The development of diving from the use of air as a breathing gas to the use of artificial gas mixtures like oxy-helium is discussed in relation to the physiological problems and barriers which have had to be overcome. Stimulated by the need to keep up with the requirements of the oil producers in the North Sea over the last ten years, there has been a period of rapid advance in both the practical and the feasible depth limits to diving. The time has now come for consolidation and perfection of the various techniques used. As for the future, there are some daunting problems to be solved if man is to be required to dive deeper than about 650 m in the North Sea.
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