Cousteaus Calypso lies rotting

[Dive Source]

The ship is an icon in the history of diving and it is a shame to see it rotting away, but when I ask myself honestly if I would donate money to preserve it the answer is no.

I would however pay money to see it in a museum and am sure others would as well so maybe there is hope if the legal stuff gets settled.

When I was a kid I watched every Jacques Cousteau and National geographic special that had anything to do with the ocean or diving and it was one of many reasons I started diving.

I know there is controversy about Cousteau as well as admiration, however his impact on the world and the ocean was IMHO a positive thing.

 

[salimbag]

No controversy here. He was brilliant and even though I see myself as practically an "expert" on his life (based on just a personal fanatical interest) every time I dig a little deeper I discover more and more unsung things he did in technology, human rights, and more. He didn't talk about it, he just did it. Certainly one of the most remarkable and influential people in all of human history.

 

[Dive Source]

No controversy here. He was brilliant and even though I see myself as practically an "expert" on his life (based on just a personal fanatical interest) every time I dig a little deeper I discover more and more unsung things he did in technology, human rights, and more. He didn't talk about it, he just did it. Certainly one of the most remarkable and influential people in all of human history.

Are there any websites you reccomend reading?

 

[salimbag]

Sorry, I don't really know of any good websites - not that they're not out there. What I know I got from 35 years of reading every book by and about Cousteau, clipping every magazine article, and studying the TV shows and movies (Aside from being a diver I'm a documentary maker myself, which is one reason my interest is so keen). Most if this predated the web. Best, Salimbag

 

[rjens]

I can think of no better solution than an artificial reef. make her environmentally sound, take her somewhere warm and scuttle her. She would quickly become a "must-dive".

 

[DA Aquamaster]

The wreck would decay fairly quickly in warm salt water. It would be far better to take her some where with fresh cold water like the great lakes or perhaps to the baltic with cold and less salty water. Not that it would survive the trip as anything other than deck cargo.

Really though it would be great to see her restored and if not returned to service at least used as a floating museum.

 

[salimbag]

The Captain's wish, as I understand it,was that she would wind up scuttled. I think your ideas are great.

Despite my dispassionate response above, in reality I secretly would like to see her restored so I could walk the decks and relive the dreams of my youth, when I first read The Living Sea when I was in grade school, a book which, not to be too dramatic, really did change my life. (Now, back to reality, something I've always had a problem with....)

 

[ScubaTexan]

I can think of no better solution than an artificial reef. make her environmentally sound, take her somewhere warm and scuttle her. She would quickly become a "must-dive".

That's the best idea I've heard yet.

 

[H2Andy]

that is a good idea...

 

[DA Aquamaster]

Despite my dispassionate response above, in reality I secretly would like to see her restored so I could walk the decks and relive the dreams of my youth, when I first read The Living Sea when I was in grade school, a book which, not to be too dramatic, really did change my life.

I grew up on a steady diet of Cousteau books, National Geographic articles, television specials and the 12 part "Undersea World of Jacques Cousteau" series. That, along with "Sea Hunt" re-runs was my primary motivation to dive.

I still hunt down old Cousteau books in used book stores and recently found volume 21 of the "Ocean World of Jacques Cousteau" and deals exclusively with Calypso and all her various voyages, refits and configurations. It also includes 23 pages of cross sectional diagrams and a four page fold out with right and left side cut away drawings of the Calypso in her 1978 configuration with aft located helicopter pad, new deckhouse and diving saucer accomodations.

It is a very interesting study of the ship and there would be a great deal of value in preserving it as a museum. It has some unusual and historical features like a pair of large Junkers U-boat compressors and tanks.