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Post by DavidRitchieWilson on Jun 23, 2015 2:57:41 GMT -8
I've just chanced upon an article entitled "Submarine Fishermen" on pages 41-43 and 170-172 of the November 1941 issue of Popular Mechanics at books.google.co.uk/books/about/Popular_Mechanics.html?id=1tkDAAAAMBAJwith illustrations of underwater fishing in Southern California back then:  It's interesting to see so early an example of the combined use of masks and fins in this pursuit. What do you think about the straps on the following dive mask?  |
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Post by lakediver on Jun 23, 2015 11:36:07 GMT -8
Am I seeing this correctly in that the rubber straps hook around the ears? Lord, that had to be uncomfortable after a while. Are these Churchill fins? This is uber-vintage.
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Post by DavidRitchieWilson on Jun 23, 2015 12:46:13 GMT -8
Yes, I think they do hook round the ears and that must have been painful. Needs must, I suppose, when gear was so limited. And yes, they must be Churchill fins, made from synthetic rubber because hostilities were in progress and the usual sources of natural rubber were in war zones. Quite a find considering the date. Here's a group of female lifeguards donning Churchill fins on the cover of Life magazine:  As for this side of the pond, I discovered a while ago a couple of press photos from the 1930s showing people in fins and mask frolicking on a Riviera beach:   The fins must be the original fins patented by Commandant de Corlieu pictured here shod with his invention:  while the mask may look modern but it doesn't enclose the nose. |
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Post by nikeajax on Jun 30, 2015 9:48:56 GMT -8
On my monitor, I can see that the guy (chap) with the mask he's about to put on, between his index and thumb, is what looks like some kind of hook to fasten the strap in the back, not the ears...
Jaybird
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Post by SeaRat on Jun 30, 2015 20:39:54 GMT -8
On my monitor, I can see that the guy (chap) with the mask he's about to put on, between his index and thumb, is what looks like some kind of hook to fasten the strap in the back, not the ears... Jaybird I agree, that the rubber hooks around itself in back of the diver's head. I think this style mask was modeled off the masks that the Ama divers of Japan were using. They seem to have the same fastening system, at least. Nobody would probably admit that in the 1940s in California, due to WWII, but these look very similar to the Ama divers' masks. John |
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