Sport Diving

Sport diving is often referred to as SCUBA diving. But do you know what SCUBA stands for? The answer is Self-Contained Underwater Breathing Apparatus. The first two words hold the key to the birth of sport diving. Essentially they mean that a diver could dive without the need of a hose supplying breathing air from the surface.

Thanks to early diving pioneers like Hans Hass and Jacques Cousteau sport diving became very popular in the early 1950s. Their films and TV shows (such as ‘Sea Hunt’ with Lloyd Bridges) fascinated the public and led to an explosion of sport divers and diving clubs all over the world.

More recently sport divers are venturing deeper and deeper – using mixed gas rebreathers. ‘Tech’ divers, as they are known.

Follow the development of sport diving through our exhibits from the earliest Gagnan/Cousteau demand valves to the latest rebreathers – and don’t forget Octopush – a breath-hold underwater sport that takes fitness to a new (underwater) level.