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Dive Into History Day highlights older gear

By BETH N. GRAY
Published March 29, 2007

WEEKI WACHEE - For a while this Saturday, the springs of Weeki Wachee will be a scuba diving time machine of sorts, harking back to the days of The Undersea World of Jacques Cousteau and Sea Hunt.

Divers from across the country are coming for the attraction's second annual Dive Into History Day, showing off vintage gear and chronicling the evolution of undersea exploration.

Diving operations manager Chris D'Felis has put together the program that will be featured all day between mermaid shows that start at 11 a.m., 1:30 p.m. and 3 p.m.

Many of the vintage divers are members of the Historical Dive Society, which meets annually in Florida and is appearing for the second year at Weeki Wachee after its usual presentation at Silver Springs.

"They dive exclusively with gear of the '50s and '60s," D'Felis said. "Double hose regulators and steel tanks."

The gear also includes canvas wet suits with the globe-shaped brass-and-glass headpiece, known in the trade as a "hard hat," plus stow gear.

Performing the hard-hat demonstrations with be John Galagan of Fort Lauderdale, a member of the historical society. Also underwater will be Newton Perry of Silver Springs, who introduced the air hose that the mermaids now use during their shows.

Ryan Spence of Colorado will dive with Cousteau's apparatus.

D'Felis noted Perry's and Weeki Wachee Springs' role in diving history. "Newt is credited with creating Weeki Wachee Springs and the whole mermaid concept. He had the original concept of doing underwater shows and his invention created the attraction underwater."

Another guest will be Ed Burnat of New York, with original equipment from the military's UDT, or Underwater Demolition Team, which preceded the Navy SEALs.

The vintage dive program will be narrated as a documentary. Inside the 500-seat underwater theater, the divers also can speak from the watery depths. After their shows, the divers will appear in the theater and take questions from the audience.

Said D'Felis, 43, who has been diving for 20 years, "We're really looking forward to exposing more people to diving, Florida diving."

Beth Gray can be contacted at graybethn@earthlink.net.

If you go

Dive into History Day

Where: Weeki Wachee Springs, U.S. 19 and Cortez Boulevard.

When: 11 a.m. to 4 p.m. Saturday.

Cost: Access included with daily admission of $22.95 plus tax for adults, $15.95 for children ages 3 to 10, $16.95 for seniors. Season pass holders are admitted free.

For more information, call the Springs at (352) 596-2062 or visit www.weekiwachee.com.

[Last modified March 28, 2007, 22:10:43]