Deepwater Diving Pioneers Honored in the Harbor

On a sunny Spring Friday afternoon, the Santa Barbara community gathered to celebrate a powerful moment in maritime history – the unveiling of the Deepwater Diving Monument located at the entrance of the harbor. The 10-foot bronze statue of a diver is a tribute to the pioneering commercial divers whose innovations helped shape the modern underwater world. The large crowd that surrounded the statue just a few steps from the Santa Barbara’s Maritime Museum included commercial divers, historians, donors, and members of the community. Representing the City was Mayor Randy Rowse, who assisted in the unveiling, along with the project’s co-chairs (and former Historical Diving Society Presidents and divers), Don Barthelmess and Leslie Leaney, the sculptor Greg Polutanovich, and Greg Gorga, Executive Director of the Maritime Museum. 

“Together we have created something truly remarkable – a monument that celebrates a defining moment in our nation’s diving history and recognizes the ingenuity, courage and dedication of all those who have contributed to the evolution of deep-water diving,” noted co-chair Leaney. The monument serves to recognize Santa Barbara as the historical birthplace of deepwater commercial diving by an eight-foot-tall figure of a commercial diver mounted on a two-foot-high granite-clad base. The statue is a tribute to local divers who, during the 1960s, developed and expanded international deep-water diving. 

California’s rich diving history is indeed worthy of recognition. “It was not just about exotic mixed gas and new equipment, but about an entire generation of American entrepreneurs who shared a vision. Many of us here today stood on their shoulders in our own diving careers. They set the example for us to follow,” stated co-chair Barthelmess during the unveiling. “To these pioneers, the deep sea was not a mystery, but a realm to be understood.” He specifically noted that the introduction of heliox by these pioneering divers – a combination of helium and oxygen – exploded into a worldwide diving phenomenon, completely upending previous underwater technology. 

In November of 1962, an event occurred that shattered the limits of deepwater diving. This transformation was ignited by a historic 400-foot dive off Santa Cruz Island by Hugh “Dan” Wilson, a depth thought to be humanly impossible for diving or exploration. Conducted in secrecy, Wilson’s groundbreaking achievement, aided by mixed gas, launched what became known as the “Santa Barbara Helium Rush” that transformed deep water diving around the world. History shows that the operations and equipment developed by Santa Barbara divers during this period revolutionized the international diving industry. Speaking of Santa Barbara’s contribution to diving technology, Barthelmess stated, “It turned a very dangerous endeavor into a science of precision and possibility that exists in modern global society today.”

Leaney and (retired head of Santa Barbara City College’s Marine Diving Technology program) Barthelmess began their journey by forming a committee consisting of Association of Diving Contractors Executive Director Phil Newsum, Aqueos CEO Ted Roche, Mike Morgan from Kirby Morgan Dive Systems, fundraiser Carol Kallman, and Greg Gorga, Executive Director of the Maritime Museum. An initial step included the arduous task of obtaining permits through the city’s various portals. The team was extremely fortunate to garner the early support of Mike Wiltshire, Director of the Waterfront, a critical player in moving the project through the system and selecting, and approving, the site. The project was completed with the help of artisans, workers, donors, the city of Santa Barbara and the Maritime Museum. 

“Today, as we unveil this monument, we honor those trailblazers … their courage, ingenuity and restless pursuit of the unknown are forever etched into the fabric of Santa Barbara’s history,” stated Barthelmess, speaking to the crowd. “This monument is not just a tribute to the past but a symbol of what we continue to achieve.” In the spirit of giving for which Santa Barbara is known, the monument is a gift to the community from the committee and its co-chairs.

At the conclusion of the program, donors and invited guests made their way to the Maritime Museum to further celebrate this massive undertaking, a piece of public art to acknowledge the importance of the diving industry so closely interconnected with the city of Santa Barbara.