The Blue Continent

[eskimo3883]

Hi,

Finished reading "The Blue Continent" by Folco Quilici (1954). I bought the book because of the early date of publication. It covers a group of Italians diving in the Red Sea. The trip was paid by sponsors who lent their support in part by the free diving record of one of the participants (Raimondo Bucher, 128"=39 meters, 1952 in Capri, Italy) so I assume the trip itself was between 1952-53. The author speaks of scientists on the trip but there are very few details of their activities and it comes across more like a group on fishing expedition than a scientific expedition. I enjoyed the book. Lots of good stories of hunting big fish, sharks, and mantas. The photos are really nice and many are in color especially for a book this early. Some show details of their equipment (they used both rebreathers and scuba). I would recommend buying the book just for the photos as it goes for a fairly low price.

I am displaying my own ignorance but this is the only reference I of the author. I would like to hear more about early Italian divers or titles that would speak to early Italian divers.

Google lists him as a filmmaker/journalist and mentions an award-winning 1954 film with the same title as the book. Anyone knows how to get a copy of this or any of the early Hass or Cousteau films?

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I have seen the movie many many years ago in 16 MM at a dive club meeting. It was not a great memorable movie I do not recall it being released to the theaters for commerical viewing.

The book was popular and is very very common.

Raimondo Bucher was a Hungarian who was an Italian fighter pilot during WW11. After the war he remained in Italy and became famous for setting (at that time) world freediving record.

As of 2000 he was still alive. There were about 80 of us world wide who were inducted into the "Fathers of free diving and spearfishing"-- and he was honored and was alive at that time but did not attend the event.

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[eskimo3883]

Hi 21,

Did you have to make much of your own hunting equipment or was there enough commercial gear available? Do you recall what early commercial equipment that was best up to the task?

Seems like there were quite a few types of guns fairly early such as spring driven, gun powder, CO2, compressed air, pneumatics. I gather most eventually came around to the basics of rubber tubing. Any vintage hunting gear stick out that you liked but that is no longer available?

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There was a natural progression of fire power within the early diving community. This was mine:

1) 1940s--Jab sticks --broom stick with a frog gig point powered by hand

2) 1940-50s--Slings-- tube with a long rod powered by rubber
a) hinge trigger gun

3) 1950s-US Diver Arabalete (harpoon) made by Rene Calvalero in France--Kettle cured rubber under powered

4) 1950s-Spring guns -Imported by Gus de la valle--useless! under powered

5) mid 1950s-Co2 gun powered --idea from Bill Barada--see my column in Discover diving; "The way it was," "The magnificent gas gun"

6) mid 1950s- Samson guns -longer & bigger, 3 slings American made
a) Samson power head--see my article on "free dive list"

7) late 1950s-Bottom Scratcher custom gun made by Paul Hoss -only 120 made, mine are 5ft 6n and 6 foot long (aka California long guns)

early 1960s- Adict gun-SD-plans from Sam Ichakawa--never worked

9) late 1970s-80s- Custom guns-- trigger by Alexander, custom shafts -Made in my wood shop--current use

There were other guns along the way that I owned and used a few times, the Nemrod compressed air-like the spring guns underpowered-The Scuba Pro "Big Jim," and a few other guns that were religated to the corner of the work shop

Currently use 2 Bottom scratchers, 2 custom guns; one long and one about 4-1/2 feet long and 2 modified late model short arabletes.

Hope this helps,

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[eskimo3883]

Hi 21,

I would love to see pictures. Your preferred guns sound like they are custom built. Is it that the custom built has a better basic design, like greater power, that makes them a step above commercial or is the difference the craftsmanship and quality of the parts? What is the weak point of most commercial guns?

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[quote="eskimo3883"]Hi 21,

I would love to see pictures. Your preferred guns sound like they are custom built. Is it that the custom built has a better basic design, like greater power, that makes them a step above commercial or is the difference the craftsmanship and quality of the parts? What is the weak point of most commercial guns?[/quote]
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My guns are custom (aka made at home) from teak.
They are mid handled (addict type)
Most are long guns 5 to almost 7 feet
The shafts (arrows) ride in a deep grove
The mechanism is custome and expensive $$$
Most other parts were made by me.

Weak point of commerical guns;
Accuracy
Dependability
Balance
etc
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