found fresh water to be biologically very active, and interesting to dive and observe. I use a SeawiscopeEY to observe very small things in the water, and recently witnessed a hydra on a leaf feeding in the river's current. I also watched the spawning of the lampreys (which I've reported in detail at this website) with the SeawiscopeEY, which allows very close observation. They (there were two males and one female) ignored me and went about their business. Here are a couple of sheets for a dive log some time ago. And here's a photo from the North Umpqua of freshwater mussles spawning: Photo Copyright John C. Ratliff, 2015 John
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srh
Regular Diver
Posts: 16
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Post by srh on May 7, 2015 20:23:48 GMT -8
John,
I can most certainly take a few lessons from you in dive log note taking. Quite impressive.
Sam
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Post by herman on May 8, 2015 5:08:49 GMT -8
Welcome to the board Sam. There is a group of us meeting near Orange City next weekend to dive Blue and Alexander Springs. There will be lots of old gear, lots of stories and if you want to dive some of the old gear I am sure we can arrange it. Come join us.
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srh
Regular Diver
Posts: 16
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Post by srh on May 9, 2015 7:53:54 GMT -8
Herman,
I would normally jump at the chance. Can you keep me in mind the next outing? I have out of town guests next weekend. This would be an amazing opportunity.
Thank you for thinking of me.
Sam
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