Phil Nuytten

Robert Mester of Underwater Admiralty Sciences provided the site with a nice collection of photographs of the NewtSuit (starts with the 12th picture here below) Robert has 2 NewtSuits which his non-profit corporation dives with. Click at the logo here above to visit his website to read about the exploration of the seas with a high tech diving system

May 16 2023. Phil Nuytten, Nuytco research Ltd, Vancouver

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On May 16 2023 a very sad message came in: a friend in Singapore informed me that Phil Nuytten had passed away:

16 MAY 2023 Dear David

Just to let you know that Phil Nuytten died

Best Rgds

Of course I checked the internet and strangely enough there was nothing to be found (but I must say that I am hardly ever on social media channels). After a careful check where I mentioned the bad news I had received and said that I hoped it was some misunderstanding, sadly soon after I received a reply from Virginia confirming that Phil had indeed passed away 3 days earlier.

I considered Phil a friend and a genius whom I respected ever since we first met, I would not know how to express this in a better way right now.

Since many of us, me included, missed out on the social media announcements: here below the orbituaries of Phil Nuytten written by his daughter Virginia Cowell:

R. T. (Phil) Nuytten, OC, OBC, L.L.D. (hon), D.Sc (hon) 1941-2023

Phil Nuytten spent his life in subsea exploration. He logged many thousands of hours underwater world-wide as a working commercial diver, and as a developer of underwater equipment and techniques. He was widely regarded as one of the pioneers of the modern commercial diving industry and a significant force in the creation of new technology.

In the 1960's and 70's, Phil was heavily involved in experimental deep-diving and the development of mixed gas decompression tables. In 1968 he was a member of the team that completed the first 600-foot ocean ‘bounce’ dives on ‘Project Nesco’, and in 1972 he wrote the protocol for ‘Deep Work 1000’, the first North American thousand-foot saturation dive. These early projects helped set the international standards in use today.

In 1965 Phil founded Can-Dive Services Ltd, and in 1969, he co-founded Oceaneering International Inc. Both companies pioneered many early subsea development projects, and Oceaneering has gone on to become the largest publicly traded underwater skills companies in the world.

In the 1970’s, working with long-time colleague Dr. Joe MacInnis, Phil headed the equipment research component of a series of high-arctic expeditions. Among the goals of these expeditions was the testing of Phil’s designs of life-support gear for use in polar and sub-polar conditions. In 1984, Phil appeared on the cover of National Geographic Magazine for his record dives through ice-covered arctic waters onto the Breadalbane, the northern-most known shipwreck. His involvement in underwater activities in virtually all of the world’s oceans has resulted in articles on his work in Reader’s Digest, Business Week, Newsweek, Time, Popular Science, Discovery, Fortune, and Scientific American, as well as dozens of diving and aerospace technical journals. Phil was a popular speaker at underwater conferences around the world and has published numerous technical papers on his leading-edge work in subsea technology.

Phil was instrumental in the development and current acceptance of Atmospheric Diving System technology. In 1977, he began work on a revolutionary new one-atmosphere diving suit that resulted in a patented break-through in rotary joint design, which formed the basis for the world-famous ADS ‘Newtsuit’, a thousand foot-rated hard suit that completely protects the wearer from outside pressure and eliminates the need for decompression, while still maintaining mobility and dexterity. Always looking to improve on technology, Phil later introduced a new concept for an ultra-light weight hard suit called the ‘Exosuit ADS’. In spring 2012 the first production Exosuit ADS was unveiled, a natural successor to his original Newtsuit, and, like its predecessor, the Exosuit ADS a valuable tool for research scientists around the globe, as well as commercial dive companies, military organizations and explorers.

Among his diverse interests, Phil was a noted expert on West Coast Native Art. In 1982 he published a book called The Totem Carvers. An accomplished carver himself, Phil was of Métis descent and was adopted into the West Coast Kwakwaka’wakw First Nation. He also frequently acted as a consultant for appraisals of West Coast Native art and antiquities.

In 1992, Phil Nuytten received the Order of British Columbia, his home province’s highest honour, in recognition of his contribution to the economic well-being of the province and the recognition and support of the native culture, and for making the province known beyond its borders as a leader in underwater high-technology. On Canada Day 2016, Phil was appointed an Officer of the Order of Canada “for his innovations in deep-sea exploration, which have improved safety and made Canada a leader in underwater development and commerce.”

Of the many projects he conceived and patented, Phil often said he was proudest of the ‘Remora’ submarine rescue system, a rescue vehicle with a manned personnel compartment and a patented articulated mating skirt that permits mating with a disabled submarine at angles of misalignment up to 60°. During a NATO presentation by the U.S. Navy ‘Remora’ was described as a major breakthrough in submarine safety. ‘Remora’ vehicles subsequently were purchased by both the Australian and American navies. In 2008, the US Navy announced the successful test of the ‘Pressurized Rescue Module System’ (PRMS) and described it as “the world’s most technically capable submarine rescue system”. The PRMS was based on Phil’s 1997 patent.

Phil and his design team also produced the two thousand foot-rated micro-submersible ‘DeepWorker’ and received a five-year contract from the National Geographic Society to provide DeepWorkers and crews on the ‘Sustainable Seas Expeditions’, an initiative to study deep ocean environmental impact. The use of the DeepWorker micro-subs to explore and monitor marine sanctuaries has significantly increased scientists’ understanding of underwater ecology, habitats, and biodiversity.

Phil was heavily involved in the production of film and TV specials based around his unique technology. Made for TV specials include a one-hour CBC special on his life and work called ‘Descent of Man’, NBC ‘Mysteries of the Sea’, Walt Disney’s ‘Pressure Point’, and dozens of Canadian, U.S., European and Asian specials. Phil was also senior technical advisor and provided the submersibles and other futuristic subsea devices for James Cameron’s Academy Award winner ‘The Abyss’ and consulted on Cameron’s ‘Titanic’.

Phil Nuytten spent over fifty years developing undersea systems that have the safety of the diving technician as their common theme; to provide scientific, technical, military and sport divers full access to continental shelf depths without the hazards of decompression, so that humans can explore, learn about, and - ultimately - protect the world’s oceans. And Phil loved every minute of it.

Phil Nuytten passed away on May 13, 2023, at the age of 81 after a short illness.

In the late 1990’s / early 2000’s I learned to know Phil through my SWIMXS ebay shop which I was working with a lot at the time. Especially early French SCUBA had his interest. We stayed in touch by email because myself I also had gathered some very rare early French SCUBA items through the years, we had the same collectors interest. A couple of years later we ran into each other in the US and got a chance to meet and talk face to face. Of course we stayed in touch and when some day I picked up a complete collection of rare French SCUBA sets I swapped these with Phil for 2 USN MK5 helmets. Phil called the 2 helmets the Beauty and the Beast. The beauty was a mint condition ex Canadian Navy helmet made by DESCO, the beast was a nice DESCO breastplate with a little more worn condition Schrader bonnet on it: dark patina, no tinning. At that time I had another USN MK5 helmet standing at my place: a nice condition DESCO bonnet on a tinned Morse breastplate. Since the patina of the DESCO breastplate Phil had sent looked very close to the DESCO bonnet I had standing here already, I put the two together. Just to see because the MK5 I had standing was just sold to a friend in France. The match was stunning and when taking a closer look at the serial numbers they appeared to be matching(!). Of course I told Phil who was amazed (too) and a few weeks later he asked me if we could meet at the Amsterdam airport since he was traveling and he had a stop in Amsterdam and a few spare hours to spend. I picked him up at the airport a few days later. Even though it was Sunday and around 07.00 in the morning I first took Phil to my friend Rob Krul (who lives at 10 minutes from the airport). Rob and myself we did some projects with Rouquayrol Denayrouze regulator backpacks, Snout masks, etc. and Rob is an enthusiast of ADS ‘Panzertauchers’. Rob showed Phil his collection of diving gear which includes a Jim Suit especially made as a display piece for trade shows.

Then we drove on up North of Amsterdam to my place and together we took a look at that helmet which had magically been assembled to matching numbers by our swap deal. Only weeks before I had sold the helmet to a friend in France on a non matching breastplate. But now being ‘matching’ of course it had to stay like that. So I contacted my friend in France who had bought it from me only a short while before, the helmet was only awaiting to be delivered to him on my next trip to the South of France. I explained to him what had happened saying that this helmet now had to stay ‘as is’ ... Of course he understood, I made him a very reasonable offer on the now matching helmet and of course he agreed.

November 1st 2017. A visit to Nuytco in Vancouver

It has been 11 years since we last met with Phil Nuytten, he came to see us here in the Netherlands in 2006 after he had shipped a Desco MK5 breastplate to me with some other stuff in some exchange against old SCUBA diving equipment. After unwrapping the breastplate Phil had shipped to me I found out that in my store I had a Desco bonnet with the same serial number ... Magic! And the story did not end. The completed Desco MK5 helmet found a new home with a diving instructor of the Marine Nationale (French Navy). And only 2 years later this instructor was appointed to a new job: NewtSuit-Pilot for the Marine Nationale ... I call this 'true Magic' ... Since Phils' visit in 2006 it were mainly Chistmas cards which were exchanged and occasionally some old diving gear which was shipped over but the German diving helmet book I have been working on since several years now provided us with an update: last month my son Jonathan and myself we flew to Vancouver to meet up with Phil to discuss his cooperation with Drägerwerk in the 1980's. Until then Dräger's dealership for Phil's Newtsuits was a blank chapter in my book. Very difficult to catch in words what an impressive trip this turned out to become, we feel very honored that Phil took time to show us around and tell us about his plans of a 'Floating Diving Museum' as well as many other projects he's involved in. We met up with a true artist who started his career as a carver of totempoles and at some stage was attracted by the sea. A sea which he initially explored with a home built rebreather and many years later with a home built submarine ...

March 12 2006. Phil Nuytten visits the Netherlands

The entrance to Nuytco Research Ltd in Vancouver Canada. Photo David L.Dekker

Hanging in the stairways at Nuytco Research Ltd in Vancouver Canada. Photo David L.Dekker

Phil watching a photo on my laptop, a photo with a story. More further below. Photo David L.Dekker

A few weeks later I picked Phil up at the Amsterdam Schiphol airport. Even though it was Sunday around 07.00 in the morning I first took him to my friend Rob Krul who lives at 10 minutes from the airport. After a quick wake-up Rob showed us his collection of diving gear which includes a Jim Suit made for trade shows. Photo Sonja Krul

Among some other helmets in stock at the left the DESCO MK5 which Phil and myself had brought together to a matching helmet. At the foreground a brand new ‘Snout’ mask built by mainly Rob Krul and with my own assistance. At the far upper right the ‘Beauty’ MK5 (also a DESCO from Phil) which I still have in my collection. Photo David L.Dekker

2006. Phil and myself at the front door of our house. (2024: that was our house in Holland in 2006, in 2023 my family and I we emigrated to France). Photo Hanna Dekker

January 19 2016.

2024. My friend the French Navy Diver whom I mentioned earlier, now is retired since several years but he still has the famous DESCO helmet. Some 2 years after he got the DESCO helmet he was appointed to an exceptional job with the French navy: Newtsuit pilot ...

February 2024. The story of the USN Desco MK5 Phil and I brought back together in 2006 goes on ...