The beginning of scuba diving's history begins in 1930s when Jacques Cousteau (a French engineer) creates the first underwater movie. His wife Simone and Jacques Cousteau load black-and-white still camera film onto a movie camera. This is the first underwater movie ever produced. In 1943, Emile Gagnan (an industrial gas control system engineer at L'Air Liquide et Cie) designs the Aqualung, which is the first commercially viable scuba unit. In 1943, the prototype units were tested by the Cousteau family.
Jacques-Yves Cousteau
Jacques-Yves Cousteau was born in Marseilles, France, and spent his early life snorkeling in the warm sea around his hometown. After graduating high school he decided to join the navy. He was a naval gunnery officer and a master diver during his time in the navy. He became fascinated by the underwater world, and began to dive down to explore it. He also developed an underwater camera.
Emile Gagnan
Emile Gagnan is the man behind many of the innovations that are used in modern SCUBA diving. Aqualung, a breathing system that allows a diver breathe in underwater water, was the result of his efforts in the 1950s. This invention made diving safer and easier for everyone.
Henry Fleuss
Henry Fleuss is one of the pioneers in scuba diving history. He invented the self-contained breathing system and many other innovations. He worked in several companies, such as Siebe, Gorman & Co., before he patented his designs. It was revolutionary in that it allowed the diver work alone without the need for a pump or large crew.
Harry Houdini
When you think of scuba diving, you probably think of Harry Houdini. His incredible escapes included one from a box under water! He also demonstrated how he could escape from a straitjacket. Locks and suspended objects. And his escape skills have been immortalized in motion pictures.
Mark V diving helmet
The Mark V diving helmet has a rich history in scuba diving. It was first designed for the US Navy in 1916 and was used until 1984. It is the world's first diving helmet. There are many other helmets that date back to the 1820s or earlier.
William Beebe
William Beebe's scuba diving story is not just a tale of adventures under the sea. He was also a scientist and made many dives in the ocean for scientific research. He created a marine lab on Nonsuch Island in Bermudas and studied underwater life. He studied the behavior of sea creatures and developed a unique diving helmet and breathing apparatus. Beebe also made the first known descent into the deep ocean using a bathysphere, a device that lowered a person to a depth of 3,028 feet (923 meters). This record lasted until 1949.