The Old Aqualung He Invented

Sweezus and Arthur have paddled out beyond the reef at Stokes Bay on their surfboards.

Vello is splashing up and down in the shallows, waiting for his turn.

He is not alone on the beach.

Hi! Jacques Cousteau!

He turns.

Fancy seeing you here! says a man in red board shorts. I can't believe it. I was in Penneshaw when you arrived on the ferry and the band played Calypso. I'm a big fan.

Are you? says Vello. A big fan of what? Calypso?

Ha ha, laughs the man. You. The Custodian of the Sea. Your book, Silent World. Your undersea discoveries and adventures. The aqualung. Diving shipwrecks.... are you diving round here?

No, actually I'm about to go surfing, says Vello.

.....because I'm going diving with some friends this afternoon, says the man. We're diving the Portland Maru, which sank just west of here. Don't suppose you'd like to come with us?

No thanks, says Vello. Surfing is my new interest. But don't let me hold you up.

You're not holding me up, says the man. Wow! Jacques Cousteau. Phew!

Ah, here come my surfing friends now, says Vello. Time for my lesson.

Yo! says Sweezus, shaking the drips from his hair. Too many sharks out there. Bummer. Not safe for a lesson.

Nonsense, says Vello. The Custodian of the Sea has no fear of sharks.

He should have, says Sweezus. Even Arthur was scared shitless.

Arthur nods. He was scared shitless.

I was just asking Mr Cousteau if he'd like to come diving with us at Cape Torrens, says the man in red board shorts. We're diving the Portland Maru. You guys could all come. We could hire extra equipment.

Hey! says Sweezus. That'd be awesome. Arthur? You in?

Arthur is in.

Jacques Cousteau can hardly refuse now.

........

The man in red board shorts is Daniel Diver. His friends are Anita and Roger Frogg.

Roger Frogg drives back into Kingscote with Vello to hire the extra equipment.

Three dive suits, three diving regulators, three dive lights and three diving knives.

Luckily, it's all on the house for the famous Custodian.

On the way back to Stokes Bay, Roger Frogg says:

I bet these new diving regulators are pretty different from the old aqualung you invented.

and Jacques Cousteau says:

No, no, not all that different.....

followed by:

....... nevertheless, somewhat different.

A convincing answer, and quite likely true.