In the winter of 1942, two French men by the names of Jacques Cousteau and Emile Gagnan invented something that would drastically alter the interactions between humans and our watery planet. This invention was deemed the Aqua-Lung. It allowed those gill-less people to peer into the depths and observe an alien world, the underwater world. Previous attempts had been made to unite land and sea but none had reached this type of worldwide popularity and commercial eminence. After the war was over, these men created a company called La Spirotechnique to sell regulators, a move met with great success.

 

Fast forward 70 years and La Spirotechnique is still going strong. It has accumulated many branches and divisions all over the world including Aqua Lung America. Aqua Lung sponsors the scholarship with a complete head-to-toe set of gear for use during the scholarship year (hey, that rhymed!). Recently, I toured their facilities which are located in Vista, California. Aqua Lung contains many different branches including U.S. Divers, Deep See, Apeks and Whites and even manufactures products for military and professional operations. They have been a leader in developing equipment for adventure, fitness and safety whether in the water, on land or in the air since 1943. Each of their brands services the specific needs of their customers through product innovation, worldwide distribution and customer service.

 

While I was there, I met a bunch of fantastic people that are supportive of youth in the industry and of the Our World-Underwater Scholarship Society. Special thanks to Lauren Schuil for showing me around and also for getting my set of gear together! I know that I will be well prepared for my travels ahead, especially with my Apeks XTX200 which is more resistant to freezing for some cold water diving!

 

Follow along on my adventure by subscribing to the blog and by following me on instagram! Also, you can learn a little bit more about me in my Bio section. More to come soon about my visits to some of my other sponsors as well as my time in St. Croix with rebreathers and turtles.

“From birth, man carries the weight of gravity on his shoulders. He is bolted to earth. But man has only to sink beneath the surface and he is free.” Jacques Cousteau

What has been your most memorable experience underwater?