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Avalon generally refers to a mythical island intimately associated with the legendary King Arthur. The first written record we have of this island in association with Arthur comes from Geoffrey of Monmouth’s Historia Regum Brittania [History of the Kings of Britain] (c. 1135 A.D.), though Geoffrey is most likely drawing from a much earlier Welsh (Celtic) tradition that we no longer have record of.

According to Geoffrey, the island is where Arthur’s famous sword, Excalibur, was forged: “Caliburno gladio optimo et in insula Auallonis fabricato” [Caliburnus, the superior sword made on the Island of Avalon] (IX.111, Helbert), and—more importantly—where Arthur goes after his last battle to have his wounds healed for his eventual return to take the throne of Britain.

The word probably derives from Welsh word afall, meaning ‘apple tree.’ It is possible that Avalon refers to a pagan-Celtic afterlife-like locale associated with apples where a leader travels to after death to prepare for rule—this might be compared to Æneas’s journey to the Underworld or Christ’s journey to Heaven before the Second Coming.

Here is King Arthur’s description of the process as he gives it in Laȝamon’s Brut (c. 1200 A.D.):

“And ich wull uaran to Aualun, to uairest alre maidene,
to Argante þere quene, aluen swiðe sceone;
and heo scal mine wunden makien alle isunde,
al hal me makien mid haleweiȝe drenchen.
and seoðe ich cumen wulle to mine kineriche
and wunien mid Brutten mid muchelere wunne.”

[And I will fare to Avalon, to the fairest of all maidens,
to Argante the queen—the most beautiful of elves;
she shall heal all my wounds,
and make me whole with her healing drinks,
And truly I will come again to my kingdom
and dwell amidst the British in much delight.] (Brut 14277-14282, Helbert)

Therefore, much like the legendary isle of Avalon, Avalon Dive Center was conceived of as a place of preparation, where the greatest among us go to for training, guidance, entertainment, and equipment. Furthermore, it is a place of spiritual healing, an escape from the pains and drudgeries of daily life, so that we can eventually reenter into life re-born and ready for anything that might come at us.

***Thanks to Daniel Helbert for this article***

Also, no swords are currently available, unfortunately.