Honoring the Birthplace of Deepwater Diving
The Santa Barbara Maritime Museum (SBMM) proudly unveiled the Deepwater Diving Monument—a long-overdue tribute to Santa Barbara’s rich heritage as the birthplace of deepwater diving—during a special ceremony on Saturday, April 5, at 4:30 p.m., next to the Santa Barbara Harbor and SBMM.
The monument depicted a professional diver from 1982, wearing a Kirby Morgan® Superlite® 17 Diving Helmet, a revolutionary design that set the world standard for commercial divers. This iconic figure stood as a symbol of Santa Barbara’s pioneering role in shaping the global diving industry. The project was funded through the sale of Limited Edition, Certified, Fine-Art Bronze Statuettes sculpted by California-based artist Greg Polutanovich, as well ascharitable donations made through SBMM.
In the 1960s, local abalone divers transitioned to deepwater oxy-helium diving, revolutionizing commercial and military diving by enabling safe exploration of much deeper waters. This transformation was sparked by Hugh “Dan” Wilson’s historic 400-foot dive off Santa Cruz Island on November 3, 1962. Conducted in secrecy, Wilson’s groundbreaking achievement—using mixed gas instead of air—launched what became known as the “Santa Barbara Helium Rush.”
Santa Barbara quickly became a hub for innovation in diving technology. Companies like DIVCON, California Divers (Cal Dive), and Oceaneering International emerged, with Santa Barbara Harbor serving as their operational base. These pioneers, along with Santa Barbara-based Kirby Morgan Dive Systems®, whose helmets became the international standard, cemented the city’s global impact on the diving industry.
SBMM Past President and co-chair of the Deepwater Diving Monument Committee, Don Barthelmess, said: “This stunning and highly detailed public-art sculpture will educate both residents and visitors to our city about the importance of commercial diving to society and the substantial infrastructure that began here decades ago. This dream was brought to reality thanks to the support of hundreds of donors and SBMM.”
“This magnificent Monument is a worthy and lasting testament to the ongoing vision and ingenuity of the Santa Barbara diving community, whose revolutionary contributions have been vital to the advancement of international deep-water exploration. An inspirational sculpture for the whole maritime community,” added Leslie Leaney, SBMM Founding Trustee and co-chair of the Deepwater Diving Monument Committee.
The Deepwater Diving Monument now stands as a gift from the local and international diving communities—honoring the visionaries who transformed diving into the sophisticated practice it is today. It serves as a lasting reminder of Santa Barbara’s legacy and enduring influence on the maritime world.
About Santa Barbara Maritime Museum
The Santa Barbara Maritime Museum (SBMM), which is located in the Waterfront Center Building (formerly the Naval Reserve Building), opened its doors to the public in July 2000, with the unique mission to interpret the rich and diverse maritime history of the Santa Barbara Channel. SBMM is an interactive museum – a place where the public can experience maritime culture without leaving the harbor. For more information, visit sbmm.org.
