The underwater world is a fascinating and mysterious place, full of incredible creatures and stunning natural features. And for many people, pushing the limits of what’s possible underwater is a thrilling challenge. From diving deeper than anyone has gone before to swimming longer distances or holding their breath for incredible amounts of time, the pursuit of underwater world records has captivated adventurers and athletes for decades.
In this blog post, we’ll explore some of the most impressive and awe-inspiring underwater world records ever achieved. Let’s dive in and take a closer look at the people who have dedicated their lives to exploring the depths.
Longest Distance Swam Underwater With One Breath Using Fins (Open Water, Male)
The newest male record for the longest underwater swim on one breath using fins was set by Danish freediver Stig Severinsen. Severinsen swam 202 meters (662.73 feet) underwater on a single breath in La Paz, Baja California Sur, Mexico. Stig’s effort surpassed the previous record by an impressive 25 meters (82 feet), which was set by Carlos Coste (Venezuela) on the 9 September, 2016.
Stig wanted to attempt this record to inspire children and to raise awareness to protect our ocean, including the wildlife that lives there.
Longest Distance Swam Underwater With One Breath Using Fins (Open Water, Female)
Veronika Kravtcova, from Russia, currently holds the world record for the longest underwater swim on one breath using fins (female). She swam a total of 160 meters (524 feet) underwater in Porto Koufo, Halkidiki, Greece, on 3 September, 2017.
Longest Time Breath Held Voluntarily (Static, Male)
A 56-year-old freediver, Budimir Šobat, holds the world record for longest breath hold (male). Šobat held his breath for a staggering 24 minutes 37.36 seconds, lying face down in a swimming pool. He surpassed the previous world record by 34 seconds, which is a long time when you’re not breathing!
Longest Time Breath Held Voluntarily (Static, Female)
Professional freediver, Karoline Mariechen Meyer, holds the world record for longest breath hold (female). This record took place at the Racer Academy swimming pool in Florianopolis, Brazil. Karoline trained for four months and ended up holding her breath for a total of 18 minutes 32.59 seconds.
Deepest Pool in the World
The deepest pool in the world is Deep Dive Dubai. With an amazing depth of 60 meters (196 feet), the pool has stolen the record from Poland’s Deepspot, which has a depth of over 45 meters (148 feet). Deep Dive Dubai is filled with 14 million liters of freshwater, and the temperature of the water is maintained at 30ºC (86ºF). This pool is an underwater dream, allowing divers to enjoy different habitats and practice their skills. Be sure to check out the video above to see all of unbelievable features this pool has!
Deepest Scuba Dive (Male)
PADI® Instructor Ahmed Gabr holds the world record for deepest scuba dive. Gabr trained for four years before the attempt, which culminated in a dive to 332.35 meters (1090 feet). “I wanted to satisfy my curiosity of how deep the human body can go, I was researching in books and on the internet but still never had the absolute answer so I figured out the best way to find the answer is to try it myself,” said Gabr.
The descent took 14 minutes, but Gabr’s return trip took just under 14 hours. He added, “I had a baby oceanic white tip shark as company for 6 hours. I think he wanted to say congratulations.”
The previous world record was set in 2005 when Nuno Gomes of South Africa dove to 318.21 meters (1044 feet).
Deepest Scuba Dive (Female)
Karen Van Den Oever holds the world record for deepest scuba dive (female). Van Den Oever dove to 246.56 meters (809 feet) in Boesmansgat Cave, Northern Cape, South Africa, on 27 October, 2022. This exceeded the previous women’s deep diving record of 221 meters (725 feet) set by Verna Van Schaik in 2004.
The duration of the dive lasted 8 hours and 11 minutes of which 14 minutes and 50 seconds were spent descending.
Longest Underwater Live Broadcast
On 16 October, 2023, Ripley’s Aquarium of Canada broke the world record for the longest underwater live broadcast. The broadcast took place at the aquarium in Toronto, Canada, and concluded after 5 hours, 44 minutes, and 30 seconds, successfully breaking the previous record by just 20 minutes.
Scuba Diving in the Most Countries
PADI Pro Karin Sinniger dove her way into the record books in February 2013 alongside an ocean-swimming elephant. Her underwater experience took place in India, the 115th country where she had logged a dive, making her the world-record holder for scuba diving in the most countries. As of 2023, her total country count stands at 118 UN-recognized nations.
Most Days Living Underwater
Joseph Dituri, a University of South Florida professor and retired US naval officer, broke the world record for living in a fixed underwater habitat in 2023 after spending 100 days underwater in the Jules’ Undersea Lodge – a facility anchored at 30ft (10m) off the coast of Key Largo, Florida, USA. Dituri embarked on this mammoth underwater mission as part of Project Neptune 100. The unique project focused on understanding the human physiological and psychological effects of compression while drawing attention to marine conservation.
Longest Chain of Divers in North America
Dixie Divers, a PADI Five Star IDC Center, holds the North American record for the longest underwater chain of scuba divers. They went well beyond the their own previous world record with 386 scuba divers in 2018!
Dixie Divers’ passion for attempting Guinness World Record titles is evident, and it brings together both the local and global dive community. This is truly an outstanding accomplishment for the entire industry, and we are thrilled for all those who contributed to this success.
Oldest Scuba Diving Club
Where do you think you can find the oldest scuba diving club in the world? Look no further than the Groupe Pêche et d’Etudes Sous-marines (GPES) in France. Founded on 24 June, 1941 in La Ciotat, France, this club has been introducing divers to life under the waves for over 80 years! In 2024, the club will be an incredible 82 years old.
Oldest Married Couple to Scuba Dive – Aggregate Age
For many divers, once they uncover the magic of diving, they dream of diving every day that they can. That’s exactly what Grace and Philip Hampton have done. They have spent countless years exploring the depths of the ocean together. From the shimmering waters of Turks and Caicos to the mesmerizing coral reefs of Belize, they have travelled across the globe in pursuit of their passion for diving. Back in 2017, the couple broke a diving record as the oldest diving couple in the world. Totaling 171 years and 329 days between them, the dynamic duo dove into the waters of the Cayman Islands to break the diving record.
Highest Altitude Scuba Dive
On 13 December, 2019, the world record for the highest altitude scuba dive was broken by Polish diver Marcel Korkus at Ojos del Salado in Argentina. The dive happened 6,395 meters (20,981 feet) above sea level in a permanent crater lake on the Argentina-Chile border. Ojos del Salado, where the dive took place, is an active volcano that is part of the Andes in South America. How cool is that?!
Extend Your Personal Records
To extend your personal records for depth or time spent underwater, contact your local PADI Dive Center or Resort and ask about the Deep Diver and Enriched Air Diver Specialty courses. If you’re keen to break Karin Singer’s record for scuba diving in 100+ countries, check out PADI Travel to book your next adventure.