Scuba is an acronym that stands for self-contained underwater breathing apparatus, and it refers to the equipment and techniques used to dive safely and explore ocean life. Diving is a popular recreational activity that can be very rewarding when done safely and responsibly. Diving requires some level of training and knowledge, though many recreational scuba divers only need to earn an entry-level open water certification. Divers can continue to pursue more advanced diving certifications and take on new challenges such as deep dives, technical diving, free-diving and cave diving.

Divers are constantly pushing the limits of scuba technology, and there is always a new adventure to be had. The scuba industry continues to grow as new dive magazines emerge, liveaboards sail the seas and new scuba divers are certified every year. In the future, we will see further advances in scuba gear that will allow people to dive even deeper, stay underwater for longer periods of time and experience the magic of exploring the wonders of the underwater world.

There are four’mini-histories’ in mankind’s fascination with the ocean; each corresponds to one of the four separate methods of diving that have been developed. These include breath-holding diving, surface-supplied compressed air diving (scuba), caissons and underwater habitats for saturation diving, and deep rebreather systems. In the latter, carbon dioxide is absorbed and oxygen added so that exhaled air can be re-breathed, thus eliminating bubbles. This system was initially developed for military use as it could allow for far longer bottom times than pure compressed air diving.