Scuba Diving History, Statistics, & Facts

The concept of swimming and diving underwater for an extended period of time is thousands of years old.

Throughout ancient Greek and Roman history, people would swim and dive while holding their breath or using hollow plant stems as a breathing apparatus. This came in handy while searching for food, gathering materials from the ocean, or in times of combat.

We've come a long way since then. Underwater diving evolved from simple free diving to the more sophisticated form that we know today—thanks to contributions from many great minds throughout the centuries.

Modern scuba diving is built on thousands of years’ worth of innovations in underwater technology—not to mention all of the physiological research on the effects of underwater pressure on the human body and the efforts to create standardized training programs for all divers.

The History of Scuba Diving: Then and Now

The history of modern scuba diving began in 1943, when Jacques Cousteau and Emile Gagnan developed the first open-circuit diving set. Since this incredible innovation, scuba diving gear has gone through many changes and advances in technology to bring modern-day equipment to life.

Jacques Cousteau and Emile Gagnan have arguably played the largest role in scuba diving with the invention of the regulator. As pioneers of research and underwater exploring, their regulator provided compressed air to a diver as they inhaled. The first use of this breathing apparatus was recorded in 1947 in a 94-meter dive.

Key Scuba Diving Dates

3000 BC: The first evidence of skin diving, or swimming underwater, using only natural air pockets in the body. Greek philosophers Plato and Homer both mentioned sponges being used for bathing—showing that there were swimmers deep diving to bring up sponges and other underwater materials to the surface.

400 BC: The first recorded mention of 'diving bells' was noted by Greek philosopher Aristotle in the 4th century BC. The divers purportedly used overturned cauldrons that were forced into the water to keep usable air available for them. This technology then reappeared in 1535, when a member of the French navy used one to salvage sunken treasure from a shipwreck.

15th Century: Leonardo da Vinci is recorded to have made the first mention of air tanks. In his notes, he mentioned the idea of using air tanks as a way to help people swim underwater for extended periods of time. He also described how these tanks could be used to help people breathe in water. While da Vinci's ideas never came to fruition, they did inspire other inventors over the years.

1620: Englishman John Wilkins invented the “wet bell” for deep-sea divers, which allowed them to breathe compressed air from inside the bell.

1658: A London blacksmith named George Everard created the first true diving bell. It was a large metal container that could be lowered into the water to allow divers to stay submerged for extended periods of time. The bell was connected to a pump that brought in fresh air, allowing the divers to breathe normally.

1943: Frenchman Jacques Cousteau and engineer Emile Gagnan create the first successful open-circuit scuba system, which recycles exhaled breath back into the diver’s lungs.

1943: The United States Navy began training its frogmen in the use of scuba gear for combat and sabotage operations.

1947: The first use of Cousteau and Gagnan's regulator was successfully used in a 94-meter dive.

1954: Jacqueline Cochran was the first woman to officially dive. Shortly after other women became involved, she set a women's depth record of 203 feet.

1954: Dr. Christian Lambertsen created the first prototype of 'rebreathers' for military frogmen. These rebreathers were given the code name of S.C.U.B.A.

1958: Scuba diving became a popular tourist activity, with the first dive shop opening in Hawaii.

1972: The world’s first SCUBA school opened in California.

1979: The Air2 diving regulator was developed by SCUBAPRO.

2008: A team of divers led by Australian David Doubilet found the deepest wreck dive ever recorded, a Japanese World War II submarine off Okinawa at a depth of more than 282 meters (925 feet).

2014: Ahmed Gabr completed the world's deepest dive using trimix (a blend of helium, nitrogen, and oxygen), reaching a depth of 332 meters (1,089 feet).

What Does SCUBA Stand For?

SCUBA stands for Self-Contained Underwater Breathing Apparatus. While the term "SCUBA" is an acronym, it's acceptable to use 'scuba' in common case, without being written with all capitals or abbreviations (e.g. S.C.U.B.A.).

The term 'scuba' originated from Dr. Christian Lambertsen who worked at the University of Pennsylvania Medical School. In 1954, Lambertsen worked on the first models of rebreathers to be used for military frogmen. A frogman is a person who has received specialized training in diving or swimming underwater in a tactical capacity, such as the military. The rebreathers were given a military code name of S.C.U.B.A., coining the name that we know today.

Who Invented Scuba Diving?

Scuba diving wasn't invented by one person, though the previously mentioned Dr. Lambertsen played a major role in rebreathers and introducing the term 'scuba' to the general public. However, Jacques Cousteau and Emile Gagnan are considered by the diving community to be the 'inventors' of modern scuba diving. In 1943, the two men invented the Aqua Lung regulator, a self-contained breathing apparatus that allowed divers to stay underwater for longer periods of time.

The Aqua Lung regulator wasn't improved upon until 1952 when Dr. Christian Lambertsen created his own version of it—one that could fit into a pocket or attach onto other diving equipment such as helmets. This is considered by many to be more user-friendly than previous versions and had more breathing capacity than previous models. It quickly became widely used among divers of all kinds, especially the military who needed the ability to breathe while under water during wartime situations where they would otherwise not be able to do so.

Diving for sport began to grow in popularity during the 1950s and early 1960s. This was helped along by Jacques Cousteau and his team who made underwater documentaries that showed just how beautiful and fascinating the world below the surface could be. Suddenly, diving wasn't just something that people did to escape danger or warfare—it was a recreational activity that people could enjoy for its own sake. And this is something that continues today, with more than six million active scuba divers around the globe.

Who Invented Early Scuba Gear?

The pioneers of scuba gear, both early and modern, have influenced the gear that divers use today.

• The Helmet - Charles Anthony and John Deane invented the first diving helmet in 1823. This device was made of copper and allowed the divers to breathe air from a tank on the surface.
• The Aqua Lung - Previously mentioned Cousteau and Gagnan invented the first Aqua Lung, now commonly referred to as a diving regulator.
• The Diving Suit - Benoit Rouquaytol and Auguste Denayrouse believed there was a way to adapt a pressure regulator used for mining for underwater use. They eventually designed and patented the diving suit, helping to isolate a diver from ambient pressure.
• The Improved Dive Suit - Famed escape artist and stunt performer, Harry Houdini patented an improved dive suit in 1921. Being an escape artist, he set out to create a suit that would let a diver get out of the suit while underwater, in case of equipment failure.
• The Scuba Set - In 1919, George Larson invented the scuba set which consisted of an oxygen cylinder and a demand regulator. This allowed divers to dive deeper for longer periods of time.
• The Buoyancy Compensator - The buoyancy compensator (BC) was developed in 1945 by Peter Gimbel and Lou Silberman as a way to counteract the effects of compression on a diver's body at depth. This allowed divers to dive deeper and stay down longer.
• Waterproof Googles - Waterproof swim goggles were invented in 1930 by Guy Gilpatric. These goggles helped divers equalize pressure in their ears and prevented water from entering their nose while diving.
• Swim Fins - Louisde Corlieu took inspiration from both Leonardo DiVinci and Benjamin Franklin and made swim fins a reality for British frogmen during WWII.

The History of Scuba Diving Equipment

Throughout modern history, scuba diving equipment has changed and developed into what it is today. Key equipment, such as BCDs and wetsuits, have been introduced over time to make a diving excursion as optimized as possible. From ancient times to today, this equipment has shaped the sport:

Snorkels

Snorkels first made recorded history in the ancient Roman and Greek era. Men in combat were trained to hold their breath while swimming or diving for combat, and often used a hollow plant stem or root to use as a breathing apparatus.

Leonardo Da Vinci created drawings in the 15th century of snorkels and how they could be used underwater when swimming. Modern-day snorkels first appeared in the 1930s and became popular in the Mediterranean where spearfishing was popular.

Diving Bells

Diving bells first came about in the 16th century and were one of the first significant advancements in underwater diving. The first diving bell was used in the 1540s by Guglielmo de Lorena.

These bells were big metal bowls that could be lowered underwater and had a hatch on top for divers to enter. The diver would then close the hatch and use his own breathing apparatus inside of it to dive down into deeper waters like oceans or lakes.

They allowed more time under water, but there were still limitations since they couldn't go very deep due to how much weight they needed to carry down with them as well as pressure from staying at such depth for long periods of time.

Rebreathers

The oldest known oxygen rebreather was patented in 1808 by naval mechanics. This early design was to be used in tandem with an oxygen reservoir.

A practical oxygen rebreather was debuted in London in 1854. Nearly 15 years later in 1876, the first workable, self-contained diving rig with a compressed oxygen rebreather was introduced. This model used rope soaked in potassium hydroxide that absorbed carbon dioxide. Exhaled gas was re-oxided in this manner, allowing it to be rebreathed.

Diving Helmets

Throughout the 17th century, diving helmets continuously improved from a small helmet connected to an air container to the standard model of diving dress, with the helmet that featured a hand-controlled tap, allowing a diver to release exhaled air.

Gas Cylinders

Gas cylinders made their debut in the late 19th century. These high-pressure cylinders were the prototype to later open-circuit compressed air breathing sets with constant airflow. Demand for regulators became popular once again in the late 1930s.

Wetsuits

Wetsuits were first used in the 1930s as a thermal insulation for pilots flying high-altitude reconnaissance missions. The U.S Navy started using neoprene wetsuits in World War II to protect their divers from extreme cold water temperatures.

Underwater Photography

Underwater photography first became popular in the 1950s. This was spurred by Jacques Cousteau and his explorations of the sea and technology like waterproof cases for cameras and film availability.

During this time, the adventure show “Sea Hunt” grew in popularity and aired for four seasons. The premise of the show revolved around a former Navy frogman who is called to perform dangerous projects—from salvaging nuclear missiles to saving children. This show was a major impetus for many people to start diving.

As scuba diving became more popular in the 1960s and 1970s, underwater photography became an increasingly attractive hobby for divers of any level to partake in.

Modern Scuba Diving Technology

In the past few decades, there have been some major advancements in scuba diving technology.

Dive Computers

Dive Computers combine all the necessary dive information into a single screen, making it easy for you to stay aware of your current situation while diving.

With a variety of customizable tools suited to your body and diving style, you're able to keep track of your dive data like never before.

Nitrox

Nitrox refers to a nitrogen/oxygen gas mixture that contains more than 21 percent oxygen found in normal air we breathe. The oxygen mix percentage is important because the percentage affects a diver's depth limits and dive time.

The amount of nitrogen in air has been reduced by the addition of oxygen, letting divers inhale less nitrogen throughout the dive, compared to using normal oxygen. The use of Nitrox requires additional certification to ensure safe dives.

Underwater Drones

Underwater drones allow people to explore shipwrecks, get close to marine life, and explore the water like never before.

Underwater drones are remote operated and essentially remote-controlled submarines. You can shoot video under the sea and get up close and personal with your surroundings.

The History of Scuba Diving is Filled with Technological Advances Throughout the Ages

With its roots going back to ancient times, the concept of underwater diving has been around for centuries. The 19th and 20th centuries are when scuba diving really became a technological feat and a sport available recreationally and professionally.

Now, there are over a dozen things on the essential list of scuba diving supplies, each of which has been designed and improved over time to keep both amateur and expert divers safe while also assisting in efficient underwater operations.

Although scuba diving has evolved considerably since it began as freediving hundreds of years ago, it is still one of the most exciting recreational activities available.