Mr. Leslie Leaney
Co-Founder,
Historical
Diving
Society
USA
Founder,
Historical
Diver
Magazine
Born
in
London,
England,
Leslie
Leaney
started
diving
in
1969
around
the
island
of
Singapore.
He
progressed
through
the
BSAC
system
and
became
a
scuba
instructor,
club
Expedition
Director
and
eventually
Diving
Officer,
for
BSAC
Special
Branch
in
Singapore.
During
his
two-and-a-half
year
tenure
he
trained
several
dozen
divers
and
was
responsible
for
the
training
curriculum
of
over
a
dozen
instructors
and
over
70
active
recreational
divers.
In
1970,
operating
out
of
the
port
of
Mersing,
Leaney
lead
dozens
of
diving
expeditions
out
into
the
South
China
Sea
islands
off
Malaya's
east
coast.
Exploring
principally
around
the
islands
Pulau
Dayang,
Aur,
Tioman
and
Permangil,
his
expeditions
did
some
of
the
very
early
recording
of
the
effect
of
the
Crown
of
Thorns
starfish
on
coral
reefs
in
that
area.
In
1971,
prior
to
the
rise
of
international
diving
tourism,
Leaney
led
an
expedition
dive
team
to
the
Perhentian
Islands
off
the
north
east
Malay
coast,
and
then
another
to
the
Indian
Ocean,
diving
the
atolls
of
the
Maldive
Islands.
In
1972,
after
diving
trips
to
Australia
and
New
Zealand,
he
conducted
a
survey
on
behalf
of
the
late
King
Hussein
of
Jordan,
on
the
feasibility
of
establishing
a
dive
center
in
the
Red
Sea
port
of
Aquaba,
Jordan.
During
the
1970's
he
traveled
extensively
working
with
divers
and
instructors
in
England,
Malta,
Saudi
Arabia
and
Oman.
In
1980
Leaney
relocated
to
Malibu,
Southern
California,
where
he
worked
in
the
music
industry.
He
started
to
pursue
his
interest
in
diving
history,
and
throughout
the
1980's
compiled
an
extensive
diving
library
and
a
collection
of
historical
antique
equipment.
His
archives
currently
provide
reference
research
material
for
diving
historians,
and
items
from
his
collection
are
on
display
at
various
museums.
In
1992,
this
interest
in
history
lead
to
Leaney
to
co-found
the
Historical
Diving
Society-USA,
(HDS-USA)
with
Skip
Dunham.
The
inaugural
meeting
featured
a
mix
of
recreational,
military
and
commercial
divers
and
the
Society
continues
to
provide
an
educational
forum
for
these
separate,
but
connected,
groups
to
learn
about
their
joint
history.
Initially
formed
as
a
chapter
of
the
British
HDS,
the
Society
evolved
into
an
American
non-profit
corporation.
During
its
15
year
existence
Leaney
has
worn
the
hats
of
Chairman,
President
and
Executive
Director,
and
under
his
guidance
the
Society
has
grown
from
a
few
dozen
members
to
over
2,700
in
44
countries.
It
is
internationally
affiliated
with
similar
organizations.
To
guide
the
new
Society,
Leaney
helped
establish
and
develop
an
international
Advisory
Board
of
divers,
who
had
distinguished
themselves
in
their
chosen
fields.
Under
his
guidance
the
HDS-USA
Advisory
Board
has
continued
to
grow
in
stature
along
with
the
Society.
Members
include
Sylvia
Earle,
Hans
and
Lotte
Hass,
Scott
Carpenter,
Sir
John
Rawlins,
James
Cameron,
Bev
Morgan,
Lad
Handelman,
Dr.
Christian
Lambertsen,
Andre
Galerne,
Phil
Nuytten,
Ernie
Brooks,
James
Caldwell
and
many
others.
A
listing
of
the
full
HDS-USA
Advisory
Board
can
be
found
at
the
head
of
the
home
page.
In
1993
Leaney
founded
Historical
Diver
Magazine
(HDM),
America's
first,
and
only,
publication
devoted
to
all
aspects
of
diving
history.
As
founding
publisher
and
editor
he
introduced
various
columns,
including
the
"Women
Pioneers
in
Diving"
column
written
by
former
Skin
Diver
Magazine
editor
Bonnie
Cardone.
He
also
printed
numerous
historical
articles
translated
from
foreign
language,
including
Russian,
French
and
German
that
had
never
before
been
published
in
America.
From
its
small
initial
circulation
Historical
Diver
Magazine
has
grown
to
be
the
official
publication
of
historical
societies
in
America,
Australia,
Asia,
Germany,
Canada,
Russia
and
Mexico
and
is
mailed
to
over
3,000
divers
in
44
countries
world-wide.
Through
his
research,
Leaney
has
written
numerous
articles
that
have
appeared
in
several
international
publications,
and
he
has
lectured
on
the
subject
of
diving
history
at
seminars
in
France,
Canada,
Mexico,
England
and
America.
A
partial
listing
of
his
research
articles
can
be
found
in
the
Back
Issues
of
Historical
Diver
Magazine
on
this
site.
Leaney's
research
is
referenced
by
numerous
authors
and
he
has
been
a
consultant
for
The
History
Channel,
The
B.B.C.,
The
Discovery
Channel,
United
States
Navy
and
other
organizations.
During
his
international
travels
he
has
assisted
in
strengthening
the
ties
between
America
and
divers
many
other
countries
who
wished
to
record
their
own
nations
diving
history.
Leaney's
work
with
the
Musee
du
Scaphandre
in
Espalion
and
the
World
Festival
of
Underwater
Images
in
Antibes,
helped
lay
the
foundation
for
the
formation
of
HDS
France.
He
was
also
instrumental
in
forming
Societies
in
Russia,
Germany,
Canada,
Mexico
and
South
East
Australia
and
Pacific.
As
the
American
representative
of
Austrian
diving
pioneers,
Professor
Hans
Hass
and
Lotte
Hass,
Leaney
orchestrated
their
return
to
American
in
1998
for
a
film
festival
in
their
honor.
A
stellar
cast
comprising
of
Zale
Parry,
Al
Giddings,
Stan
Waterman,
Ernie
Brooks,
Al
Tillman,
Sylvia
Earle,
Phil
Nuytten,
Howard
and
Michele
Hall,
Emory
Kristof,
Bev
Morgan
and
Andy
Rechnitzer
participated
in
the
event.
"It
was
the
finest
tribute
occasion
I
have
ever
attended,"
said
Stan
Waterman.
Leaney
serves,
or
has
served,
on
the
Board
of
Directors
of
The
International
Scuba
Diving
Hall
of
Fame,
The
Commercial
Diving
Hall
of
Fame,
the
Academy
of
Underwater
Arts
and
Sciences,
the
Santa
Barbara
Maritime
Museum,
the
Historical
Diving
Society
USA,
and
other
educational
organizations.
Among
his
awards
are
the
Academy
of
Underwater
Arts
and
Sciences
NOGI
Award
for
Education,
the
Beneath
the
Sea
Diver
of
the
Year
Award
for
Service,
the
British
Historical
Diving
Society
Award
and
Honorary
Life
Time
memberships
in
the
Historical
Societies
of
Russia,
Canada
and
South
East
Asia,
Pacific.
Leaney is a Fellow of the Explorers Club, A Fellow of the Academy of Underwater Arts and Sciences and, at the invitation of Dr. C. Lambertsen, a Lifetime member of the U.D.T. Seal Association.