Recreational scuba diving has been popular for more than half a century now, and modern scuba gear has advanced in leaps and bounds, enabling us to dive deeper, stay underwater longer, and enjoy greater safety than ever before. While this is nothing short of fantastic, images of Jacques Cousteau and other divers wearing vintage scuba gear pique our curiosity. What was vintage diving like? Here, we take a look at some highlights of scuba diving in days gone by.
Defining the Vintage Diving Era
When did the vintage diving era begin and end? Depending on whom you ask, you’ll get a lot of different answers to the question. It is a relevant one, to be sure, but there really is no authoritative answer to the question of which year demarcates the end of vintage diving and the beginning of modern-day diving practices. You can find some halfhearted answers in books covering diving history, and of course, everyone online has his or her own opinion.
In truth, equipment changes happened gradually over time. Predecessors to modern buoyancy compensators were introduced in the late 1950s, for example, thanks to research done on behalf of the United States Navy Experimental Diving Unit (NEDU).
It was a long time before recreational divers were able to access and utilize some of this new technology; for example, it would be about twenty years before buoyancy compensators made their way onto the civilian market. The first wing-style BCD was introduced in 1972, and the jacket-style BCD was introduced six years later, in 1978.
The introduction of buoyancy control devices is broadly viewed as a definitive turning point in scuba diving history, and many historians use these dates to demarcate the end of vintage scuba diving.
What Diving was Like in the “Old Days”
While it is impossible to replicate the vintage diving experience just by describing it in words, doing so will give you a basic idea about what diving was like back in the “old days.” Don’t be surprised if, after reading what it entailed, you gain a new sense of appreciation for the modern dive gear we use today!
No Buoyancy Compensators. Imagine diving without your BC. To many of us, the idea is pretty much incomprehensible. In order to dive with no buoyancy compensator, one must be perfectly weighted and have the ability to control the amount of air in one’s lungs and breathe so that that air volume is maintained. While many of the more experienced divers among us learn to control lung air volume in order to make minor depth adjustments, it is a skill that requires practice and patience to master – and one that can be difficult to utilize in challenging environments.
On the flip side, diving without a BC is a freeing experience; you’re more mobile in the water, experiencing less drag and improved mobility. Many who experienced old-fashioned skin diving reminisce fondly about the freedom of movement they enjoyed while diving without a BC. In fact, many vintage diving enthusiasts maintain that a well-weighted dive can be executed just as well as one performed with a buoyancy compensator, as long as the diver has the ability to regulate the air volume within his or her lungs.
A Heavy Focus on Weights. Diving in vintage gear called for a heavy focus on weights. You couldn’t just kit up and hop in the water the way we so often do today; instead, you had to carefully measure descent and ascent, ensuring you followed a careful system of checks and balances that was set up to prevent accidents. Vintage diving enthusiasts use less weight than those using modern gear because carrying less weight provides them with better control. This does increase the risk of rapid ascent, and at the same time, it increases the likelihood of decompression sickness.
Not only does diving with vintage gear call for the ability to weight oneself perfectly, it also calls for a better overall level of physical fitness than many casual recreational divers have today. The more body fat you have, the harder it is to descend without heavy weights, and the more likely you are to ascend too rapidly once you start shedding some of those weights. To dive safely with vintage gear, it’s vital that you achieve and maintain a slim body with a relatively high amount of muscle mass. This means following a stricter diet and exercise regimen than you may currently be used to.
Using Vintage Dive Gear
You might be surprised to discover that some divers continue to enjoy vintage dive gear, either because that is their preferred method of diving, or as yet another variation on the sport they like most. Diving with a vintage Aqualung unit that has been well-maintained is a completely different kind of experience; it’s fun, and it evokes memories of the past. It calls for excellent skill, and when done without benefit of dive computers or other modern equipment, it is a thrilling challenge.
Not surprisingly, there are many people who enjoy this type of diving, and so long as you are sufficiently trained, you’ll discover that it is pretty easy to find a group of vintage diving enthusiasts to talk with – and perhaps even dive with – in areas where scuba diving is popular. There are a number of vintage dive gear groups you can join online; these groups are typically made up of real enthusiasts who are more than happy to give newcomers sound advice about diving with vintage gear, and who are able to describe the ins and outs of this type of scuba diving in exacting detail.
If you decide to try vintage diving, be sure that you use equipment that has been well-maintained, and be sure that you learn the ropes from someone who is intimately familiar with vintage diving procedures. Self-rescue is more difficult without a buoyancy compensator, planning can be more challenging, and sticking to your dive profile without the aid of a dive computer can be difficult. These are just a few of the challenges associated with diving in vintage scuba gear; however, this fun pastime is one you may enjoy!