On Aug. 15, 1934, William Beebe and Otis Barton shattered records when they descended to 3,028 feet in their unpowered submersible, the Bathysphere. The History of Diving Museum will mark this event with two guided tours through the museum’s exhibits, including a look at Barton’s original scale model.
The tours will take place on Saturday, Aug. 16 at 11 a.m. and 2 p.m. The tours will feature a special highlight about Beebe, Barton and their team during the August 1934 dives. Included is the artwork created by illustrator Else Bostelmann based on Beebe’s descriptions of the creatures he saw in the deep.
The guided tours are included with admission, and there is no additional charge for members of the museum.
The History of Diving Museum is open daily from 10 a.m. to 5 p.m., with guided tours taking place once a month. Tours run for about one hour. Private tours are also available upon request with at least two weeks’ notice.
On Wednesday, Aug. 20, at 7 p.m. the museum will host Mike Ward of Dive Lab Inc. as he presents “Modern Evolution of Diving Equipment.” Ward joined the Navy after high school and volunteered for submarine duty. He later attended 2nd Class Dive School and served on an Auxiliary Submarine Rescue Ship.
After five years, Ward decided to try civilian life and became a scuba instructor. He was soon back in the Navy, however, landing with the Navy Experimental Diving Unit in Panama City Beach. He continued to learn a variety of specialized skills and retired with 20 years of service.
Ward stayed active in the commercial diving community and eventually became a part of Dive Lab Inc., which helps to manage diving equipment and safety all around the world.
During the presentation, Ward will discuss his diving experiences, the mission of Dive Lab and its important testing and research development, as well as its contributions to commercial, military, scientific and recreational diving.
The museum will have extended hours on the night of the lecture, with the exhibits open until 6:45 p.m. The “Celebrating 20 Years!” featured exhibit explores what it took to create the world’s largest collection of diving equipment on public display, as well as how diving has evolved since the museum’s opening.
Those interested in attending the lecture either in-person or online via Zoom may visit divingmuseum.org to register. This session will also be recorded and posted to the HDM YouTube channel. This month’s Immerse Yourself sponsors are Jon Hazelbaker and Hammerhead Marine Services LLC.
