Jacques-Yves Cousteau – In Awe of the Oceans

Jacques-Yves Cousteau was fascinated by marine life and turned his full attention to the water world. In co-operation with engineer Emile Gagnan, he invented the prototype of the modern scuba gear, which started a new era in the study of marine and freshwater environments. After Cousteau acquired the ship Calypso, a former minesweeper, he modified it into an oceanographic research vessel and started to study the world’s oceans, seas, and rivers. As he witnessed the rapid deterioration of the marine environment, Cousteau became a conservationist. His films conveyed important conservation messages to the viewers. Cousteau played a central role in achieving the 1986 moratorium on commercial whaling. Also, he successfully lobbied to save Antarctica, the last unspoiled continent.