Scuba Diving History

For many scuba divers, knowing the history of scuba diving can help feel them more connected to the ocean and the divers that came before them. Here is a look at scuba diving history throughout the ages.

The history on scuba diving goes back quite far. Many civilizations engaged in free-diving, or breath-hold diving, evidenced by drawings of divers and sea items found on land. Some cultures used this as a way to spear fish, hunt for sponges, or even as part of their military tactics.

The history of scuba diving includes the early attempts to dive using air. Some divers used snorkeling techniques using hollow reeds, or brought air under the water with them using air-filled bags or diving bells. Diving bells were sealed chambers that held air inside of them when submerged, allowing a few divers to get a glimpse of what is under the water. They were not very efficient and did not provide much mobility. Reeds only allowed divers to go as deep as the reed was long, and air filled bags filled quickly with carbon dioxide, forcing the diver to surface.

The history of scuba diving also includes the first diving suits that were used in Europe. These suits were made from leather, and had air pumped to them from the surface. Once the divers found that metal helmets withstood more pressure, they were able to dive deeper and scuba diving progressed even further.

Around the 19th century diving gear started to look like what we use today. Paul Bert and John Scott Haldane researched how water pressure and our bodies, as well as the use of compressed air. Around the same time, air pumps, regulators, and other scuba diving equipment were being invented, allowing divers to go deeper for longer than they ever had before.

In the 1950s, the public started to take a deeper interest in scuba diving. Swim fins, masks, and other gear became readily available to the general public. Gear shops started to open, and the wet suit was introduced. Later on, movies about diving, ships, and shipwrecks continue to spark the imagination of budding divers around the world.

Before diving, you might want to think about the history of scuba diving and how it affects your life. The technologies of the past have allowed for such advancement that divers can now go hundreds of feet under the water for extended periods of time.