Gilbert Klingel (1908-1983), a self-made man of many talents, was a naturalist, explorer, award-winning author, inventor, avid sailor and boatbuilder. He wrote three books and numerous articles. Inagua (1940) and The Bay (1951) were based on his experiences in the West Indies and around the Chesapeake Bay. Boatbuilding with Steel (1973) was a technical guide for constructing sailboats out of steel. He was a pioneer in underwater research. He invented and built his own diving equipment including a submersible for the National Geographic Society.