Scuba diving wasn’t always as popular and safe as it is today. It took centuries for scuba divers to evolve it into the hobby it has become today. With an origin dating all the way back to 500BC, here are some of the stand-out moments of how this hobby came to be.
The First Scuba Divers
People have long searched for methods that could help them breathe underwater. The earliest record comes from the story of a Greek soldier who was able to stay underwater for hours by breathing through a long, hollow reed exposed at the surface.
A few centuries later, historians reported that Alexander the great had discovered he could use an upside-down barrel as a diving bell, enabling him to stay underwater to avoid detection during a castle siege. The beginnings of the diving bell are primitive but functional devices, containers such as buckets or cauldrons. These devices trapped air when inverted and were placed over the divers head before he entered the water.
Continuing Innovations
Although humans never lost their urge to breathe underwater, it wasn’t until the 1940s that this became truly possible. Famed scuba divers like Jacques Cousteau teamed up with an engineer, Emilie Gagnan, to create a rebreathing device. This device could filter carbon dioxide waste out of the exhaled air in order to preserve the remaining oxygen, making it easier to stay underwater for longer periods of time.
Over the ensuing decades, scuba diving technology continued to advance, leading the activity to become more and more popular among people all over the world. Ongoing developments in technology and education have made diving more accessible than ever before. Training organizations such as SSI (Scuba Schools International) and others have standardizing scuba diving training and making it safer for everyone.
Start Your Scuba Diving Lessons Today
At A-1 Scuba, we are proud to offer scuba diving lessons here in Denver. Whether you are an experienced swimmer or have never been in the water before, our swimming and diving classes will get your skills to where they need to be to enjoy scuba diving anywhere in the world.
We also have a fully-stocked scuba store where you can get all the gear you need, whether you are looking to rent or buy. We invite you to stop by our shop in Denver any time to check out everything we have to offer. Our expert dive instructors will be happy to walk you through the process and answer any questions to help you get started.
