A professor from Florida who spent 100 days living underwater at a lodge for scuba divers in the Florida Keys resurfaced on Friday, experiencing sunlight for the first time since March 1.
Dr. Joseph Dituri, also known as Dr. Deep Sea, set a new record for the longest continuous underwater habitation without depressurization during his stay at Jules’ Undersea Lodge, located 30 feet (9.14 meters) below the surface in a Key Largo lagoon.
“For 100 days, I’ve been exploring,” Dituri stated. “I’ve been exploring life—both the life within the oceans and the life of future generations.”
In a photograph provided by the Florida Keys News Bureau, Dr. Joseph Dituri, a diving explorer and medical researcher, is seen checking his watch on Friday, June 9, 2023, signaling that it was time to resurface after spending 100 days in the Jules’ Undersea Lodge marine habitat at the bottom of a Key Largo, Fla., lagoon
Another photo provided by the Florida Keys News Bureau shows Dr. Joseph Dituri, basking in the sun on Friday, June 9, 2023, after completing his 100-day underwater mission in the Jules’ Undersea Lodge marine habitat at the bottom of a Key Largo, Fla., lagoon.
Dituri broke the previous record of 73 days, two hours, and 34 minutes, set by two Tennessee professors at the same lodge in 2014. On his 74th day, Guinness World Records officially recognized Dituri as the record holder on its website.
During his nearly three-month underwater stay, Dituri conducted research on how the human body and mind respond to prolonged exposure to extreme pressure and an isolated environment. This research was aimed at benefiting ocean researchers and astronauts in future long-term missions.
“It was never about the record,” Dituri explained. “It was about expanding human tolerance for the underwater world and for an isolated, confined, extreme environment.”
A University of South Florida educator with a doctorate in biomedical engineering and a retired U.S. Naval officer, Dituri performed daily experiments and monitored how his body adapted to the increased pressure over time.
He also engaged with several thousand students from 12 different countries through online meetings, taught a USF course, and hosted more than 60 visitors in the underwater habitat.
“The most rewarding aspect of this experience has been interacting with nearly 5,000 students and inspiring them to care about preserving, protecting, and rejuvenating our marine environment,” Dituri remarked.
In another photo provided by the Florida Keys News Bureau, Dr. Joseph Dituri prepares to leave the Jules’ Undersea Lodge marine habitat on Friday, June 9, 2023, after completing his 100-day stay at the bottom of a Key Largo, Fla., lagoon.
Additionally, another image shows Dr. Joseph Dituri being examined by Dr. Sarah Spelsberg on Friday, June 9, 2023, after his 100-day stay in the Jules’ Undersea Lodge marine habitat at the bottom of a lagoon in Key Largo, Fla.
Dituri shared aspects of his daily life underwater on Instagram. He intends to present his findings from Project Neptune 100 at the World Extreme Medicine Conference in Scotland this November.
