 In the early 70's, Mullikin
left the area to open 2 dive stores in the Virginia Beach area and Worst,
now out of the Navy, became a partner in Aqua Sports and operated the store
as well as a successful commercial diving career. This decade revolved around
underwater construction including burning, explosives and demolition, bridge
building, ship salvage, as well as environmental studies, police and civilian
dive training. In 1976, Worst met a diver named Donna. They married, bought
Aqua Sports in 1978 and continue to operate it to this day except Vic is
now what he refers to as "the boss's spouse". Actually Donna does
run Aqua Sports...after 30 years of year round commercial diving, Vic decided
to look for a career change...something a little easier on the body. And
like most things in life, something quite unexpected came up. The president
of Ocean Apparel, Fred Weiss, the same man who with his brother began a
multi million dollar company (Parkway) on their kitchen table making wetsuits
over 50 years ago, was retiring from his 2nd wetsuit manufacturing venture
and was selling the equipment at his plant in New Jersey. Vic returned from
New Jersey with more than equipment. He now owns Ocean Apparel of New England
which is located in the very same building Mullikin built to house his
original Aqua Sports. Ocean Apparel wetsuits are shipped to dive stores
throughout the country for civilian as well as military and police use and
continue to gain in popularity for their warmth, durability and fit. Vic
continues to research neoprene characteristics and design suits which reflect
the quality he demands from his many, many years of being wet. Vic and Donna
continue to enjoy diving with their family in their free time and plan to
do so for a very long time. Aqua Sports will remain with it's third Navy
Diver for quite a while yet.......... |
The year was 1953 when
Navy Divers Canary and Barth first opened Aqua Sports on the bank of the
Thames River in Groton just a few miles south of the U.S. Submarine Base.
Diving was in its infancy with the majority of the local divers having gained
their expertise through the military. Double hose regulators were the norm
and buoyancy control could be maintained by picking up a few rocks from
the ocean's floor. Dive tables were still being improved upon. The Dive
Locker at the Sub Base serviced the many submarines traveling in and out
of her port on the Thames River. General Dynamics: Electric Boat Division,
one of the few shipyards in the country to design and build our Navy's submarines,
was located within a few short minutes of the original Aqua Sports. The
local economy relied heavily upon the shipbuilder and the Navy for its very
existence.
We
bring you up to 1961...Aqua Sports had been incorporated and sold to Navy
Master Diver Hyrum Mullikin. Mullikin built a home closer to the Sub Base
off Rte 12 in Gales Ferry, just minutes from the back gate of the Sub
Base and operated Aqua Sports out of his two car garage until building
the existing store adjacent to his home in 1963. In 1968, Victor Worst,
a promising young First Class Diver and honor man of his class, began
working with Mullikin. They forged a friendship and a part- time successful
commercial diving career, Mullikin as the topside man, Worst as the diver.
One particular "treasure" dive off the coast of Virginia produced
an unexpected souvenir, a Russian hammer and sickle insignia retrieved
off a Russian "Trawler" in 181 ft by Worst, which still hangs
over the air fill station today.