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05/10/2006: "OUR DIVE GEAR (1963) - Notes"

Wet suit, face mask and snorkel are all TARZAN Espadon brands. La Spirotechnique of France - which was better equipment than anything available today. Why? The masks did not fog, the snorkel was simple and worked without leaking, or falling apart and had extra length for choppy water.

They were designed for snorkeling, not just as a spare item for scuba diving.

The wet suit neoprene rubber was softer and with a nice aroma.

This was the first of the nylon lined wet suits.

Later French equipment became too expensive (in Australia).

Then the cheaper imports began and that's what we have today - inferior gear to 1963. It seems incredible.

Valerie Taylor was to use a Tarzan Espadon face mask for maybe 25 years - until all availability ceased

The spear is a simple point machined on a 5/16" shaft with a single flopper. (A double flopper would be better).

The speargun (not shown) was a piece of silky oak timber, with an Undersee brand trigger. Sea Hornet was not yet available.

The plans "How to make a speargun" were published in Handbook for Skindivers (Ben Cropp 1962).