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1000 BCE
Deep Diving Begins
Deep diving was a new thing at this time, and a Greek poet named Homer says that fisherman divided by holding onto a heavy rock. For the pressure in their ears to decrease, they would put oil in there, and also have a mouthful of it. When they hit the bottom of the ocean, they are supposed to spit the oil out of their mouths, and cut sponges from the bottom, while still holding their breath. They are then pulled up to the surface of the ocean by a tether. -
150 BCE
Ptolemy's Map
Ptolemy, a Greek geographer and astronomer, makes a map that contains Europe, Asia, Africa, the oceans and the ancient world. The map was one of the earliest to have lines of latitude and longitude, but it was unfortunately lost. Later on, as the years had passed someone actually found this map. -
1002
Voyage of Leif Erikson
The first European to land in North America was actually Leif Erikson. This voyage was taken almost 500 years before Christopher Columbus took off. Once he arrived he called this land Vinland, and made a new settlement to what is now the northern tip of Newfoundland in Canada. -
Sep 20, 1519
First Circumnavigation of the World
Ferdinand Magellan set out on a voyage for discovery around the world. This was in fact the first sail around the world, but unfortunately Magellan died on the Island of Mactan which is in the Philippines. That was in 1521 due to the poison from arrows of the local natives. -
First Submarine
The world's first submarine was built by a Dutch physician, Cornelis Drebbel. It is made of wood, and stabilized with iron, and a lot was covered in leather. There are six seats on each side of the submarine, and it had to be rowed with oars on the side. To prevent a water leak, there was leather slots for the oars on either side, and this submarine was driven multiple times by the inventor in the Thames River near London at around 12 to 15 feet down. -
First Practical Diving Helmet
The invention of a helmet-hose was made by a French scientist named Sieur Freminet. In this contraption air is moved from just the surface of the helmet to a reservoir within it. Due to a hose that is on the helmet air is available to the diver. This helmet-hose has a consistent air supply being pumped out, and a person is able to stay at a dept of 16 meters for around an hour. -
First Deep Sea Canyon Discovered
The commander of the Coast Survey Steamer Active, James Alden unconvers a submarine in a valley, that was in the center of Monterey Bay just off the coast of California. This is the first discovery of a deep sea canyon, which is commonly named Monterey Canyon. This discovery goes from 95 miles into the Pacific and reaches a depth of 11,800 feet. -
Voyage of the H.M.S. Challenger
The H.M.S. Challenger began a four-year sail around the world to further look into Charles Darwin’s work. During this trip scientists tested the density, temperature, and salinity levels of the seawater. Ocean current, meteorology, and sediment data is recorded, also the crew uncovers lots of unknown species and mountain chains. All of these discoveries and information is further formed into a report known as The Challenger Report. -
Live Coelacanth Discovered
By the coast of South Africa fishermen pull out a five-foot long fish. It was said to be a coelacanth, or what to be thought of as a fossil that has been living since dinosaur days. After that event, there have been a lot of uncovered coelacanth by South Africa waters. -
Deepest Ocean Point Found
The sea’s deepest point can be seen by a British ship. This ship is the Challenger II and it also directs sound waves off of the ocean floor. It is seven miles down, and is commonly known as the Challenger Deep. Today it is named the Marianas Trench, and can be found off of the coast of the Marianas Islands in the Pacific Ocean. The summit of Mount Everest would lie around a mile below the ocean surface, if it was possible to place it there. -
Deepest Dive in Dive Suit
There was a new record set by Doctor Sylvia Earle, by walking unassisted at a depth of 1,250 feet. She was using a new suit that was known as the JIM suit. For two and a half hours Dr. Earle explored deep into the coast of Oahu, Hawaii, with only a communication system connected to her submersible. -
First Video of Giant Squid
There was the first ever videoing of a humongous squid in his natural habitat, this was by a Japanese expedition film crew. Before this the only insight on this animal was if it was caught in a fishing net, or washed ashore. In the video the squid was only 9 feet, big squid can grow all the way up to 60 feet long.
