Jacques Cousteau - Champion of the Seas
When he began his marine explorations in 1943, little was known about the effects of human action on the planet. It was assumed that nature would take care of itself, no matter what man did. Natural resources were exploited without limit or restriction, and terms such as ‘ecology’, ‘conservation’ and ‘recycling’ were unused, and were largely unknown to most of the general public.
Although naturalists like Charles Darwin had published important scientific volumes since the Victorian era, even in the second half of the XX century, ecologists were regarded as hippies and alarmists bearing “Save the Whales” signs and Peace symbols.
In this scenario, Cousteau pioneered marine conservation, and was a fierce advocate for ecology and the conservation of the planet.
At a time when even scientists didn’t talk about these subjects, he was a firm opponent to Nuclear power, warned about the dangers of human overpopulation, and was one of the first ones to speak in favour of the oceans as the source of all life.
Although Cousteau carried out scientific experiments, he was not a trained scientist, and the scientific community never recognised him as such.
In truth, Cousteau was more than that - an explorer passionately in love with the oceans and the natural world. He had the drive, courage and ambition to follow this passion and carve his own path in a budding field that he helped to expand.
His inventiveness, smarts, and communication skills -along with his charismatic presence- allowed him to reach out to millions of viewers and readers all around the world better than any scientist, spreading his message of natural conservation in an indelible way that resonates up to this day.
To learn more about the Jacques Cousteau Foundation, the legacy of its founder, the Foundation’s current projects, and learn how you can help, visit
Sources: Cousteau Foundation, Wikipedia, National Geographic, DivingAlmanac.com, UNDP.org, Deutsche Welle, dive.site blog.
Born in France in 1910, Jacques Yves Cousteau was a sickly child whose doctor recommended swimming in order to improve his health. This, and his father’s present of a film camera at age 13, became the starting points of lifelong passions
At age 20, Jacques enrolled at the French Naval School. When an accident fractured his arms and shattered his aspiration to become a naval pilot, a doctor recommended him to swim as a rehabilitation exercise.
It was then that Cousteau began diving, using Fernez goggles for the first time, which opened his eyes to the marvels of underwater explorations.
In 1943, he and his neighbour, Marcel Ichac, shoot the first French underwater film, “Par dix-huit metres de fond”, for which they shared the first prize from the Congress of Documentary Film.
But if Cousteau was a navy officer with the mind of a scientist and film-maker, he was also a superb inventor.
From his very first underwater film endeavour, he had very precise ideas of what he wanted to film and how. When he did not find the necessary equipment to carry them out, he devised them himself, with the assistance of engineers and specialists.
At age 20, Jacques enrolled at the French Naval School. When an accident fractured his arms and shattered his aspiration to become a naval pilot, a doctor recommended him to swim as a rehabilitation exercise.
It was then that Cousteau began diving, using Fernez goggles for the first time, which opened his eyes to the marvels of underwater explorations.
In 1943, he and his neighbour, Marcel Ichac, shoot the first French underwater film, “Par dix-huit metres de fond”, for which they shared the first prize from the Congress of Documentary Film.
Cousteau, the Inventor
But if Cousteau was a navy officer with the mind of a scientist and film-maker, he was also a superb inventor.
From his very first underwater film endeavour, he had very precise ideas of what he wanted to film and how. When he did not find the necessary equipment to carry them out, he devised them himself, with the assistance of engineers and specialists.
One of the main inconveniences for Cousteau’s filming was the short period of time that the diving equipment of the time allowed him to stay underwater. He wanted to remain longer, but without losing the mobility and approachability of diving.
Thus, in 1943 along French engineer Emile Gagnan, he devised the Aqua-Lung: two tanks of regulated oxygen that permitted diving for longer than any other previous equipment.
Thus, in 1943 along French engineer Emile Gagnan, he devised the Aqua-Lung: two tanks of regulated oxygen that permitted diving for longer than any other previous equipment.
Aqua-Lung design of 1949
Cousteau wearing the Aqua-Lung in 1953
This first prototype would undergo different additions and modifications throughout the years, becoming the precursor of the open-circuit scuba used nowadays.
Later, in 1959, Cousteau collaborated in the development of the "SP-350 Diving Saucer", nicknamed “Denise”.
Until then, underwater exploration was submitted to sinking cages and divers, both of which had time and mobility limitations.
Cousteau’s “Diving Saucer” could submerge up to 350 meters under the sea for 4 -5 hours, and allowed the thorough exploration of the ocean floor, providing views of the bottom of the seas as never before seen.
The “Diving Saucer” was first presented in 1959 at the International Oceanographic Congress in New York. At a time when man was still ten years away from walking on the moon, the design of the vessel surprised everyone, like a thing from another planet.
In 1973, he registered in the United States the “Cousteau Society for the Protection of Ocean Life”, in order to educate the common public on the importance of protecting the oceans, and to ensure that his legacy would continue even after his death.
In 1981, the “Fondation Cousteau” was registered in France, following the same ideals of the US-based Cousteau Society, creating thus an international net dedicated to the protection of nature, and the communication of the knowledge accumulated by Cousteau.
In 1990, Cousteau launched a global petition to save Antarctica from mining exploitation. His effort was successful, keeping the continent free from the mining threat for 50 years.
However, as the deterioration of the planet progressed, in 1991, Cousteau launched a new global campaign to support the idea that all humans, and future generations, have the right to inherit a planet with clean water, unspoiled nature, clean air and all the natural conditions for life to prosper.
More than 5.5 million people signed the petition to include in a Bill of Rights for Future Generations supported by international law. A final text of this declaration was finally accepted by UNESCO in 1997.
Nowadays, the petition is still adding adherents, counting 9 million signatures to date.
In 1977, Cousteau received the International Environmental Prize awarded by the United Nations, for his notable contributions to oceanographic research, and to the conservation of the planet.
As further confirmation of his importance as a leader in environmentalism, in 1992 Cousteau was invited as a guest speaker to the United Nations' International Conference on Environment and Development in Rio de Janeiro.
In addition, Cousteau was member of the United States Academy of Sciences, and Director of the Oceanographic Museum of Monaco, and would serve as a regular consultant in Ecological affairs for the United Nations, and the World Bank.
Later, in 1959, Cousteau collaborated in the development of the "SP-350 Diving Saucer", nicknamed “Denise”.
Until then, underwater exploration was submitted to sinking cages and divers, both of which had time and mobility limitations.
Cousteau’s “Diving Saucer” could submerge up to 350 meters under the sea for 4 -5 hours, and allowed the thorough exploration of the ocean floor, providing views of the bottom of the seas as never before seen.
The “Diving Saucer” was first presented in 1959 at the International Oceanographic Congress in New York. At a time when man was still ten years away from walking on the moon, the design of the vessel surprised everyone, like a thing from another planet.
In 1983, along professor Lucien Malavard and engineer Bertrand Charrier, Cousteau designed the first ship equipped with a mechanical sail, called the Turbosail system.
Instead of the regular sails, the vessel would carry cylindrical towers that, thanks to its internal mechanism, would turn wind force into a propulsion force. Cousteau baptised the first ship using this mechanism “Alcyone”, after the daughter of Aeolus, god of the winds in Greek mythology.
Cousteau’s vision even imagined the first sustainable human underwater colonies: Precontinent I to III, also known as “Conshelf”, in abbreviation of 'Continental Shelf'.
Very much like a base in outer space, the five-part project was meant to lodge a group of scientists, that would carry out extensive submarine research for long periods of time.
Although the project proved too ambitious for its time and only three parts were completed before ending it, it proved that humans could live underwater, and rendered important discoveries that are still used today in the training of astronauts, setting the grounds for future colony projects.
In addition to all these, Cousteau also devised other diving equipment, and smaller submarine technologies, such as underwater casings for his filming cameras, amphibian photo cameras, special lights for filming underwater, etc.
Cousteau’s groundbreaking technologies permitted the advancement of the exploration and study of the oceans as never before.
Following the success of his first film endeavour, the French Navy enrolled Cousteau in a marine expedition to search for the shipwreck of the Roman vessel “Mahdia”, sunk in I A.D. in the Mediterranean coast.
After completing this expedition, in 1949 Cousteau left the French Navy in order to carry on with his own scientific expeditions.
The following year, he founded the French Oceanographic Campaigns (FOC), and leased a Royal Navy ex-minesweeper from the British magnate and philanthropist Thomas L. Guinness, for a symbolic sum of 1 Franc a year.
Equipped with a helipad, and cranes that would help launching boats and other underwater equipment, the ship was perfect for Cousteau’s intended explorations.
Cousteau’s groundbreaking technologies permitted the advancement of the exploration and study of the oceans as never before.
Back to the Beginnings
Following the success of his first film endeavour, the French Navy enrolled Cousteau in a marine expedition to search for the shipwreck of the Roman vessel “Mahdia”, sunk in I A.D. in the Mediterranean coast.
After completing this expedition, in 1949 Cousteau left the French Navy in order to carry on with his own scientific expeditions.
The following year, he founded the French Oceanographic Campaigns (FOC), and leased a Royal Navy ex-minesweeper from the British magnate and philanthropist Thomas L. Guinness, for a symbolic sum of 1 Franc a year.
Equipped with a helipad, and cranes that would help launching boats and other underwater equipment, the ship was perfect for Cousteau’s intended explorations.
The ship (named “Calypso”, after a nymph goddess, queen of the island of Ogygia, who rescued a shipwrecked Odysseus in Homer’s “The Odyssey”) was converted into a laboratory by Cousteau, so that it could carry out oceanographic experiments while sailing across the seas.
During his first sea explorations on board of Calypso, Cousteau filmed what would become his first full-length film, “The Silent World”.
The film, directed by Louis Malle, showed underwater images of the ocean and marine life as they had never seen before. In 1956 it won the Palme d’Or at Cannes, and the following year it received the Oscar for best documentary.
The film, directed by Louis Malle, showed underwater images of the ocean and marine life as they had never seen before. In 1956 it won the Palme d’Or at Cannes, and the following year it received the Oscar for best documentary.
Cousteau went on to direct over 1000 films on his marine expeditions, and up until 2004, he remained as the sole documentarian to win the prestigious Palme d’Or.
In 1966, Cousteau began collaborating with American television broadcast companies, creating the TV series “The Undersea World of Jacques Cousteau”, which ran for ten years, followed by a second series entitled “The Cousteau Odyssey”, which ran from 1977 to 1982.
Both series were dubbed into several languages and broadcast all over the world, popularizing Cousteau's image, bringing his discoveries and explorations, and the wonders of the oceans and marine life, into the homes of five continents.
In 1966, Cousteau began collaborating with American television broadcast companies, creating the TV series “The Undersea World of Jacques Cousteau”, which ran for ten years, followed by a second series entitled “The Cousteau Odyssey”, which ran from 1977 to 1982.
Both series were dubbed into several languages and broadcast all over the world, popularizing Cousteau's image, bringing his discoveries and explorations, and the wonders of the oceans and marine life, into the homes of five continents.
In 1968, Cousteau’s appearance in the National Geographic documentary film “Amazon” even garnered 35 million viewers. A phenomenal audience only achieved by massive events such as the Super Bowl or the Academy Awards.
In addition to television series and documentary films, from 1980 to 1981 Cousteau made regular appearances on the show “Those Amazing Animals”, sharing his knowledge of marine ecosystems and oceanic diversity.
These appearances in television and other media made him a familiar figure to the mainstream public.
While many criticized Cousteau for cheapening his scientific investigations with publicity, not only these helped spread the ideas of oceanic exploration and the conservation of natural life among the general public, but they also helped to fund his explorations around the world.
Costeau’s legendary trips were even saluted by a 1975 song by John Denver, dedicated to the ship that had become as famous as the explorer himself: “Calypso”.
John Denver - "Calypso" Video (3:40)
Denver donated all the profits of this song to the Jacques Cousteau’s Foundation in order to help it advance in the protection and exploration of the seas.
Cousteau also wrote more than 50 books on oceanography and conservation of the oceans, many of them as tie-ins with his films, among them “The Silent Seas”(written along Frederic Dumas), “The World Without Sun”, “Voyage to the Edge of the World”, “The Living Sea”, “Diving for Sunken Treasure”, and “The Human, the Orchid and the Octopus”.
Along his oceanographic explorations, Cousteau also made other discoveries, such as finding in 1976 the location of the wreck of “HMHS Britannic”, and the wreck of the French 17th-century ship-of-the-line “La Therese” in coastal waters of Crete.
Cousteau’s love for the ocean and his close contact with marine life not only allowed him to explore its wonders, but also to become aware of the dangers that human progress was imposing on the planet.
In 1960, Cousteau successfully managed to prevent a large amount of radioactive waste to be discarded into the Mediterranean, a project already approved by the French government and even backed up by scientists.
Thanks to Cousteau’s budding fame, his opposition to the project garnered popular support, with hundreds of women and children sitting on the railways to block the train carrying the waste to reach its destination.
The peaceful protest worked, and the train along with its contents were sent back.
Cousteau Conservationist
Cousteau’s love for the ocean and his close contact with marine life not only allowed him to explore its wonders, but also to become aware of the dangers that human progress was imposing on the planet.
In 1960, Cousteau successfully managed to prevent a large amount of radioactive waste to be discarded into the Mediterranean, a project already approved by the French government and even backed up by scientists.
Thanks to Cousteau’s budding fame, his opposition to the project garnered popular support, with hundreds of women and children sitting on the railways to block the train carrying the waste to reach its destination.
The peaceful protest worked, and the train along with its contents were sent back.
Jacques Costeau and UNESCO general director
Federico Mayor-Zaragoza, in 1968 (Foto: Dominique Roger)
In 1973, he registered in the United States the “Cousteau Society for the Protection of Ocean Life”, in order to educate the common public on the importance of protecting the oceans, and to ensure that his legacy would continue even after his death.
In 1981, the “Fondation Cousteau” was registered in France, following the same ideals of the US-based Cousteau Society, creating thus an international net dedicated to the protection of nature, and the communication of the knowledge accumulated by Cousteau.
In 1990, Cousteau launched a global petition to save Antarctica from mining exploitation. His effort was successful, keeping the continent free from the mining threat for 50 years.
However, as the deterioration of the planet progressed, in 1991, Cousteau launched a new global campaign to support the idea that all humans, and future generations, have the right to inherit a planet with clean water, unspoiled nature, clean air and all the natural conditions for life to prosper.
“Every man has the right to inherit an
uncontaminated planet where
all life can flourish.”
Jacques-Yves Cousteau
More than 5.5 million people signed the petition to include in a Bill of Rights for Future Generations supported by international law. A final text of this declaration was finally accepted by UNESCO in 1997.
Nowadays, the petition is still adding adherents, counting 9 million signatures to date.
In 1977, Cousteau received the International Environmental Prize awarded by the United Nations, for his notable contributions to oceanographic research, and to the conservation of the planet.
As further confirmation of his importance as a leader in environmentalism, in 1992 Cousteau was invited as a guest speaker to the United Nations' International Conference on Environment and Development in Rio de Janeiro.
In addition, Cousteau was member of the United States Academy of Sciences, and Director of the Oceanographic Museum of Monaco, and would serve as a regular consultant in Ecological affairs for the United Nations, and the World Bank.
Although Cousteau’s expeditions suffered many setbacks and criticism for his exploration methods, and his personal life was not foreign to tragedy and controversy, Cousteau continued sailing the oceans, working tirelessly in favour of the expansion of Oceanography, marine life conservation, and the protection of global ecosystems.
By the time of his death in 1997, due to heart failure, Cousteau had become a familiar figure, respected and recognised worldwide. But as his figure ceased to appear on the media, the memory of his name and figure slowly seemed to vanish.
Until popular culture brought him back in the most unexpected way.
Cousteau’s oceanic exploration ship and his signature red beanie hat were parodied in the film “The Life Aquatic with Steve Zissou”, although director Wes Anderson dedicated the film to his memory.
In addition, Cousteau’s name served as inspiration for the name of the famous French chef ‘Gusteau’ in the animated film “Ratatouille”.
By the time of his death in 1997, due to heart failure, Cousteau had become a familiar figure, respected and recognised worldwide. But as his figure ceased to appear on the media, the memory of his name and figure slowly seemed to vanish.
Until popular culture brought him back in the most unexpected way.
Cousteau’s oceanic exploration ship and his signature red beanie hat were parodied in the film “The Life Aquatic with Steve Zissou”, although director Wes Anderson dedicated the film to his memory.
In addition, Cousteau’s name served as inspiration for the name of the famous French chef ‘Gusteau’ in the animated film “Ratatouille”.
The legacy of Jacques Cousteau is still carried out by his son, Pierre-Yves Cousteau, and his mother, Francine Triplet, at the Cousteau Foundation.
His grandchildren Celine and Fabien have also continued independent endeavours connected with the ocean, one as a marine cosmetics entrepreneur, and the other as oceanographer and explorer, determined to resuscitate the Conshelf project, in a newly-designed submarine base called “Proteus”.
In truth, Cousteau was more than that - an explorer passionately in love with the oceans and the natural world. He had the drive, courage and ambition to follow this passion and carve his own path in a budding field that he helped to expand.
His inventiveness, smarts, and communication skills -along with his charismatic presence- allowed him to reach out to millions of viewers and readers all around the world better than any scientist, spreading his message of natural conservation in an indelible way that resonates up to this day.
Probably Jacques Cousteau’s most important and enduring legacy is that he brought the marvels of the oceans into people’s living rooms with a rare touch of intimacy, in an approachable language, and with infectious passion for the subjects of nature and conservation, like no one else ever had done before.
In doing so, he also opened the eyes of the world to the dangers of ocean pollution, overexploitation of marine resources, overfishing, coastal development, human overpopulation, and other important issues, inspiring a new generation of ecologists and environmentalists.
In doing so, he also opened the eyes of the world to the dangers of ocean pollution, overexploitation of marine resources, overfishing, coastal development, human overpopulation, and other important issues, inspiring a new generation of ecologists and environmentalists.
“For most of history, man has had to
fight nature to survive.
In this century, he is beginning to realize that,
in order to survive,
he must protect it."
Jacques-Yves Cousteau
To Learn More
To learn more about the Jacques Cousteau Foundation, the legacy of its founder, the Foundation’s current projects, and learn how you can help, visit
Sources: Cousteau Foundation, Wikipedia, National Geographic, DivingAlmanac.com, UNDP.org, Deutsche Welle, dive.site blog.
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