THE EVOLUTION of RECREATIONAL SCUBA

1864 – Benoit Rouquayrol and Auguste Denayrouze invented the first demand regulator that adjusted tank pressure to satisfy required diver breathing pressure. A SCUBA configuration with a demand regulator was not yet possible. Cylinder/tank that could hold air at sufficient pressure wasn’t available.

1876 – Henry Fleuss designed an improved closed-circuit rebreather, used under operational conditions in 1880. Many consider Fleuss the first to successfully use a self-contained air supply underwater.

1933 – Yves Le Prieur developed an open circuit self-contained breathing apparatus using tank-supplied compressed air without an on-demand regulator, this lack severely limited the practical use of the apparatus.

1943 – Blending the work of Rouquayrol, Fleuss, and Le Prieur, Jacques-Yves Cousteau and engineer Émile Gagnan developed the first commercially successful SCUBA configuration, the Aqua-Lung double hose/open-circuit regulator. Cousteau and Gagnan’s invention provided a safe and reliable means to supply air to a diver that matched the ambient pressure of the surrounding water. Captain Cousteau originally experimented with a closed-circuit system, but due to a near fatal accident discontinued research.

1951 – Scuba cylinder J-valve invented. Modern dive equipment (SPG, BCD, Octo) development and use would not happen for another two decades.

• NOTE: During the early 1950’s the number of diving fatalities in the Southern California area was becoming a major concern. The lack of adequate training and increasing popularity of SCUBA were contributing factors.
• The fatality rate was so high that Los Angeles, California considered banning the “Aqua-Lung” from local beaches.

1951 – The only source for civilian diver training at the time, were local recreational dive clubs. Neil Hess began a column called The Instructors Corner, in The Skin Diver magazine. Hess reviewed Skin and Scuba diving course outlines submitted by individuals, and certified them as instructors. He then started a new column the National Diving Patrol, where he would publish the names of these new “instructors”.

1951 – Scripps Institution of Oceanography, University of California, San Diego held first non-military class teaching the use of SCUBA, conducted by scientists for scientists. The research diving program at Scripps is the oldest of its type in the country. The Los Angeles County Department of Parks and Recreation would send divers to Scripps for training. They would develop the Los Angeles Underwater Program.

1951 – US Navy Office of Naval Research held secret meeting at Scripps discussing dive equipment innovation, stressing the need for a device to calculate nitrogen level.  

1951 – The Council for National Cooperation in Aquatics was created as a result of YMCA efforts.

1952 – Australian inventor Ted Eldred developed first commercially produced single hose SCUBA regulator assembly: the Porpoise CA – 1 (CA for Compressed Air & 1 for single hose) The Royal Australian Navy becomes first navy to equip divers with a single hose regulator set-up.

1952 – Scripps begins to restrict diving to only those trained through the program at their facility. First U.S. program to issue a card after training as evidence of qualification.

1953 – SCUBA pioneer Eugenie Clark, released Lady with a Spear: memoir about exploring “three oceans in search of rare and bizarre fish.” Clark took her first dive as a Scripps research assistant in the early 1940’s.

1954 – LA County Parks and Recreation published first underwater instructors training manual: Underwater Safety. This instruction manual would become a basis for SCUBA certification in the United States. LA County Lifeguards Bev Morgan & Ramsey Clark, organized first U.S. SCUBA certification course open to the general public.

1954 – Zale Parry set women’s deep-diving record: 209 ft. First woman to dive deeper than 200 ft, third female instructor to graduate LA’s UICC program, first female NAUI instructor (#A12), and helped develop first civilian hyperbaric chamber.

1955 – LA County’s Underwater Instructor Certification Course (1 UICC) First civilian SCUBA instructor training program led by Al Tillman and Bev Morgan: oldest instructor training program in the U.S.

1956 – US Divers Corp. published Diving with Safety an instructional, maintenance and service manual, with over 90 photographs and drawings, written by Bev Morgan. 

1957 – The Science of Skin and Scuba Diving: Adventuring with Safety Underwater, developed by the Conference for National Cooperation in Aquatics. Comprehensive SCUBA instruction manual, encouraging “safe and scientific diving as a hobby, sport or vocation.” 

1958 – First SCUBA television adventure series Sea Hunt, with Zale Parry, starring Lloyd Bridges as former US Navy frogman Mike Nelson: airs until 1961. Parry was a Sea Hunt technical adviser & stunt diver. Bridges and Parry promoted marine environmental protection and conservation throughout their lives. 

1958 – SCUBA equipment manufacturer Sportsways Co. formed, began marketing a submersible pressure gauge (SPG) Sportsways also released a regulator named the Water-Lung.  

• Cousteau and US Divers sued Sportways owner Sam LeCocq, over the use of the name. A court ruled in favor of Sportsways. LeCocq began his career at Rene Sports, first US company to distribute the Aqua-Lung.

1959 – The National Diving Patrol was renamed the National Association of Underwater Instructors (NAUI).

1960 – Al Tillman organized first NAUI Instructor Certification Course at Houston’s Shamrock Hilton Hotel.

1961 – Maurice Fenzy introduced first commercially successful Buoyancy Compensator Device (BCD).

1961 – First audio recording on SCUBA instruction released, narrated by Bridges: Hear How to Skin Dive. Learning about equipment, safety and “how to have fun underwater, and live to tell about it.” Many considered scuba diving involved risk, something undertaken by the hardy few, willing to accept the danger! This album was one attempt to change that impression, and make diving safer.

• Military dive training concepts emphasizing physical qualifications dominated this era. Instruction included physically and mentally demanding training methods, in an effort to discourage divers who couldn’t “measure up”.  

1966 – John Cronin and Ralph Erickson established the Professional Association of Diving Instructors (PADI): based on established business and education practices, focusing on support services and curriculum for instructors. PADI is currently the world’s largest recreational SCUBA certification organization.

1968 – Television series The Undersea World of Jacques Cousteau released: airs until 1975. Alarmed by the treatment of the planet, Captain Cousteau becomes an impassioned advocate of environmentalism.

1968 – PADI begins including the diver’s picture on C cards.

1977 – The US Dept. of Labor, Occupational Safety and Health Administration (OSHA) would begin to regulate all diving as an employer/employee relationship.

1983 – Orca Industries released first commercially viable, non-military dive computer, the Electronic Dive Guide (EDGE). Revolutionized recreational SCUBA, introduced concept of multi-level diving. Brick sized EDGE weighed 1.6 lbs.

1984 – Divetronic released the Hans-Hass DecoBrain. First decompression-dive computer with an excessive-ascent warning system & able to accurately calculate ascent times. Predecessor of the modern dive computer.

1985 – International Association of Nitrox & Technical Divers (IANTD) was first agency to offer recreational certification in the use of oxygen enriched breathing gas (Nitrox). 2001 study found a significant increase in diver alertness after diving with Nitrox vs atmospheric air. | CAUTION | Diving with Nitrox raises the potential for oxygen toxicity.

1985 – OSHA exempted Recreational and Scientific diving from adherence to the agency’s commercial diving standards.

1997 – George Laws took first dive on SCUBA! YAHOO!

2014 – Ahmed Gabr accomplished deepest dive on open-circuit SCUBA: 1,090 ft (332m)

2021 – Karen van den Oever: Woman’s world record 770 ft (236m)