The team had a surprise meeting today when one of the true pioneers of Deepwater Diving popped in to learn more about the Project at the Santa Barbara Maritime Museum (SBMM).
[Above Leslie Leaney, Tony Sexton, Bob Ratcliffe, Paul Guiver and SBMM Executive Director Greg Gorga ]
Bob Ratcliffe, who designed and developed the 'Rat Hat' and also co-founded a number of diving companies including Cal Dive and Oceaneering International Inc. spent a number of hours with us talking about the history of Deepwater Diving and the Monument project. We took the opportunity to share the latest clay images and the proposed statue location with him.
Bob Ratcliffe, who designed and developed the 'Rat Hat' and also co-founded a number of diving companies including Cal Dive and Oceaneering International Inc. spent a number of hours with us talking about the history of Deepwater Diving and the Monument project. We took the opportunity to share the latest clay images and the proposed statue location with him. |  |
Bob conducted dives out of the Purisima; the First Commercial Lock-Out Diving Bell in the 1960's. The bell is now preserved and on display at the SBMM (See Photographs).
Bob is a true legend in the world of commercial diving and it was a great pleasure to spend some time with him.
There are a number of excellent articles in the July edition of California Diving News featuring Bob Ratcliffe undertaking the Sea Trials of the Purisima in 1964 and the Deepwater Diving Monument Project for which we are indebted to Cathryn Castle Garcia.
