"One protects what one likes and one likes what enchants us" -
Jacques Cousteau
This day in 1910, the Great Jacques Cousteau was born. Congress passed Resolution 518"honoring the life of Jacques-Yves Cousteau, explorer, researcher, and pioneer in the field of marine conservation" on June 8th to celebrate his centennial.
We lost Jacques Cousteau on June 25th, 1997 and nothing has ever been the same.
Highlights of his amazing life:
1940's - Co-invents the aqualung enabling extended underwater exploration
1948 -Explored the wreck Mahdia in Tunisia marking THE FIRST UNDERWATER ARCHEOLOGICAL EXPLORATION
1953 - Published his first book, The Silent World in which he correctly predicts echolocation abilites in dolphins
1956 - Wins the Palme d'Or at Cannes for his film, The Silent World
1957 - Elected Director of the Oceanographical Museum of Monaco
1960 - Successfully stages protest against radioactive waste proposed to being dumped in the Mediterranean.
1960's - His TV show The Underwater Odyssey of Commander Cousteau was launched and changed the lives of hundreds of thousands of people around the world, including ours.
1973 - Created The Cousteau Society, which has over 300,000 members currently
1976 - Uncovered the wreck of the Britannic
1977 - Wins United Nations International Environmental prize
1985 - Receives Presidential Medal of Freedom from Reagan
amongst others....
He made over 120 documentaries and wrote more than 50 books on Marine Life.
But more than that, he was an ICON, an ICONOCLAST, an Inspiration and just thinking of his skinny body and red cap makes us smile and remember how at one time there was THIS GUY WHO STOOD UP FOR THE OCEAN AND ALL MARINE LIFE.
That is, until we remember what legacy WE have LEFT HIM. The oceans are dying globally, the BP Gulf disaster will take care of the rest. He would be beside himself.
Personally, he had issues. He fought with his sons, had half of them with another woman while married to another. The animosity never resolved itself and until his death he fought with his eldest over the family name. His son thought they should capitalize more and pushed for resorts named Calypso and so forth. Jacques would have none of that. Sadly, his one son perished in a terrible helicopter accident when a propeller struck and killed him.
The one good thing to come of his legacy? His grandson Phillipe has taken up the banner and now carries the family name proudly. Phillipe is currently a marine conservationist and is trying very hard to raise public awareness of our dying oceans. WE LOVE PHILLIPE. He is articulate, educated, passionate about the sea and it doesn't hurt that he's super-cute.
When we were 9, the only thing we wanted to do was join the Calypso crew and ride with Jacques. We didn't follow that dream but we miss him still. In fact, with the crisis in the Gulf, we wish he were here to kick ass.
Jacques Cousteau
This day in 1910, the Great Jacques Cousteau was born. Congress passed Resolution 518"honoring the life of Jacques-Yves Cousteau, explorer, researcher, and pioneer in the field of marine conservation" on June 8th to celebrate his centennial.
We lost Jacques Cousteau on June 25th, 1997 and nothing has ever been the same.
Highlights of his amazing life:
1940's - Co-invents the aqualung enabling extended underwater exploration
1948 -Explored the wreck Mahdia in Tunisia marking THE FIRST UNDERWATER ARCHEOLOGICAL EXPLORATION
1953 - Published his first book, The Silent World in which he correctly predicts echolocation abilites in dolphins
1956 - Wins the Palme d'Or at Cannes for his film, The Silent World
1957 - Elected Director of the Oceanographical Museum of Monaco
1960 - Successfully stages protest against radioactive waste proposed to being dumped in the Mediterranean.
1960's - His TV show The Underwater Odyssey of Commander Cousteau was launched and changed the lives of hundreds of thousands of people around the world, including ours.
1973 - Created The Cousteau Society, which has over 300,000 members currently
1976 - Uncovered the wreck of the Britannic
1977 - Wins United Nations International Environmental prize
1985 - Receives Presidential Medal of Freedom from Reagan
amongst others....
He made over 120 documentaries and wrote more than 50 books on Marine Life.
But more than that, he was an ICON, an ICONOCLAST, an Inspiration and just thinking of his skinny body and red cap makes us smile and remember how at one time there was THIS GUY WHO STOOD UP FOR THE OCEAN AND ALL MARINE LIFE.
That is, until we remember what legacy WE have LEFT HIM. The oceans are dying globally, the BP Gulf disaster will take care of the rest. He would be beside himself.
Personally, he had issues. He fought with his sons, had half of them with another woman while married to another. The animosity never resolved itself and until his death he fought with his eldest over the family name. His son thought they should capitalize more and pushed for resorts named Calypso and so forth. Jacques would have none of that. Sadly, his one son perished in a terrible helicopter accident when a propeller struck and killed him.
The one good thing to come of his legacy? His grandson Phillipe has taken up the banner and now carries the family name proudly. Phillipe is currently a marine conservationist and is trying very hard to raise public awareness of our dying oceans. WE LOVE PHILLIPE. He is articulate, educated, passionate about the sea and it doesn't hurt that he's super-cute.
When we were 9, the only thing we wanted to do was join the Calypso crew and ride with Jacques. We didn't follow that dream but we miss him still. In fact, with the crisis in the Gulf, we wish he were here to kick ass.
He was awesome in every way.
In 1973 Jacques Cousteau published the following statement. The parallel to what we see today isn't just bone chilling it's unfortunate in every way.
"FOLLOWING MULTIPLE DISASTROUS SPILLS OF THE LATE 1960'S, THE OIL INDUSTRY HAS TRIED TO PREVENT SOME OF THE CONSEQUENCES OF OCEAN DRILLING. BUT THEY ARE INEFFECTIVE!! AN INDUSTRY THAT SPENDS HUNDREDS OF MILLIONS TO INTENSIFY IT'S EXPLORATION OF THE SEA SHOULD FURTHER EFFORTS TO PROTECT LIFE."
My God!
1 comment:
I can picture Jacque right now side by side with the Sea Sheperd fighting off all those whalers.His boat would be called "The Calypso". Happy Birthday
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