In Reply to: Is this true? posted by seahunt on July 25, 2012 at 17:17:25:

I would question if any member of HDS was at the dive...FYI

YES! Yes Sea Hunt it is true- I was there 50 years ago

It was the Hannes Keller dive off Catalina
December 1962 (???) as I recall?
Used a bell
Sponsored by USN
2 divers made the dive
Hannes Keller (Switzerland) & Peter Small (UK)
Bell door was stuck at 200 feet from surface
The late Dick Anderson (USA) & Chris Whittaker (UK) a student at UCLA dove to 200 feet to close the bell door.
Chris Whittaker never surfaced and his body was never found.
When the bell was opened Peter Small was also DOA.
Keller grabbed all the data and scooted out of the US

at that time in history Peter Small was the God of UW for UK- Three weeks later his widow Mary put her head in an oven and took her life- So the world lost three Brits as a results of the dive

As I stated the event took place fifty years ago, a time when life was simpler, the tribe was very small and we were feeling our way into the UW world. As I reflect and evaluate that event I suddenly came to the realization that only a few, perhaps 4-5 locals who were witness and participate in that historical dive are still among us..Soon it will be forgotten- thanks for the reminder.

There are several published articles about the dive, two in Skin diver Magazine, a very all inclusive article in Triton the BSAC (British Sub Aqua Club) magazine and the LA County Blue ribbon committee report, which I have filed away - some where?

Those were the days of our dives...so long ago and all but forgotten except for a few and they are rapidly dwindling in numbers, soon there will be none...

SDM

• Re: Re: Is this true? David 13:23:39 08/02/12 (0)
• SDM: What was your role in the Hannes Keller dive? Steve B 05:27:54 07/28/12 (2)
  • Re: SDM: What was your role in the Hannes Keller dive? SDM 12:43:15 07/29/12 (1)
    • Re: Re: SDM: What was your role in the Hannes Keller dive? Steve B 07:40:57 07/30/12 (0)
• Wow! is all I can say... and you were there seahunt 03:38:16 07/26/12 (0)