Captain Cousteau Jacques-Yves Cousteau was born on June 11, 1910, in France and is most famous for exploring the world’s oceans. As a young man in his 20’s he went swimming underwater with goggles. It was the beginning of his long and devoted relationship and tireless efforts to explore and protect the world’s oceans. Seeking a way to explore underwater longer and more freely, he developed, with engineer Emile Gagnan, the Self-Contained Underwater Breathing Apparatus, or SCUBA, in 1943. This opened up the ‘wild blue yonder’ to all men. Cousteau, along with 2 naval officers, became known as the mousquemers (musketeers of the sea) as they carried out diving experiments in the sea and laboratory. Using a boat called Calypso, and equipped with instruments for diving and scientific research they explored the seas and rivers of the world for the next four decades. Realising that it would take an organised effort to protect the planet, in 1974, Cousteau created The Cousteau Society, a not-for-profit, membership group. He launched a worldwide petition campaign in 1990 to save Antarctica from mineral exploitation. He was successful, the pristine continent having been protected for the last 50 years. The global reach of his influence was evident when, in 1992, the Captain received an official invitation to participate in the UN Conference on Development and the Environment held in Rio de Janeiro. Captain Cousteau died on June 25, 1997, at the age of 87. His fight for protection of the world’s oceans and his wonder for such breathtaking ecosystems is an inspiration to all.
Posted on: Thu, 19 Jun 2014 01:08:47 +0000
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