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This article presents the history of underwater archaeology at Nicolaus Copernicus University in Toruń, focusing on the activities of Andrzej Kola and Gerard Wilke, who received the Lednica Piast Eagle Award in 2024. Their work began in the 1970s, when they obtained their doctoral degrees and first diving qualifications, laying the foundation for a team of professional underwater archaeologists. In 1975 they participated in the exploration of the W-5 Miedziowiec wreck, and in the 1980s they were members of underwater expeditions in Bulgaria and Turkey. In 1976, the training of archaeology students began as part of the Academic Underwater Tourism Club, which evolved into the Academic Underwater Research Circle, now one of the oldest scientific circles at Nicolaus Copernicus University in Toruń. Research at the medieval bridges in Bobięcin became a place where young underwater archaeologists could gain experience. In 1981, the Laboratory of Underwater Archaeology was established, and in 1985 it was transformed into the Department of Underwater Archaeology, headed by Gerard Wilke. During the 1990s, the team maintained contacts with German scientific centres, conducting research on the remains of the Polabian bridges. A key moment came in 1982, when a project to study the underwater cultural heritage of Lake Lednica was launched, resulting in a number of publications and ongoing work to this day. In 1999, Andrzej Pydyn joined the Department of Underwater Archaeology, and after A. Kola’s retirement, he took over the leadership of the team in 2010. In 2015, he became a leader of the Lednica Lake expedition, setting new research directions. At the same time, the team conducted regular underwater prospecting, discovering new sites such as Łodygowo and Nętno. In the 1990s, the team cooperated with researchers from Germany and Lithuania, exploring such sites as Trakai Castle and Lake Płotele. Under the leadership of Andrzej Pydyn, the team also had the opportunity to perform explorations in the Mediterranean Sea. In 2019, as a result of the university’s reorganisation, the Centre for Underwater Archaeology at UMK was established to continue research and cooperation with international research centres