Ocean Exploration Timeline

By mgntmln24
  • 4500 BCE

    Ocean Diving Begins

    Countries with coastal cultures like Greece and China began diving into the ocean to gather food.
  • 4000 BCE

    First Sailing Vessels

    First Sailing Vessels
    The first sailing vessels were developed by ancient Egyptians. They were most likely only used for sailing in the eastern Mediterranean and near the mouth of the Nile river.
  • 1492

    Voyage of Christopher Columbus

    Voyage of Christopher Columbus
    Spanish explorer Christopher Columbus sets out on his journey across the Atlantic Ocean in search for China and India. Instead, he discovers the Americas.
  • 1578

    First Plans for a Submarine

    William Bourne designs the first known plans for an underwater boat. The plans described a leather-covered, wooden frame that allowed the boat to be rowed from the inside. No evidence was found that this craft was actually built.

  • FIrst Submarine

    FIrst Submarine
    Dutch physician Cornelis Drebbel builds the world's first submarine. It was made of wood and reinforced with iron covered with leather. Oars stick out the sides through tight-fitting leather sleeves that keep water out. Several trips to about 12 to 15 feet were made in this craft.

  • The Nautilus

    Robert Fulton, inventor of the steamboat, builds an early submarine called The Nautilus. It was made of wood over iron plates and used a horizontal rudder to control the up-and-down movements of the submarine. This rudder system is still used today.

  • First Use of Scuba

    William H. James designs scuba, a self-contained underwater breathing apparatus, in which the diver wears a helmet and carries a supply of compressed air in a cast-iron belt. This device allowed a diver to remain underwater for up to an hour.

  • Continental Shelf

    Coast Survey soundings result in the discovery of the continental shelf and the continental slope.

  • Discovery of Deep Sea Life

    The theory of deep sea life is evaluated when Lous. F. de Pourtales of the U.S. Coast Survey examines Coast Survey sounding operations that discovered signs of life in depths of over 6000 feet.

  • TItanic Sinks

    The ship Titanic sinks after striking an iceberg in the North Atlantic Ocean. Over 1500 passengers lost their lives during one of the worst marine disasters in history.

  • Deepest Ocean Point Found

    Deepest Ocean Point Found
    The British ship Challenger II bounces sound waves off the bottom of the ocean and supposedly discovered the sea's deepest point. It is named the Challenger Deep, and it extends nearly 7 miles down. The site today is known as the Mariana Trench.

  • Titanic Found

    Titanic Found
    Using a robotic submarine named Jason, Dr. Robert Ballard discovered the wreck of the Titanic. The wreck was found two and a half miles of water down about 3.75 miles off the coast of Newfoundland in Canada. The ship was found in two separate pieces, destroying all hopes of ever restoring the ship.

  • First Video of Giant Squid

    A film crew of a Japanese expedition captures the first ever footage of a live giant squid in its natural environment. This creature was previously only seen when dead specimens washed ashore or got caught in fishing nets. The squid in the video only measures 9 feet, which is very small for a giant squid, seeing as they can grow to over 60 feet in length.