Hugh “Dan” Wilson
Hugh “Dan” Wilson, an abalone diver, wanted to prove to oil companies that a mixture of helium and oxygen was a viable option commercially. Using compressed air, commercial divers could only reach around 200 feet deep, and only for a few minutes. Compressed air, which uses nitrogen, causes nitrogen narcosis when divers dive too deep. Heliox, a combination of helium and oxygen, does not cause narcosis, but makes the body very cold. Helium allowed divers to go deeper into the ocean, thereby allowing oil companies to drill where crude is more abundant.
On November 3, 1962, Wilson, using a converted Japanese abalone helmet now on display in SBMM, jumped into the Santa Barbara Channel and reached a depth of 400 feet off the east end of Santa Cruz Island. He was the first civilian diver to use oxy-helium as a breathing gas, and the dive became a catalyst for the introduction of deep-mixed gases into the commercial diving industry, permitting expansion of domestic and international offshore oil development. Immediately following this dive, Dan Wilson, Lad Handelman, Whitey Stefens, and Ken Elmes formed their company, General Offshore Divers.
Learn About Our Other Museum Exhibits
Santa Barbara Maritime Museum has several other fascinating exhibits, and there's something fun for everyone in the family. Come learn about 13,000 years of human history in the Santa Barbara Channel, including the Chumash Indians, deep sea divers, shipwrecks, commercial fishing, and so much more. We also have several contemporary exhibits about the evolution of surfing, oil spills, whales, and marine life. There are several fun and interactive exhibits and activities for kids too.