Diving Records: Where bravery meets depth, and endurance challenges boundaries.
Join us on an underwater adventure as we dive into some of the most incredible diving records ever set.
From unexplored deep-sea trenches to amazing displays of endurance, these records showcase moments when divers pushed past the limits and made history.
Let’s explore the epic achievements that have taken humans to the ocean’s deepest and most fascinating places, redefining what’s possible in this thrilling sport.
How many types of diving records exist?
There are different types of diving records. The first one we usually think of is the deepest dive.
However, there are many others as well. Interesting!
Some of them are divided into female and male category.
Others are divided depending on the type of equipment used and some depend on the age of the participant.
Obviously, most of the records require exceptional skill but there are also some that are extremely curious and that probably no one had tried before.
The truth is that there are a large number of categories and more will continue to appear over time.
The deepest dive made with diving equipment: Ahmed Gabr
Ahmed Gabr made the deepest dive with scuba gear on September 18, 2014 at a depth of 332 meters or 1090 feet.
During an interview, Ahmed shared that he was curious about how deep a person could dive. He searched for answers in books and on the internet, but nothing seemed to satisfy his curiosity. So, he decided to find out for himself.
You can see the full interview at the following link:
Video- Ahmed Gabr’s record breaking deep dive (332m)
Of course, this was no easy task. It took him over four years of preparation for a dive that required only 15 minutes to descend but more than 13 hours to safely ascend to the surface.
In diving, the real challenge isn’t going down—it’s coming back up. The enormous pressure divers experience requires a slow ascent to allow gases to escape from the body safely, preventing the formation of dangerous bubbles.
Ahmed achieved this incredible feat thanks to his extensive training and exceptional physical condition as a diver.
One remarkable detail is that during a significant part of his dive, he was surrounded by majestic oceanic whitetip sharks (Carcharhinus longimanus), which, according to him, “came to congratulate him” on his achievement.
The previous depth record had been set by South African diver Nuno Gómez at an impressive 318 meters (1,043 feet).
During this same dive, Ahmed Gabr broke two records: the deepest sea dive and the deepest dive in the male category.
The longest dive in the sea male category: Cem Karabay “longest open-water scuba dive”
The Turkish diver Cem Karabay broke this record on July 20, 2016 and took a time of 142 hours, 42 minutes and 42 seconds.
This new Guinness World Record was set in Girne, Cyprus on the Mediterranean Sea and was made to commemorate the Turkish invasion of Cyprus in 1974.
After being asked how deep a diver can go, the next logical question is for how long.
Our friend Cem Karabay, known as “the aquatic man,” answered this question on different occasions as he has beaten his own record several times: in 2009, 2011, 2015.
To be able to stay underwater for almost 6 days you must not only be in excellent physical condition but also mental condition.
You need patience, a lot of it! To achieve this, Karabay kept himself busy playing backgammon, riding a stationary bike and even playing soccer with his team. He also received food and some massages to keep his body working properly.
He also managed to sleep for several hours every day.
During 2011 Karabay also broke a record for “longest scuba dive in a controlled environment” when he spent 192 hours in a pool in Istanbul. If there is one thing we can be sure of, it is that he had a lot of patience to stay underwater.
You can see the video of the 4th Guinness World record of him at the following link:
The longest dive in the sea female category: Cristi Quill
A major accomplishment for Cristi was her Longest Open Saltwater SCUBA dive achievement (female).
San Diego California diver Cristi Quill broke this record on July 11, 2015 by spending 51 hours and 25 minutes at a depth of 20 feet.
Cristi became a diver at a young age, and being underwater was always one of her favorite activities.
The idea of breaking the record came to her during a conversation with her sister about how to best honor the memory of their mother, who had recently lost her battle with cancer.
Her brothers suggested participating in a marathon to raise funds for cancer research.
But that wasn’t enough for Cristi! She replied, “I’m a diver, I dive—I don’t walk.”
After researching the topic, she realized that no woman had set this record. That’s when she decided to be the first.
Filled with emotion, she formed her “amazing team” with a group of friends.
After six months of intense training, she achieved her goal—not only to honor her mother, but also to take another step toward gender equality.
At the same time, she raised $4,500, which was donated to cancer research.
You can see the video of Cristi’s dive at the following link:
Video- Longest Open Saltwater Scuba dive (female) Guinness World Records
The underwater bike ride. The Deepest and Longest / Vittorio Innocente
On July 21, 2008, Vittorio Innocente, at 68 years of age, broke his own Guinness record for underwater bicycle riding and achieved it at a depth of 66 meters.
This took place in Liguria, Italy on the Mediterranean Sea.
At the beginning of this article, we mentioned that there are different categories or ways to break a record and this is undoubtedly one of the most original.
Vittorio has broken two different underwater bicycle records: One is for the deepest and the other for the longest ride, which was 1,200 meters
In order to stay at the bottom of the ocean our friend attached 35 kilos of ballast to his bike and filled his tires with water instead of air.
With his feat Innocente tried to raise funds for the fight against cancer, however, he also tried something very interesting: some bicycles are truly all-terrain!
The oldest diver in the world / Bill Lambert
We have always said that diving is for all ages and it has been for this diver since the age of 10. Thanks to Bill Lambert we know for sure that, even at 100 years of age, it is possible to continue enjoying this beautiful activity.
On September 7, 2020, Bill dove into Pearl Lake in Illinois, United States at a depth of 12 meters achieving a bottom time of 27 minutes.
The previous record was held by Wallace Raymond Woolley, who dived to 42 meters in 2019.
A fascinating detail about Lambert’s record is that he learned to dive at the age of 98 during a vacation in Cozumel.
When asked what advice he would give to others in the world of diving, Lambert said, “They should try it. If they like it, pursue it.”
This is a record that many divers might want to try to achieve.
As expected, this record generated expectation and beautiful news that you can see at the following link:
Video-100 year old sccuba diver
It is important to emphasize that to be officially a dive, it must last for a period of at least 20 minutes. Both to break a Guinness record and to obtain your scuba certification.
The longest dive with a single tank / Jacobus Jacobs
One of the most frequently asked questions we hear from divers is how long can you stay underwater.
Of course, there is no answer to that question since it depends not only on how fast the diver breathes but on other factors such as the depth to which you want to go as well as the amount of air that the cylinder contains.
On January 27, 2007, Jacobus Jacobs spent 8 hours 20 minutes and 38 seconds underwater breathing from a single cylinder filled with compressed air.
The cylinder size was 12 liters, the same as that used in most diving operations in the Americas.
It is important to remember that for a dive to count as such, it must be at least 5 meters deep.
The person who endured the longest time without breathing underwater / Budimir Šobat
Another of the most common questions that divers receive is: How long can you hold your breath underwater?
The reality is that the most important rule of SCUBA diving is to NEVER hold your breath but if you are a free diver things change.
A person can usually hold their breath for a minute or maybe two with some effort. With training it is easy to reach 4 or 5 minutes
.Budimir Šobat is something that exceeds the capabilities of the common man as he held his breath for a period of 24 minutes and 37 seconds.
Think of all the things you could do in that time—watch an entire TV show, or even drive from one city to another.
Now, imagine doing it without breathing. Incredible, but true.
Budimir did this for two reasons: the first was to raise funds for the reconstruction of the “Miracle Room” at the Sisak Disabled People’s Association.
The second? Because he’s the only one who could.
It might interest you: Ice swimmer breaks two world records crossing the world’s most dangerous waters
The person who dived from the highest place on earth / Marcel Korkus
Diving at a high altitude requires a lot of experience, preparation and special knowledge since the physics is very different from that applied at sea level.
Marcel Korkus reached this record in Ojos del Salado, Argentina on December 13, 2019 at an altitude of 6,395 meters or 20,980 ft.
Being at that altitude already constitutes a challenge for most human beings requiring a lot of physical and mental strength.
Now imagine diving in freezing water in such a harsh environment.
Altitude diving requires training and physical preparation well above normal.
To give you a better idea, it is only necessary to add that the safe diving limit is 3000 meters high and that above this is wha we know as experimental diving, so Marcel practically doubled the established limit.
FAQ: Best World Diving Records
What are some of the most impressive scuba diving records?
Some of the most remarkable records include Ahmed Gabr’s dive to an astonishing depth of 332.35 meters in the Red Sea and Sean McGahern’s incredible endurance, spending almost 50 hours underwater in saltwater. Another standout is the massive underwater cleanup event in Florida, with over 600 divers working together.
Which diving spot is considered the most challenging?
The Blue Hole in Dahab, Egypt, is infamous for its extreme depth and unpredictable currents. It’s not just a favorite for thrill-seekers but also a place where many deep-diving records have been set.
Who holds the record for the longest time spent underwater?
Sean McGahern from Malta holds the record for the longest open saltwater dive, staying submerged for nearly 50 hours back in 2013.
Have there been any records involving large groups of divers?
Absolutely! In 2009, Indonesia set the Guinness World Record for the largest simultaneous scuba dive, with an incredible 2,486 divers exploring the ocean together.
How do divers stay safe during record-breaking dives?
Safety is a top priority. These dives involve detailed planning, thorough health checks, reliable backup equipment, safety divers on standby, and well-prepared emergency protocols to handle any risks.
Diving World Records: Conclusion
As we know for sure by now, there are different categories in which a diving record can be established.
In many cases, those who have achieved these achievements have done so for a strong motivation, such as raising funds for a charity or paying tribute to a relative who has already passed away.
It is interesting to think that the right motivations in life can take us far and push us to do things that others see as just plain crazy.
Maybe you too have a deep motivation that will make you break a world record one day and we will happily put your name on this article in the future. It will be a real pleasure.
If you would like to learn to scbuda dive, today is a great day to start! Click here to find out!
See also: Guinness World Records
