So, hypothetical, where in the seven seas would make a great site for such an artificial reef? And why?
French shipyard threatens to sell THE Calypso
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nowhere.... she's wood hulled, and thus a real finite life as such. Then again, some cold deep fresh water...... nah, just can't see it as a just ending...
My first thoughts was Key Largo. Make an association with the Dive Museum. And with the high diving traffic that Largo gets she would get a lot of exposure. But I did not know she was wooden...warm water wouldn't work too long.
Although the history of Calypso (RV Calypso - Wikipedia, the free encyclopedia) is interesting, to have its final chapter be composed of arguments, dysfunction, and growing irrelevance is ironically a tribute to the entire Cousteau family after his death.... 
Bob DBF
Contributor
True, but you can't charge an admission fee to an artificial reef. The most cost-effective solution is probably to move her where she can be put on blocks (out of the water). She would not have to be made or maintained water-tight, moving her inland away from salt water would save a lot of money, and the real estate costs are less.
Edit: Sad to say it, but if she doesn't float she will probably be scrapped in place at a loss just to get the space back. Not much value in the wood.
The Calypso weighs a lot less than U-505 on display at the Museum of Science and Industry in Chicago.
Museum of Science and Industry | The Exhibit
Call your U-505 and raise you a AGSS-569.
Museum at Albacore Park Portsmouth, NH
and
SS-244 and DE-238
Seawolf Park Galveston,TX after Hurricane Ike.
There are a lot of Museums with larger ships out of the water, it is all a mater of desire, work and of course money. Considering the lack of interest up to this point, I don't hold out much hope for it being saved.
Bob
-------------------------------------
There is no problem that can't be solved with a liberal application of sex, tequila, money, duct tape, or high explosives, not necessarily in that order.
The ship that became the Calypso was built as a minesweeper in Seattle and lend-leased to the UK during WWII and served as a passenger ferry between Malta and Gozzo after the war. For some strange reason I enjoy re-reading her story in Chapter Two, La Calypso, in Cousteau’s book The Living Sea. The original plan was to have a much smaller vessel built, in the 75' range. Calypso is 140' and 360 tons.
I got to visit her in San Diego in 1969, my last year of high school. She was in a local shipyard. It was a Saturday so not many people were around to ask what I was doing here. I just walked up and asked if I could come aboard and look around. None other than André Laban essentially said sure kid… I was too stunned to remember his exact words. I climbed down in the observation chamber at the bow, visited the engine room, wheelhouse, aft hold, and solon. I could hardly believe it. It seems like I knew every inch (OK, millimeter) of her from obsessing over photos and documentaries for years.
The two one-man submersibles, the Sea Fleas, were ashore in a workshop and I spent about an hour studying them and taking pictures but didn’t go inside. I don’t remember anyone saying a word to me.
Calypso is well over 70 years old now and made of wood. I suspect the refit and maintenance costs to resume her old roll would be far more than replacing her with a much newer and efficient vessel.
I got to visit her in San Diego in 1969, my last year of high school. She was in a local shipyard. It was a Saturday so not many people were around to ask what I was doing here. I just walked up and asked if I could come aboard and look around. None other than André Laban essentially said sure kid… I was too stunned to remember his exact words. I climbed down in the observation chamber at the bow, visited the engine room, wheelhouse, aft hold, and solon. I could hardly believe it. It seems like I knew every inch (OK, millimeter) of her from obsessing over photos and documentaries for years.
The two one-man submersibles, the Sea Fleas, were ashore in a workshop and I spent about an hour studying them and taking pictures but didn’t go inside. I don’t remember anyone saying a word to me.
Calypso is well over 70 years old now and made of wood. I suspect the refit and maintenance costs to resume her old roll would be far more than replacing her with a much newer and efficient vessel.
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As far as I have read in french scubaforum, the hull is virtually destroyed. So apparently no way to bring her any place by sea. So I think that, sadly enough, she will end up as scrap and a few artefacts saved for a museum. Sad ending
SubAquatix
Contributor
Well, It's not like wood hulls totally disappear after a hundred years. We have one or two here on the NC coast still good for a visit. I'd vote for the Sanary France, myself. Seems a fitting home should be close to home in the first place!
From a French point of view :
- Calypso's long dead and gone since the wreckage in Singapore harbour
- too much bad blood between the shipyard and the Cousteau Society
- Cousteau Society is a mere ghost now, you can hear it but not see it nor its actions
- the myth is gone : only old timers still remmember Cousteau and Calypso here
- twice money was raised to mend Calypso and people were never really kept informed of the use made of it
A very sad ending for that ship. Really makes feel like puking. Sorry for speaking rough and trash, but I was brought up in front of a TV in the 70's with Cousteau TV shows running in a loop, I took up diving because of them, so I really feel like they're flushing part of my childhood down the drain, that's not a pretty feeling.
My 2 cents, raise money one last time to settle the debt and bury Calypso at sea, in the Med and let her rest in peace at last.
- Calypso's long dead and gone since the wreckage in Singapore harbour
- too much bad blood between the shipyard and the Cousteau Society
- Cousteau Society is a mere ghost now, you can hear it but not see it nor its actions
- the myth is gone : only old timers still remmember Cousteau and Calypso here
- twice money was raised to mend Calypso and people were never really kept informed of the use made of it
A very sad ending for that ship. Really makes feel like puking. Sorry for speaking rough and trash, but I was brought up in front of a TV in the 70's with Cousteau TV shows running in a loop, I took up diving because of them, so I really feel like they're flushing part of my childhood down the drain, that's not a pretty feeling.
My 2 cents, raise money one last time to settle the debt and bury Calypso at sea, in the Med and let her rest in peace at last.
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