LOCALadk Magazine
Issue link: https://localadkmagazine.uberflip.com/i/1263803
Summer 2020 LOCALadk Magazine 55 LOCALadk When you hear the words "SCUBA diving," images that usu- ally come to mind include warm, turquoise-hued waters, mul- ticolored coral and fish, and spectacular sea turtles swim- ming silently at depth. Sub- 60 -degree murky waters are not what most people conjure up. Maybe they should. SCUBA (self-contained under water breathing apparatus) diving is alive and well in the Adirondacks, but it's a ver y different experience than what you'll find in the Caribbean or Florida. Histor y reigns supreme in the large lakes of the ADK, and there are wonderful surprises for those willing to dip their toes into these cooler waters. Humans have dreamed of breathing under water and bring- ing air with them for ages; some hunted for food or repaired ships, others recovered artifacts and obser ved marine life. In ancient times, individuals free-dove by holding their breath, used hollow plant stems as the first snorkel, or (as Aristotle noted in the 4th centur y BC), forced air into upside-down un- der water cauldrons called diving bells, where a diver could stick his head for a few minutes of air. Eventually, land-based barrels of air were connected to hoses, allowing divers to breathe, followed by surface-sup- plied air into helmets, and 200 -pound air-filled diving suits. From the early 1800s to the mid 1900s, inventors worked to give divers freedom from surface hoses, while scientists studied the effects of compressed air on the body as inci- dents of decompression illness grew. Even Harr y Houdini played a part in the creation of the modern diving suit, due to his fascination with under water escape stunts. The sport grew with the invention of the Aqua-Lung in 1942, when French Navy officer Jacques Cousteau and French en- gineer Emile Gagnan created the first successful rebreathing device and diving regulator during the German occupation of France. Using a redesigned car regulator, they were able to provide compressed air to a diver on the slightest intake of breath. Attaching this new device to a mouthpiece, hoses, and a pair of compressed air tanks led to the creation of the first modern-day SCUBA . SCUBA Diving in the ADK: So Much to Discover By Linda Waxman Finkle Photos by Andy Deitsch