Immersed in the life aquatic

More than 60 years have passed since underwater explorer Jacques Cousteau and engineer Emile Gagnan freed divers from heavy helmets and cumbersome diving suits with their self-contained underwater breathing apparatus (SCUBA), which has since gone through more transformations than Madonna. Nick Icorn, one of the first people in the U.S. to use the equipment, has been collecting scuba gear since it was first introduced. Now 76, he dreams of opening a history-of-scuba museum. “I’ve got almost every American regulator made, both two-hose and single-hose; I’ve got the history of steel tanks, the history of aluminum tanks, all of the special double-tank units; I’ve got suits from Cousteau’s suits to the first wetsuit that was made” -- well, you get the idea. Fascinating stuff from the former chief engineer of Pelican Products, maker of top-notch waterproof cases for underwater gear. You can see some of the collectibles Saturday and Sunday at the 2005 Scuba Show at the Long Beach Convention Center in Long Beach. Also on display will be objects recovered from sunken ships plucked from the abyss and restored by California Wreck Divers. Other attractions include scuba films and underwater footage aired continuously both days, a demonstration tank for trying out scuba equipment, travel discounts, drawings for prizes and an assortment of seminars. Oh, and there’s scads of new gear. More than 10,000 are expected to attend. General admission is $9 at the door. For more information, go to www.saintbrendan.comor call (310) 792-2333.

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-- Scott Doggett