Scripps Institution of Oceanography

Interviewee Collection Sort ascending Description Interviewer Date of Interview Location of Interview Affiliation
Peter Halmay Histories of San Diego’s Fisheries and Farms

Interview with Peter Halmay, President of the San Diego Fishermen's Working Group, diver, commercial fisherman on December 4, 2013, at Scripps Institution of Oceanography in La Jolla, California, including a special interview of Peter by Anna Talley, 2nd Grade, McKinley Elementary School on September 27, 2014.

Paul K. Dayton, Anna Talley , La Jolla, CA Scripps Institution of Oceanography, California Sea Grant, McKinley Elementary School
John La Grange Histories of San Diego’s Fisheries and Farms

Interview with retired San Diego commercial fisherman, John La Grange conducted on December 3, 2013 at John's home in Solana Beach, California. Dr. Paul K. Dayton, Emeritus Professor at Scripps Institution of Oceanography was the interviewer.

Paul K. Dayton, Theresa Talley Solana Beach, CA Scripps Institution of Oceanography, California Sea Grant
David Leighton Histories of San Diego’s Fisheries and Farms

Interview with semi-retired aquaculturist, David Leighton, conducted on 19 December 2013 at Carlsbad Aquafarm in Carlsbad California. Dr. Paul K. Dayton, Emeritus Professor at Scripps Institution of Oceanography was the interviewer.

Paul K. Dayton Carlsbad, CA Scripps Institution of Oceanography, California Sea Grant
Chuck Nicklin Histories of San Diego’s Fisheries and Farms

Interview with San Diego born SCUBA diving pioneer and photographer, Chuck Nicklin, conducted on 29 January 2014 at Scripps Institution of Oceanography in La Jolla, California. Dr. Paul K. Dayton, Emeritus Professor at Scripps Institution of Oceanography was the interviewer.

Paul K. Dayton La Jolla, CA Scripps Institution of Oceanography, California Sea Grant
Bill Howard Beneath the Surface of San Diego

Bill Howard is a seasoned diver with a rich history in the field of oceanography. Born in Pasadena, California, on September 1, 1938, Howard moved to San Diego in the summer of 1951. His first experience wearing a mask in the ocean was in front of the Marine Room. Howard was part of a dive club called the Cormorants, which was in existence for a short while. He later joined the Addicts, along with his diving buddies Bob Shea and Dave Lynn. Howard has a history of winning dive competitions, often with large sheep head fish. He also has experience with boat trips to the Cortes Bank.

Ashleigh E. Palinkas San Diego, CA Scripps Institution of Oceanography
Dick Long Beneath the Surface of San Diego

Dick Long is a pioneer in the field of dive suit invention and construction. Born in Berkeley, California, he moved to San Diego in 1963. His early life was marked by the impact of World War II, which led to his parents' divorce and his subsequent boarding out to a farm in Northern California. Long's diving career began in Monterey, where he learned to dive without formal classes, relying instead on a couple of basic guidebooks. His first experience with a mask in the ocean was in Monterey, where he was introduced to skin diving by a colleague.

Ashleigh E. Palinkas San Diego, CA Scripps Institution of Oceanography
Ron McConnaughey Beneath the Surface of San Diego

Ron McConaughey is a native of San Diego, born in 1941, and spent his entire life in the beach area, specifically Mission Beach. His first experience with underwater exploration began around 1949 when he wore a mask in the ocean for the first time. This sparked a lifelong interest in diving and underwater exploration. Around 1954, he took an introductory scuba course at the YMCA, which further fueled his passion. McConaughey's interest in scuba diving led him to read extensively on the subject, including works by Jacques Cousteau and the U.S. Navy diving manual.

Ashleigh E. Palinkas San Diego, CA Scripps Institution of Oceanography
Chuck Mitchell Beneath the Surface of San Diego

Chuck Mitchell was born in Los Angeles in December 1940 and moved to San Diego in 1947. He grew up in Point Loma, attending Cabrillo Elementary School, Dana Junior High, and Point Loma High School. His father was a mechanic who owned his own garages, which led to Mitchell spending a lot of time working on cars and developing a curiosity about how things work. This curiosity has been a driving force throughout his life. In the early 1950s, Mitchell and his family moved onto a boat at Jim Underwood's Landing, the first marina on Shelter Island.

Ashleigh E. Palinkas, Paul K. Dayton San Diego, CA Scripps Institution of Oceanography
Chuck Nicklin Beneath the Surface of San Diego

Chuck Nicklin, a renowned diver and underwater cinematographer, was born in Massachusetts and moved to San Diego in 1942 at the age of fourteen. His father was in the Navy and was reassigned to San Diego during World War II. Despite his initial reluctance to move, Nicklin fell in love with San Diego and decided to stay even when his father was reassigned back to Boston. Nicklin graduated from Point Loma in 1945 and began his journey into the world of diving as a teenager, exploring the waters around Sunset Cliffs and La Jolla Cove.

Ashleigh E. Palinkas San Diego, CA Scripps Institution of Oceanography
Frank Leinhaupel Beneath the Surface of San Diego

One of the founding members of the San Diego Addicts Dive Club, Frank contributed countless artifacts and histories to this project. He set many records for competitive spearfishing, hand-crafted refined models of dive equipment from spearguns to sea sleds, and collected rare specimens as a scientific diver for Scripps Institution of Oceanography. He currently resides in La Jolla with his wife Suzy, and continues to provide insight and historical knowledge to new generations of divers with unmatched generosity.

Ashleigh E. Palinkas , San Diego, CA Scripps Institution of Oceanography