Oyster Bash celebrates Sealab turning 50

Published: Saturday, February 1, 2014 at 19:34 PM.

Many people don’t know the history of Sealab-1, the large red cylinder on the site of the Man in the Sea Museum, or how much of a part of Bay County’s history lies within its crumbling walls. However, Sealab-1 had a tremendous impact, comparable to development of the “aqua lung” by Jacques Cousteau in the 1940s, not only on Bay County but also on the diving industry across the entire world.

Anyone can climb through Sealab-1, submarines and other exhibits at the museum. Visitors can follow the progress of underwater technology from the genesis of diving in the 1500s to modern underwater habitats. They can see exhibits, dioramas and records that demonstrate how humans learned to survive in the depths, and see videos of how the early diving equipment was used.

Sealab-1, 2, and 3 were experimental underwater habitats developed by the U.S. Navy to prove the viability of saturation diving and humans living in isolation for extended periods of time. The knowledge gained from the Sealab expeditions helped advance the science of deep sea diving and rescue, and contributed to the understanding of the psychological and physiological strains humans can endure.

Though Sealab contributed greatly in advancements in saturation diving, when Campoli started out no certifications, no professional diving instructors and few safety regulations existed. But the dangers of the rough, pioneering diving equipment were lost on some old-school divers.

“That’s just what there was,” Campoli said. “It wasn’t scary. That’s just what you used.”

More about Sealab-1

Sealab-1 was lowered off the coast of Bermuda in 1964 to a depth of 192 feet below the sea’s surface.

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