Those who wish to see diving equipment like that used by Lloyd Bridges or Zale Perry, the late actors from “Sea Hunt,” or famed underwater explorer Jacques Cousteau, may do so at the 2026 Vintage Dive Day on Saturday, April 11, at Key Largo’s MarineLab Undersea Park.
Organized by the History of Diving Museum and the National Association of Underwater Instructors (NAUI), participants can gear up in a classic double-hose regulator and tour the MarineLab lagoon, located at 51 Shoreland Dr. in Key Largo.
At noon, demonstrations using the classic U.S. Navy Mark V helmet and suit are scheduled. Attendees can see what diving looked like in the early 20th century, as Trident Surface Supplied Diving LLC gears divers up in authentic World War II-era equipment weighing as much as 200 pounds.
Brass Hat Divers will demonstrate an open-bottom “Divinhood” made by the Miller-Dunn Company. These helmets were manufactured in Miami from 1915 through the 1940s and were used for early marine biology, ship husbandry, treasure hunting and underwater photography, allowing divers to explore Florida Keys coral reefs.
Vintage dives will take place every hour from 9 a.m. to 3 p.m. with the exception of noon, when demonstrations with hard hat diving gear are scheduled.
The cost to dive with vintage gear is $50 per person and divers must be scuba-certified. Dives may be reserved at divingmuseum.org. Other attendees are encouraged to give a $10 donation to help support the event. Representatives from the museum will be on-site for the day to share Dive Into Art: Stories from the Sea programming and information on upcoming museum events.
