Boat's going to drydock

Time for a Road Trip

By  Sabrina Terry

Life Support Superintendent for Cal Dive

 

           After getting ready for the job, system checks and gas checks, a phone call is received that a window of opportunity has come up.  Job is put off. The vessel is going to dry dock and getting a facelift.  So, it means no stand-by phone call… beach time.  I literally mean beach.  Cold winter means how far south I can go.  The southernmost point…OH Yeah Key West!! Pack up and let’s hurry.  Driving is going to be the best.  Make a few phone calls, check out the web, and stop at all the information centers on the drive down.

 

           First stop is at the Mississippi John Stennis visitor welcome center!  Interesting moon landing vehicle out front.  Walking up to the door sign it reads “Free Park for Shuttle to John C. Stennis testing facility Open Wed – Sat 10-4pm.  Continuing on the drive stop at the Alabama Welcome Center see a poster of a new and upcoming poster of a new Maritime Museum to dome to Downtown Mobile, also find info on USS Alabama tour.  Next welcome center Florida.  Stopped in and talked to the greeters.  They started filling up a plastic bag of literature, maps, a small frenzy ensues of new museums that are opening.  I gentle guide them to diving, in general commercial diving… Now that set them back they are not really sure of what I am asking for.  I show them an ODM and giddiness returns.  They go into the back and come out with a handful of brochures and business cards.  They do not give these up, but write down websites and phone numbers to call.  I am handed this tease of information and a bagful of info for Key West and Panama City Beach.  Off I go. I am going to make a couple of phone calls and see if there are any more places.  I really need to stretch out the land legs…  BINGO! I have info pouring in now.

 

            Key West is going to be a great couple of days.  Staying at The Grand House, and definitely going to the Mel Fisher Maritime Museum, Key West Shipwreck Historeum, Hemmingway House, and The Little White House.  Let’s not forget Margarittaville, Sloppy Joes, Green Parrot, okay, all of Duvall Street, and the sunset festival in Mallory Square.  Play on the beach; let the sand go through my toes. Found Mel Fisher’s museum but did not get an interview there.  Bumped by National Geographic cameras.  I did get to lift a bar of gold though.  Many nights I dreamed of finding a treasure like this.  “Today’s the Day” is a Mel Fisher quote used throughout the museum.  Great place to recharge the dreams of riches.  You can also buy a piece of the treasure.  After spending 3 days in Key West, started to plot a course heading back North.

 

            In Isla Morado there is the History of Diving Museum.  Great tour. Had a great interview and video with curator Tim Hemsoth.  The brass hat display is a marvel.

 

            Next is a private tour at the Leon Lyon’s Maritime Museum.  This is really not a disappointment.  Located in St. Augustine.  Mr. Leon Lyons is a wealth of information and has a 2nd edition of his book, Helmets of the Deep, coming out at the end of the year.  He is up to approximately 1000 pages. The 1st edition was 450 pages.  You can see the 1st edition going on eBay for $6,000 plus.  Like I said, a wealth of information and photographs and the inner workings of the helmets.

 

             Next on the agenda, Atlantis shuttle landing.  Boom, Boom; the shuttle has landed. What just happened? Cool. Moving right along…

 

            Then off to Panama City Beach. I have two places to visit here.  Man in the Sea Museum, guided tour with curator Doug Hough.  This stop is rich with military history and has the actual Sea Lab on display, along with larger pieces of diving history.

 

            Next up Dive Lab, Inc.  Interview and walk through with Mike Ward on facility testing and training.  Upcoming articles will do more into depth on the facility.  Right now, I am going to share a portion of this past time with you.

 

           LEON LYON’S MARITIME MUSEUM - location is 9 king St, St. Augustine, FL, 32085 (200 Charlotte -  side entrance).  This is a private tour and you must call ahead (904) 825-4504 and speak with Leon Lyons.  This museum is the amassed diving helmet collection of Mr. Lyons.  You will not be disappointed, but constantly in awe as you look in every direction (do not forget to look directly up).  You will find this collector is a leading authority with vintage deep sea diving helmets.  The 2nd edition will also be highly sought after for its information, you can contact Mr. Lyons directly to reserve your book or go to the HDS website.  Reserve your copy now, because there will be a limit to how many printed.

 

When asked how the interest started, you catch a gleam in his eye and he shows the first helmet acquired to start his collection.  It was a C. E. Heinke and Co, Ltd, out of London.  He actually came across it in a newspaper from New Orleans while he was in Puerto Rico.  This is where it began and the serial number makes him smile even broader (L17) His translation for this is L for Leon and 17 the day of his birth.  Could not have been a better match up, to spark the desire for knowledge of the past.

 

            Each piece is vividly explained by manufacturer; how it was acquired, and a bit of history of use.  Be prepared to spend hours. Take along your cameras and video gear. Any image captured here is a treasure so well worth preservation.  For a novice like myself, it took me on a journey of what it was like to set-up and don the heavy gear.  Yes, the entire set-up; from the shoes to the helmet, wrench included to bolt up the helmet.  The knife that the divers wore with a brass sheath that you screwed the knife back into is a work of art. It is amazing there are any around - I sure would have dropped it.  The collection of knives is secured to the walls or in wine racks (yes, some of them are that large). 

 

            The underwater camera collection is display of the passage of time.  To see the large bulky boxes and lighting reminded me of the pipe screwed to the top of the top of the helmet to do inspection diving way back when in my own career.  Now, the camera is no bigger than a thumb and the light is the size of my pinky and worn on every dive.  The cameras and lights in the collection are for 2 to 3 person operation, but they did use tripods.  Speaking of unusual, I saw an actual underwater level.  Nice piece of heavy brass.   Ask to be shown the jet nozzles he has started to collect. Now there is some heavy brass. 

 

            Not only is the view spectacular inside, but the window view looking out is right across the bridge of Lions and Piazza Ponce de Leon.  That’s right, you can go to the Fountain of Youth and explore the oldest US city.  There are many places to explore in this little town.  Take a train ride and use their parking and get off the train at the Ponce de Leon statue and walk over to the museum.  If one day is not enough here the train pass is good for 3 days.  It lets you recharge your batteries and think of all the questions you forgot to ask, as you were entirely too involved at daydreaming of the brass hat you want to own and how to go about it the right way and not be ripped off by  replicas.  Replicas are flooding the market now, due to the increased interest in collecting these vintage helmets.  I already reserved my copy of Lyon’s book.  As soon as I figure out which one and how the heck I know it is real, look out.  I am going to have one in the pool house.  Display my own little piece of history, and know how to take it apart and put it all together.  Everyone has to have a dream, and I think I found a piece of it at the Leon Lyons Maritime Museum.

 

‘Til next time,

Sabrina