free diving and james bond

Question
hi
 on James bond he has that mini air tank in his mouth is this real or fake as it'll be perfect for my dad i want to get him something for Xmas as he likes to cave diving at the springs in Florida but does want to take anything in his suitcase and doesn't like wearing any equipment except goggles

please help

Answer
Hi, Kelly!

I haven't seen "Quantum of Solace" yet, but if you are referring to the small scuba mouthpiece unit in "Thunderball" with Sean Connery, that device is fake. To give the impression of breathing underwater, I believe it was necessary for the diver in the film to hold his breath and exhale at intervals to make it appear as if it was a working scuba unit. There is a system called a SpareAir that you may have seen on "Baywatch" or on the vests of helicopter crews in films? That is real, but it is for emergency purposes only and will allow only several minutes of breathing depending upon the depth. It may provide enough air for a recreational diver to just reach the surface in most non-technical open water out of air situations, but it is in no way safe for any cave diving situation. Cave diving requires specialized training and is very equipment intensive. If your father isn't fully-trained and well-equipped for the activity, he should not be venturing into caves. For the untrained and ill-equipped, cave diving is an incredibly dangerous activity, but for the well-trained, well-equipped, and disciplined diver, cave diving can be performed with a great degree of safety. Training is available through such training agencies as the National Spelelogical Society - Cave Diving Section (NSS-CDS), National Association for Cave Diving (NACD), Global Underwater Explorers (GUE), Technical Diving International (TDI), International Association of Nitrox and Technical Divers (IANTD), National Association of Underwater Instructors (NAUI), and the Professional Diving Instructors Corporation (PDIC), among others. Usually, at least double scuba tanks are required for cave diving. I hope this helps!

~ Trace