Why "Red Cap"?
Some things that Red Cap Marine is NOT associated with or named for:
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The nice society of fun-living women over 50. That would be the Red Hat Society.
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Trump's MAGA hats. They are indeed red, & could even be called caps, but nope.
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Murderous redcap goblins from English folklore that soak their hats in the blood of their victims.
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Porters on the Orient Express.
(thanks to Dave Allen of Chesterfield Associates for that one)
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A chicken.
SCUBA divers have worn red knit hats to stay warm since the late 1800's.
William Walker was one of the first divers who helped bring the divers' knit red hat into the public eye.
Starting in the year 1906, Walker saved Winchester Cathedral by diving each day in cold pitch-black water over 6 years to stabilize the cathedral's sinking walls.
Wearing a 200-lb dive suit, he placed 25,800 bags of concrete, 114,900 concrete blocks, and 900,000 bricks so the collapsing walls could be repaired.
He also bicycled the 70 miles home each weekend to be with his family.
Walker was thanked in a ceremony at the end of the project by King George V & Queen Marry, & he was made a Member of the Royal Victorian Order.
Years later, the famous explorer, conservationist, filmmaker, innovator, French naval officer, scientist, photographer, author marine researcher & all around great guy Jacques Cousteau typically wore a red cap on his adventures.
In 2004, the movie The Life Aquatic by Wes Anderson featured Bill Murray, Owen Wilson, Willem Dafoe & other scuba divers wearing knit red caps.
I work a lot with Lucas Campbell who owns & pilots a 56' landing craft on Lake Champlain.
Lucas gave red caps (now GMMS green caps) to people who worked crew with him. I have worn my red cap on cold days ever since.
