Most of the history of diving take place after the 14th century as many discoveries were made. Several ambitious inventors presented and demonstrated their machines, apparatus, and devices. General knowledge of many aspects of diving increased with a better understanding of physics, mathematics, physiology. Crafting became more advanced and industrialized and new materials became available.
Leonard Erskine Hill theorized and tested the first continuous decompression
Around 1900, Leonard Erskine Hill theorized that recompression could be used to treat decompression sickness and slow decompression would prevent compressed air illnesses. He wrote the first slow continuous decompression..More about
The first underwater photograph
It was in 1899 that Louis Boutan made the first underwater photos. He invented the first underwater camera.
The first ADS or atmospheric diving suit
Two French brothers, Alphonse and Théodore Carmagnolle patented, in 1882, the first design of an atmospheric diving suit or ADS. The helmet featured 25 small glass viewing ports of 51mm/2-inch...More about
The first reliable oxygen rebreather developed by Henry Fleuss
The first reliable oxygen rebreather was developed in 1878 by Henry Fleuss, an English seaman. Year at which he obtained a patent for a closed circuit system that used a..More about
The first flexible fins patented by R. H. W. Dunlop
In 1876, Robert Henry Wallace Dunlop filed a patent for improved fins. In the new design, hands and foot pockets were added. It also represented the first multi material flexible..More about
Rouquayrol file a patent in the US
In 1866, Benoit Rouquayrol patented his invention with the US Patent Office. It is filed under Improvement in regulating the flow of gases in apparatus for diving. It is described..More about
The first military diving school of the Royal Navy
Based on lessons learned from the Royal George salvage Colonel Pasley persuaded the Royal Navy of the advantages of Siebe’s diving equipment over the unwieldy dockyard diving bell, Colonel Pasley..More about
The first diving manual written by Charles Deane
In 1836, Charles Anthony Deane wrote and published the first diving manual. In the manual he explains the use of his diving apparatus. Warning readers about copies of it that..More about
Condert, the first recorded fatality on scuba
Charles Condert made many dives in the East River around Brooklyn using his scuba until one day of August 1832. His body was hauled back to the surface, Condert had..More about
Charles Condert builds the first scuba set
Charles Condert, an American engineer, developed in 1831, the first type of real scuba or Self Contained Underwater Breathing Apparatus. The air was pumped into a horseshoe-shaped copper tube wrapped..More about
Sieur Touboulic patent the “Ichtisandre” the first oxygen diving suit
On June 17th, 1808, Sir Touboulic, a mechanic in Napoleon’s Imperial Navy filed a patent for a diving machine. There is no evidence of any prototype built and test conducted...More about
The diving machine of Klingert
In 1797, Karl Heinrich Klingert from Wrocław, Poland, designed a machine that would allow humans to venture underwater. It was composed of a copper helmet connected with a leather shirt..More about
Boyle demonstrate unknowingly the theory of decompression sickness
Robert Boyle, using a viper under vacuum noted for the first time the formation of bubbles in living tissues. This is from the lowering ambient pressure that forces gas out..More about
Because of the hostile environment and the physiological limits of humans, progress in diving has slowed down. Even in the age of electronics, computers, wireless and miniaturization, the ocean remains the least explored places on earth. For regular divers, we can say that more people have walked on the moon than venturing deeper than 300 meters.
This timeline will take you through many and most of the important moments in the history of diving. Great people invented equipment, others were doing research in decompression theory. Some are important achievements, some ended in tragic ways. But they all made diving possible in the way we know it today.