Video courtesy of Body Glove
One of Bob’s and Bill Meistrell’s dreams as children growing up in Missouri was to own a submarine. Years later the owners of Dive N’ Surf and Body Glove realized their dream when they partnered with fellow diver Don Siverts in building Snooper, a two-man, 11.5-foot-long yellow submarine. Severs built Snooper in his Torrance back yard.
After Siverts died three years ago, his son Curt continued his father’s backyard submarine business. Last month, on January 14, Siverts launched Snooper II, with Bob Meistrell, now 83, as his co-pilot. The two dove 300 feet in the Redondo Canyon, just half a mile off of Redondo Beach.
“Boy, I tell you, it was really fun. We saw some rock fish, a lawn chair and a weather buoy. Then we turned off the light and it was really dark. I never was scared, just uncomfortable. When you’re 83 you have some bones that don’t work so good. It reminded me of some dives I took with Don,” Meistrell said.
