Lockwood Pioneer Scuba Diving Museum Celebrates the 73rd Anniversary of Jim Lockwood's Historic Dive

(prHWY.com) December 29, 2011 - Loves Park, IL -- Vintage Scuba Gear, The curator at the Lockwood Pioneer Scuba Diving Museum today announced the celebration of the 73rd anniversary of Jim Lockwood's historic dive. On December 9, 1938 James (Jim) Lockwood, a Rockford inventor and scuba diving founding father, was recorded as successfully completing his first dive with his invention known as the "Underwater Diving Lung".

Jim Lockwood was able to get into the history books with three months' worth of work and $100. That's how much it cost the inventor to come up with the first successful scuba gear. It was actually called a 'dive lung' and it helped pave the way for the modern scuba diving equipment that is enjoyed by millions of diving afiosonados and professional divers throughout the world. Today, divers explore the oceans and help save people's lives on a daily basis.

"Jim Lockwood was a scuba diving pioneer. He helped establish the sport of scuba diving and bring it to the mainstream. He was active in the sport of diving well before Cousteau 'invented' scuba with the first artificial diving lung." - Johnson

According to the curator at the Loves Park scuba museum, Jim Lockwood was able to stay under water with his dive lung for a full twenty minutes. The invention was unique for Jim's day as it was strapped onto Jim's back and allowed him to swim freely and use his arms and legs. The diving gear that was used in 1938 was restrictive and limited the diver's movements in the water which in turn limited the amount of research that could be performed.

Lockwood didn't stop working when he invented the first dive lung. He also developed an underwater camera housing unit that was used in the Tarzan movies of the 1930s and he developed the underwater props that were used in the extremely popular film "20,000 Leagues Under the Sea."

People who enjoy reading about the history of scuba diving should visit the Lockwood Pioneer Scuba Diving Museum in Loves Park to view vintage scuba gear and learn more about the devices that were used in the early 1900s. The scuba museum also offers scuba dive charters aboard the Lockwood Explorer which explores the exciting shipwrecks of Lake Michigan.

About

Dedicated to those individuals who have made the sport of scuba diving what it is today. The mission of the Lockwood Pioneer Scuba Diving Museum is to educate the public of the evolution of diving, as well as to teach about the history and the future of the sport of diving. It is also important to emphasize that saving our earth and its oceans and waterways through marine conservation is beneficial for future generations.

Contact

Lockwood Pioneer Scuba Diving Museum
7307 N. Alpine Road
Loves Park, IL 61111
Website: http://www.lockwoodmuseum.com/

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