Diving History
These pages of Therebreathersite look back in time. Diving has a very long history and rebreathers have only been used for the last 150 years. Here, history is shown in a random order through interesting stories from the past. The focus will be on the developments around technical diving but I will also take you to other historical events. Enjoy reading! These pages could only come about because of the many readers of my website, authors and institutions that gave permission for publication. I would like to thank them all for their cooperation. If you have a nice story on the shelf, it is of course very welcome!
Sealab underwater habitats
Underwater Science from the 60’s Sealab 1, 2 and 3
Cryogenic rebreather theory
A technical treatise on cryogenic breathing systems by Halbert Fischel
Aegir underwater habitat 1971
In 1971, a project called Eagir was carried out in Hawaii and the Virgin Islands. This was one of the first projects to use ECCR rebreathers (MK10).
The father of ECCR, the Electrolung
The first production ECCR in the world, a unique device with a unique history
Nautilus CCR Mexico
A CCR developed in Mexico with the name of a beautiful animal!
Dr. Finney ECCR 1956
Developments leading to the Elektrolung, the first steps towards an electronic rebreather
Rebreathers on the moon
On 20 June 1969, Neil Armstrong was the first human to set foot on the moon. How could they survive and breathe there? See here unique photos of the equipment they used!
Jesse Reno gunning wrecks
The story of how an inventor of escalators developed an underwater tank
William Beebe and Otis Baron Bathysphere
The extraordinary story of two great adventurers and heroes
Louis Boutan
Louis Marie-Auguste Boutan was a French biologist and photographer. He was a pioneer of underwater photography.
Diving SS WILHELMINA
Diving SS Wilhelmina 2008
High altitude breathing apparatus
For high altitude flying, from 4000 meters and higher, it was necessary for the crew to find breathing equipment to be able to breath oxygen for respiration.
Hitlers Meereskampfer
Five films about Hitler’s Kampfswimmer from the Second World War with German commentary. Fantastic original images.
Oxygen rebreather Movies
Historical images of different oxygen rebreathers
Cryogenic rebreathers
No one realised earlier that air that could been liquefied and be used for breathing systems. In 1904 in the Czech republic one of the first cryogenic apparatus was build
Gunilda “drowning in dreams”
This is the story about a fantastic ship built in 1897 that sunk in 1911 in Lake Superior in Canada.
Club compressor
This page shows the technical information about the Schrupp WP4320 compressor in use by Diving Team Amsterdam (DTA) Netherlands
Desco B lung
The development of the Desco Bucaneers or B-lung plus a complete review of the actual device
Manuel du plongeur autonome 1955
Very old booklet from 1955 of La Spirotechnique
Biomarine CCR 1000
The Biomarine CCR1000 is the civilian version of the Biomarine MK15. Build in 1970 it was one of the first ECCR rebreathers build
Looking at the past, CCR1000
The Biomarine CCR1000 is the civilian version of the Biomarine MK15.