Club Meeting

May Guest Speaker: Paul Schorzman and Rod Shroufe

of the Northwest Diving History Association

Since its beginning in 1950, scuba diving has a history which includes three generations of underwater enthusiasts. This history is rich with stories from technical advances in equipment and training as well as the pure adventures discovered and pursued by North Pacific scuba divers.

At our May Club Meeting Paul Schorzman, a long-time member of the NWDHA, treated OSC members to an extensive display and explanation of diving depth gauges drawn from his large personal collection. From simple capillary tube devices to clunky Russian made gauges from the Fifties, Paul has it all. As he showed the gauges to the club, he shared his extensive knowledge of their designs, and the advantages and disadvantages of each. An inveterate collector of classic scuba equipment, Paul shared his enthusiasm for finding and acquiring new in the box scuba gear from years past. 

Rod Schroufe shared the mission of the NWDHA: to record and preserve the history of the people that contributed to the development of scuba diving in the North Pacific Region. The Association is working to establish a museum to display vintage diving equipment, photos, magazines, books and artifacts that define our diving history. The NWDHA also offers educational programs and a traveling museum featuring the history and evolution of diving in our region.

The Association is seeking individuals who share an interest in the history of diving in the Northwest. To learn more about their upcoming activities and find videos, articles, technical information, hair-raising dive stories and much more, visit the NWDHA website at https://www.divinghistory.org/. 

Thanks to Paul and Rod for their time and commitment.