It was in the spring of 1997 that I had the honor to dive with Jacques Cousteau. After three years of promises that he would join one of our test dives to Catalina Island, we received confirmation that Cousteau would dive with our team.
For a scuba diver, this was the opportunity of a lifetime. For a designer, this was an opportunity to meet the man that had invented the sport of scuba.
Although Cousteau had founded U.S. Divers, by 1997 he was no longer taking part in its day to day business. He did however still take part in many diving related activities with the company. Among these was the occasional dive with the U.S. Divers test dive team.
For a scuba diver, this was the opportunity of a lifetime. For a designer, this was an opportunity to meet the man that had invented the sport of scuba.
Although Cousteau had founded U.S. Divers, by 1997 he was no longer taking part in its day to day business. He did however still take part in many diving related activities with the company. Among these was the occasional dive with the U.S. Divers test dive team.
On this spring day, we set off from our usual port in Huntington Beach, California. U.S Divers always chartered a small dive boat for its test dives, and this dive was no different.
Joining us on the dive along with Captain Cousteau (at U.S. Divers, we always referred to him as "The Captain"), were his son Jean-Micheal along with Dominique Sumian. Sumian had sailed with the Calypso, and had recently become a member of the U.S. Divers sales team.
Joining us on the dive along with Captain Cousteau (at U.S. Divers, we always referred to him as "The Captain"), were his son Jean-Micheal along with Dominique Sumian. Sumian had sailed with the Calypso, and had recently become a member of the U.S. Divers sales team.
By the time we dropped anchor at Ship Rock, we had already donned our wet suits, prepped our regulators, and were preparing for our first dive. Cousteau still dove with a double hose Aqua-Lung, with the second stage mounted on the chest (as opposed to a tank mount). He still held his original invention close to his heart. We spent the next 2 hours diving Ship Rock, then moved on to Bird Rock some distance away.
It was on the return trip to Huntington Beach, that I had the chance to talk with The Captain. The boat trip back from any day dive is always a time to reflect and talk about the day's diving. You are tired, and still in of awe of what you have just seen and experienced.
I asked Cousteau what he thought of the gear we were testing that day, and what he thought about the future of diving gear. He thought for a few moments and pointed to the ocean.
"You see the ocean?" he said, with his French accent. "Diving equipment should reflect the design of the sea's creatures, smooth and purposeful. And it should enable man to swim like the fishes with as little effort as possible."
It was on the return trip to Huntington Beach, that I had the chance to talk with The Captain. The boat trip back from any day dive is always a time to reflect and talk about the day's diving. You are tired, and still in of awe of what you have just seen and experienced.
I asked Cousteau what he thought of the gear we were testing that day, and what he thought about the future of diving gear. He thought for a few moments and pointed to the ocean.
"You see the ocean?" he said, with his French accent. "Diving equipment should reflect the design of the sea's creatures, smooth and purposeful. And it should enable man to swim like the fishes with as little effort as possible."
In those few words, he summarized the essence of scuba design, and in part of industrial design as well.
Jacques Cousteau died later that year, but his design advice is still with me. I suppose I could say, there's a little bit of Jacques Cousteau in everything I design.
Jacques Cousteau died later that year, but his design advice is still with me. I suppose I could say, there's a little bit of Jacques Cousteau in everything I design.
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