This timeline is meant only as a short overview of some of the major events of sport diving history
We added, with tongue in cheek, important dates in Force-E history.
A self-contained underwater breathing unit is invented by Henry Fleuss.
French physiologist Paul Bert completes his work on breathing under hyperbaric conditions. He asserts that "caisson disease" is identical to problems experienced by deep sea divers and suggests that the release of dissolved nitrogen from the bloodstream causes the problem. He also shows that oxygen can become toxic under pressure.
The first underwater camera and lights are invented by Louis Boutanand. He uses them to make the first underwater hotograph using artificial light in 1899.
The United States Navy publishes its first dive manual, Handbook for Seaman Gunners. It has seven brief chapters with equipment illustrations.
Draeger of Germany releases an oxygen rebreather.
Draeger produces an enriched air rebreather with a depth limit of 40 metres/130 feet.
The first underwater color photographs were taken by W. H. Longley.
Yves Le Prieur releases a very successful self-contained underwater breathing unit.
The Bottom Scratchers of San Diego was founded by Ben Stone, Jack Prodanovich, and Glen Orr. This group became the first in an era when diving clubs were vastly popular. Across the country, many clubs followed in the years to come. Members of the early Bottom Scratchers also included Wally Potts, Jack Corbley, Bill Batzloff, Lamar Boren and Jim Stewart.
Louis De Corlieu patents the first swim fins in France and later in the US.
Louis de Corlieu designed a very popular fin for the free diving community.
The Compleat Goggler by Guy Gilpatric is released. This book becomes a popular inspiration for skin divers, and is considered to be the first book on recreational diving.
Hans Hass, outfits a research vessel, the Sea Devil, for scuba expeditions and becomes the first person to dive in the Red Sea and on Australia's Great Barrier Reef using SCUBA.
Jacques-Yves Cousteau and Emile Gagnan design and test the first Aqua-Lung, the first commercially viable open circuit scuba. This device is a vast improvement onearlier SCUBA devices and will completely change the sport diving community over the next decade. Early testers of the first prototypes included Philippe Tailliez, Frédéric Dumas, Simone Cousteau, Philippe Cousteau, and Jean-Michel Cousteau. Skip Commagere, the future founder of Force-E is born.
Mar-Vel Underwater Equipment was founded and would become an early source for skin and scuba diving equipment as well as the commercial equipment that they specialize in.
Rene's Sporting Goods in Westwood, CA imports some of the new Aqua-Lungs to the U.S. Rene Bussoz, a relative of Cousteau, sold these first Aqua-Lungs and word began to spread within the diving community. While it is certain that some very influential early divers owned and used this first few Aqua-Lungs imported it is a sad fact that more individuals claim to have bought them from Rene than he had stock to fulfill. Careful research was done by Zale Parry and Al Tillman on this matter and their results will appear in Scuba America: The History of Sport Diving in America.
Also that year, under the supervision of Rene Bussoz a Cousteau relative by Marriage), Arnie Post tests an Aqualung in a New York swimming pool in what many believe to be the first American Aqualung dive. Cathy McDonough is born. Destined to marry Skip and start Force-E.
Several shops across the U.S. are now selling Aqua-Lungs.
The International Underwater Spearfishing Association was founded. The primary person responsible in the United States was Ralph Davis. The first U.S. National Underwater Spearfishing Championships were also held that year.
Many stores specifically dedicated to the sport of diving were opened nationally.
Skin Diver Magazine was formed by Chuck Blakeslee and Jim Auxier. The magazine became the central source for information on the industry. Chuck and Jim were both avid divers and put much of the magazine's profits toward improving the sport. Among the projects they funded or created over the years were the first sport diving museum, The National Diving Patrol, NAUI, The International Underwater Film Festivals, the Hannes Keller dive, and many other early projects and events.
The Reserve Valve (later designated "J" valve by U.S. Divers according to its placement in their 1953 catalog) was released.
Hans Hass publishes Diving to Adventure and inspires many newcomers to the underwater world.
Conrad Limbaugh, the scientific diving officer at Scripps Oceanographic Institution, develops the first civilian scuba course. His program later becomes the basis of the Los Angeles County dive program, developed by Al Tillman and Bev Morgan in 1954, the first public scuba certification. While at Scripps, Limbaugh writes the first scientific dive safety manual and establishes standards still in use today.
Silent World was released by Jacques-Yves Cousteau, Frédéric Dumas, and James Dugan. Silent World tells the story of the invention and underwater adventures of the early Aqua-Lung and becomes one of the most influential books in bringing new people to the sport of SCUBA diving. Many skin divers decide to buy an Aqua-Lung based on this book.
Popular Science gives directions on how to make your own scuba equipment using surplus military parts.
E.R. Cross publishes the immensely popular Underwater Safety.
Los Angeles Sports Director Al Tillman and Lifeguard Bev Morgan are sent by Los Angeles County to attend a scientific diver course taught by Connie Limbaugh at Scripps Institute. Connie was famous in the diving industry and was even called the "Greatest Diver in History" by Skin Diver Magazine. The informal course covered everything from surfing and underwater explosives to SCUBA and first aid along with the scientific aspects of diving.
U.S. Divers publishes the first equipment catalog and Dr. Hugh Bradner develops and introduces the neoprene wet suit.
Al Tillman and Bev Morgan develop the first public skin and scuba diver education program in the United States. The Los Angeles County program quickly becomes the template for all programs that were to follow.
The Science of Skin and Scuba Diving is published by the Council for National Cooperation in Aquatics. This becomes the cornerstone textbook for diver education.
The television program Kingdom of the Sea starring Zale Parry is aired. Parry becomes a national celebrity, especially within the diving industry. That same year Parry also broke the depth record by diving to 209 feet near Catalina, CA - only stopping because she hit bottom. After the show and the record dive she becomes a hero to women around the world and many new female divers join the sport.
Due to the massive popularity of the Los Angeles County program Tillman and Morgan create the first formal instructor certification program. Many famous divers were brought in to both teach and become certified.
The first wetsuit was introduced by researchers at the University of California. Edco produces the first suits.
Skip Commagere, future fonder of Force-E buys his first scuba rig and begins to dive.
Ted Nixon introduces the red and white "Divers Down" flag.
Al Tillman and Zale Parry organize the first International Underwater Film Festival. Subsequent festivals were held in various cities around the world.
Sea Hunt airs and becomes the driving force in bringing in unprecedented numbers of new divers to the sport. The show stars Lloyd Bridges as Mike Nelson and is produced by veteran producer Ivan Tors. Famous divers including Zale Parry, Lamar Boren, and Al Tillman work in front of or behind the cameras on the show.
The YMCA develops the first national diver certification program. Skip Commagere, Force-E founder, attends first YMCA program in Atlanta Ga.
The Underwater Society of America was formed.
Al Tillman (Founder of the Los Angeles County Underwater Unit) and Neal Hess (Columnist and Director of the of the National Diving Patrol for Skin Diver Magazine), with help from Garry Howland and John Jones, create the National Association of Underwater Instructors (NAUI) and hold its first instructor certification course in Houston during the Underwater Society of America Convention. Tillman adapts the Los Angeles County course to be taught to individuals from any diving venue and NAUI incorporates as a non-profit agency. NAUI becomes the first international certification agency. Early financing and administrative assistance for the agency came from Skin Diver Magazine.
John Gaffney founded the National Association of Skin Diving Schools (NASDS). Skip Commagere becomes a YMCA Scuba Instructor.
Ed Link spends 24 hours at 200 feet in the "Man in the Sea" project.
Dick Bonin and Gustav dalla Valle found Scubapro. Gustav later becomes internationally famous as one of the premiere wine producers in the world.
Industry members form the Diving Equipment and Manufacturers Association (DEMA) - now known as the Diving Equipment and Marketing Association (also DEMA).
Al Tillman creates UNEXSO in Freeport, Grand Bahama Island. UNEXSO becomes a prototype for the complete destination diving resort. For the first time people had a place to go the catered only to divers and provided, in house, everything needed for both in-water and out-of-water activities.
John Cronin and Ralph Ericson found the Professional Association of Diving Instructors (PADI).
Scuba Schools International (SSI) was founded by Bob Clark.
Scubapro introduces the Stabilization Jacket.
Skip and Cathy Commagere open the first Force-E scuba store in Boca Raton Florida.
The first DEMA trade show is held in Miami, FL.
Co-inventors Craig Barshinger, Karl Huggins and ORCA Industries founder Jim Fulton, introduce the Edge, the first commercially successful American electronic dive computer. The dive computer revolution begins and changes the way divers keep track of their dive time, depth and decompression profiles.
NASDS merged with SSI.
