The History of Scuba Diving

Thank you for taking the time to read this article, a great way to improve your background and overall understanding of this topic.

Man has always been fascinated with reaching the ocean's depths, whether for military stealth tactics, pure curiosity, economical value or for sport. Just as Aristotle and Thucydides reveled in underwater exploration, so has scuba diving provided countless adventurers the opportunity to explore shipwrecks and marine habitats. One needn't be an expert diver or Navy Seal, thanks to diving courses offered by the YMCA.

The military has long been fascinated with stealth methods of maneuvering around one's enemy, so naturally scuba diving took off. During the Trojan Wars, divers sabotaged enemy vessels by boring holes in the ships' hulls. The Greeks also tried constructing elaborate underwater defensive shields to keep their attackers away.

In 500 BC, Scyllias, a Greek soldier, dove from Persian King Xerxes' ship and held his breath underwater for hours, using a hollow reed as a snorkel, until he could alert his compatriots of the imminent danger. In 414 BC, Thucydides wrote of divers who swam to the bottom of the ocean to remove underwater obstacles so their ships could pass safely into the harbors.

In 332 BC, Aristotle reported that Alexander The Great was lowered into the water in "a fine barrel made of white glass" -- which was made out of a bell -- during the siege of Tyre. The Italians used scuba gear extensively in WWII and American combat divers were dubbed "frogmen" for their initially shocking appearance.

Scuba diving was not just used for protection, but also for sustenance. In 1000 BC, Homer wrote in his book, The Odyssey, about how fishermen dove 100 feet, using a rock to expedite their submersion, to collect sponges. Divers would pour oil into their ears and mouths before diving to reduce pressure and used a tether to reach the surface once they had cut as many sponges as they could. By 100 BC, the profit potential of Mediterranean deep sea excavation was realized.

Scuba diving became a fascination and pastime as early as 200 AD, as Peruvian vases show divers wearing goggles and holding fish. Many early goggles were made from polished shells or tortoise shells. In the 1500s, diving bell prototypes were created and Leonardo da Vinci drew some of the first designs for an underwater breathing apparatus. Throughout the Enlightenment Era, inventors became obsessed with creating ways to stay underwater longer and more efficiently. Some inventors like Sieur Freminet and Henry Fleuss even died while trying to perfect their "rebreathing" devices. Divers couldn't spend hours underwater until the 1940s, when Navy Seal Jacques Cousteau invented the aqua-lung. Tourism really took off after the YMCA began offering scuba courses in 1959 and Al Tillman created a diving resort for the Underwater Explorers Society in the Bahamas.

It is estimated by the President's Panel on Ocean Exploration that roughly 95% of the ocean floor is unexplored! Some go scuba diving in search of Atlantis and pirate's treasure, while others hope to discover new animal species and plant-life. This pioneering human spirit is at the heart of many expeditions, but also resides in the seasoned vacationer. Thanks to scuba instruction classes, anyone can learn how to scuba and boldly go where no man has gone before.

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