Records

Last updated: May 1, 2020 at 14:45 pm

The records chapter showcases over 650 outstanding underwater feats and firsts by humans, machines and animals. If you are looking for the world’s deepest scuba diver, freediver, fish or submersible, they’re all here.

The people, animals and machines pictured in the preceding banner are all record holders. If you can’t name them all, click here to read their profiles.

—
RECORD VERIFICATION: We welcome the scrutiny of fellow divers and readers. Although every attempt was made to verify the authenticity of the preceding information, some of the content may nonetheless be incorrect. If you can demonstrate that any of the information posted on this website is false or outdated, please send your revision(s) via the record submission page.

RECORD CERTIFICATION: The Diving Almanac does not supervise nor support record attempts that pose a significant risk to participants, nor do we encourage anyone to make any such attempt. Our mission is solely to document existing records that are either supported by evidence verified by our Keeper of Records, or that have been certified by another governing body.

NEW OR UNLISTED RECORD(S): If you have claim to a diving or underwater record or first, or if you know of a record not listed here, fill in the form on the record submission page to get your record published in the next update of the Diving Almanac and Book of Records.

First to dive the Five Deeps

By Jeffrey Gallant

Victor Vescovo was the first human to dive to the deepest point in each of the Earth's oceans using the deep submergence vehicle [...]

Deepest submersible dive (Solo | Men)

By Jeffrey Gallant

10,925 m (35,843 ft) — Victor Vescovo (USA) aboard the DSV Limiting Factor (Triton 36000/2 model submersible) | Five Deeps Expedition, April 28, 2019 [...]

Deepest fish (Observed)

By Jeffrey Gallant

The Swire's snailfish (Pseudoliparis swirei) was captured on video at the depth of 8,178 m (26,831 ft) in 2017. This species, more commonly referred to as the Mariana snailfish [...]

Deepest diving submersible (In service)

By Jeffrey Gallant

The DSV Limiting Factor dived four times to the bottom of the Challenger Deep in April-May 2019, including the deepest dive ever made by a submersible [...]

Deepest dive by a head of state

By Jeffrey Gallant

5,109 m (16,762 ft) — HSH Prince Albert II accompanied Victor Vescovo to the deepest point of the Mediterranean Sea, the Calypso Deep, on [...]

Deepest watch (Prototype)

By Jeffrey Gallant

10,925 m (35,843 ft) — Omega Seamaster Planet Ocean Ultra Deep Professional. Two of the Omega timepieces were strapped to the manipulator [...]

Deepest point in Earth’s oceans

By Jeffrey Gallant

10,994 m (36,070 ft) — The Challenger Deep, located in the Mariana Trench, 250 miles (400 km) southwest of Guam in the Pacific Ocean, is the deepest [...]

Deepest submersible dive (Ocean)

By Jeffrey Gallant

10,925 m (35,843 ft) — Victor Vescovo (USA) aboard the DSV Limiting Factor (Triton 36000/2 model submersible) | April 28, 2019 | Challenger Deep [...]

Oldest diver (Men)

By Jeffrey Gallant

99 — William Lambert (USA) celebrated his 99th anniversary with a birthday dive in Pearl Lake, Illinois, on September 5, 2019. He remained at the depth of 9.7 m (32 ft) for 20 minutes [...]

Fastest drift dive

By Jeffrey Gallant

17.68 knots (32.74 km/h / 20.34 mph) — Sechelt Rapids (Skookumchuck Narrows), British Columbia, Canada. It is estimated that for a 3.6 m (12 ft) tide, 757 billion litres of seawater flow [...]

Largest jellyfish

By Jeffrey Gallant

Lion’s mane jellyfish (Cyanea capillata) — The largest individuals have a bell diameter of 2.3 m (7.5 ft) with over 800 tentacles; some reaching lengths of 37 m (120 ft). Despite its [...]

Deepest octopus

By Jeffrey Gallant

Dumbo octopus (Grimpoteuthis) — 6957 m (22,825 ft), Java Trench (Indian Ocean). The octopus was remotely observed using an autonomous baited camera and trap lander in [...]

First documented case of hydrogen psychosis

By Jeffrey Gallant

Capt Steve Zissou suffered from the debilitating effects of Crazy Eye after witnessing the demise of his diving companion and partner, Esteban du Plantier [...]

Clearest water

By Jeffrey Gallant

80 m (262 ft) or the approximate visibility of distilled water. A few locations are claimed to equal the visibility of distilled water, including the Weddell Sea (Antarctica), New Zealand’s [...]

First underwater colony

By Jeffrey Gallant

1963 — Conshelf II (France). Seven divers lived underwater off Sha’ab Rumi (Sudan) in the Red Sea for one month under the supervision of Jacques-Yves Cousteau. The colony [...]

Most fin patents

By Jeffrey Gallant

Bob Evans (USA) — Since 1971, he has patented 33 revolutionary fin designs including the Force Fin Tan Delta (polyurethane) which is part of the permanent collections of the New York [...]

Largest glacier calving ever filmed

By Jeffrey Gallant

The largest glacier calving event ever recorded took place on May 28, 2008, when Adam LeWinter and Director Jeff Orlowski were filming the Ilulissat Glacier [...]

First aquanaut (Men)

By Jeffrey Gallant

1962 — Robert Sténuit | Man-in-the-Sea I project by Edwin A. Link. Sténuit spent 24 hours and 15 minutes in a submersible decompression chamber (SDC) at a depth of 61 m (200 ft) [...]

Longest migration (Shark)

By Jeffrey Gallant

20,142 km (12,516 miles) — A whale shark (Rinchodon typus) was tracked by satellite from Panama to the Mariana Trench between April 2012 and [...]

Oldest active scuba club

By Jeffrey Gallant

1938 — Göteborgs Amatördykarklubb (Gothenburg Amateur Diving Club). The club, which was founded on October 22, 1938, began its activities after receiving two Le Prieur [...]