A TIMELINE OF
OCEAN EXPLORATION
4000 B.C.
The ancient Egyptians invent the first sea vessels
900 A.D.
The first Vikings begin to explore the oceans using the North Star
1000
Leif Erikson becomes the first Viking to land in North America
1492
The first Vikings begin to explore the oceans using the North StarChristopher Columbus makes his first journey to the Americas and the Carribean Islands
1498
Vasco da Gama is the first European to reach India by sea
1520
Ferdinand Magellan discovers the Strait of Magellan and is the first European to see the Pacific Ocean
1535
Guglielmo de Lorena invented the first true diving bell
1620
Leif Erikson becomes the first Viking to land in North AmericaThe first submarine is built using wood and reinforced with iron and leather
1768
Lt. James Cook sets sail on the Endeavour to explore and map the Pacific Ocean
1790
The U.S. Coast Guard is established
1498
Vasco da Gama is the first European to reach India by sea
1804
Lewis and Clark lead an expedition in search of a water route across the United States
1831
Charles Darwin sets sail on the HMS Beagle
1868
Naturalist Charles W. Thomson discovers sea life as deep as 14,400 feet
1872
The crew of the HMS Challenger discover more than 4,717
new species of marine life
1875
HMS Challenger measures the Mariana Trench to be 26,850 feet deep
1888
Vasco da Gama is the first European to reach India by seaThe French Navy launch Gymnote, the first fully electric submarine
1912
The Titanic sinks after striking an iceberg in the North Atlantic
1943
HMS Challenger measures the Mariana Trench to be 26,850 feet deepJacques Cousteau and Émile Gagnan invent the Aqua-Lung
1951
The British ship, Challenger II, measures the deepest point of the ocean, called the Challenger Deep
1960
Jacques Piccard and Lt. Donald Walsh descend 35,814 feet into the Challenger Deep
1977
Scientists discover new organisms that live off nutrients from hydrothermal vents
1985
Dr. Robert Ballard discovers the wreck of the Titanic off the coast of Canada