There are several iconic names in diving, known for making the sport what it is today and shaping the way that people dive and think about diving in today’s world. There are a number of notable inventions, discoveries and events that have been huge milestones in the world of diving. Some of the biggest names in diving include:

• Victor Berge; Victor was one of the pioneers of diving and was around when the diving first emerged as a past time. For Victor, diving was his life for forty years. He spent and dedicated his life to exploring the sea. He even wrote two different books about his life.
• James F. Cahill; was the first person to dive in the waters of New England and is the one named the one who introduced divers to the United States
• Gary Gentile; Gary is a notable wreck diver and has some of the most vast and thorough experience, having explored some of the most famous and difficult wrecks including being the first diver to get into the dining room of the SS Andrea.
• Hans Hass; Hans passed away in 2013 but spent his life dedicated to the world of diving and deep sea exploration. He was born in Austria and is known to be one of the first to make coral reefs a mainstream and something worth exploring for other divers all over the world. Hans was a leader and an advocate for environmental protection, especially when it came to protecting marine life.
• Edward Lee Spence; is a German born diver known best as more of an underwater archeologist. He focused his study and research on shipwrecks as well as treasure underwater. His studies and research led him to write and to contribute to several non-fiction books and textbooks used as reference for studies all over the world. He also edits and contributes to a number of magazines and other publications about diving. He works closely with several educational institutions.
• Teseo Tesei; born in 199, this Italian diver is known to be the inventor of the human torpedo. He invented this after and during his time as a Naval Engineer. He was part of the Italian Navy and even volunteered with the Spanish Civil War.