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Discussion of diving methods and equipment available prior to the development of BCDs beyond the horse collar. This forum is dedicated to the pre-1970 diving.
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SurfLung
Master Diver
Posts: 1763
Joined: Sat Jan 01, 2011 2:03 pm
First Name: Eben
Location: Alexandria, MN
Contact: Website

Richie the Shark

Mon May 21, 2018 10:40 am

Richie the Shark...
- My goofy dive buddy Rich just turned 60 so he's entitled to some consideration. He got a Vintage USD "Dogbone" backpack for his Birthday. It's outfitted with a 23 lb wing... Pretty neat and a fun outing to give it a try. Here he has it set up with a vintage steel AquaLung 72 and Phoenix Royal AquaMaster. But that's not good enough... He is the terror of the public swimming pool with a DIY Shark Fin attached.
RichShark01.jpg
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SurfLung
The Freedom and Simplicity of Vintage Equipment and
Vintage Diving Technique are Why I Got Back Into Diving.

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antique diver
Master Diver
Posts: 2210
Joined: Sun Dec 10, 2006 12:50 pm
First Name: Bill
Location: North-Central Texas

Re: Richie the Shark

Mon May 21, 2018 11:45 am

Advice for Richie the "Pool Shark": Don't be doing that in an open water situation where people are fishing. You might get shot!

All joking aside, in the 1970's a diver in Caddo Lake in east Texas was shot and killed by a fisherman who said he thought the diver just breaking the surface was a big Gar. I don't recall hearing about the alcohol level in this dimwit's brain, but that was back when drinking and driving was acceptable sport... and of course drinking and fishing always has been and still is. Of course there are many safer places to goof around other than the piney woods of east Texas.
The older I get the better I was.

crimediver
Master Diver
Posts: 412
Joined: Tue Jul 12, 2005 7:38 am
Location: Richmond, Va

Re: Richie the Shark

Mon May 21, 2018 9:45 pm

I was scuba diving in a small freshwater river in rural Virginia around 1987 looking for meg teeth. My partner was a state game warden. I was a small-town cop at the time and where I was diving was out of my jurisdiction. We got into a fairly shallow area about 4-5 feet deep and we took of our tanks and placed them on a nearby sand bar. We were snorkeling in the middle of the river that was about 50 feet wide at that section. We were also close to the small boat ramp located just upriver.

I heard a boat motor and looked up and saw a boat rounding the bend heading towards us about a quarter mile away. We still had time to get in a few more breath hold dives before heading out of the channel and going to the sand bar. As we dove we were blasting out our snorkels when we came to the surface shooting water into the air.

All of a sudden we got shot at by a person on the boat with a .22 rifle. He shot about ten times. I saw a shot or two hit within 10 feet of me and immediately dove. I took off a fin and began waving it in the air. I could hear the pitch of the motor slow down. I continued to wave the fin and finally had to poke my head out. The boat had slowed and there were about 4 people on it. I had never seen this before but the boat was a V-hulled johnboat with a big U-Haul sticker down the side. I did even not know U-Haul rented boats . The occupants of the boat were gawking at us like we were creatures from the black lagoon.

Anyways the guy shooting was in the bow and had a .22 semi-auto rifle. The guy operating the boat was a convicted felon. As they got close they apologized and the shooter said, "I thought you guys were a school of fish."

My partner and I got out of the water and met them at the boat ramp. He charged the shooter with Reckless Handling of a Firearm and Shooting a Rifle into the Water, both misdemeanors. He seized the rifle and the operator of the boat was later indicted for a felony for transporting a firearm by a convicted felon.

I cannot recall for sure but that was probably the first time we had encountered a motor boat with a gas motor on that river. Most boats were canoes or small johnboats with electric motors. I am pretty sure we did not have a dive flag displayed as we were not worried about boats. That was a mistake I did not make again as I think that might have helped avoid the situation. But then again who the heck knows?

The guy shooting was pretty stupid to think freshwater fish would be blowing water out of a blow hole. It was lucky he did not hit one of us but he was shooting from a considerable distance.

It all boils down to people not expecting divers to emerge from water and a diver is not the first thing to come to mind when they see a commotion or disturbance on the water. Our sport can have some adrenalin charged moments!

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SurfLung
Master Diver
Posts: 1763
Joined: Sat Jan 01, 2011 2:03 pm
First Name: Eben
Location: Alexandria, MN
Contact: Website

Re: Richie the Shark

Thu May 24, 2018 8:50 am

I've got to get Richie my black scuba tank to go with his shark fin. We're heading to Wazee this weekend and may get some good "Shark Video". Anyone who wants to shoot at him should think twice... Because Richie carries a Big Honkin' Smith and Wesson 50 caliber revolver :)
SurfLung
The Freedom and Simplicity of Vintage Equipment and
Vintage Diving Technique are Why I Got Back Into Diving.

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