Jacques Cousteau's Grandson Plans 31-Day Underwater Ocean Exploration

Filmmaker and oceanographic explorer Fabien Cousteau will spend 31 days underwater in Florida exploring the ocean.

Starting Sept. 30, Cousteau will lead Mission 31, where he and his team will live underwater and conduct research experiments, according to his website.

Cousteau's base will be at the underwater lab called Aquarius, which is owned by the National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration and managed by Florida International University.  The laboratory is located about 60 feet under sea level in the Florida Keys National Marine Sanctuary.

This mission will be the longest that Aquarius ever hosted, his website said. Scientists' missions at Aquarius usually last about 10 days, according to NOAA.

The team will research the underwater effects climate change has on corals, sponges and sea life. They will also do experiments to determine how long humans can live without the sun, the effects of long-term high pressure and long-term saturation diving, according to Cousteau's website.

Mission 31 also coincides with the 50th anniversary of his grandfather's greatest legacy. Cousteau's grandfather Jacques-Yves Cousteau led the first attempt at living and working underwater on Conshelf Two.

"When my grandfather's Conshelf Two mission was complete he produced an Academy Award-winning documentary film (World Without Sun), but still received criticism rooted in disbelief of how he captured the mind-boggling underwater scenes," Cousteau said in a statement. "Using the latest camera technology, we will be able to show the world every second of Mission 31 in unedited, real-time and I believe it's going to shock people. We have explored less than five percent of our ocean realms; there's so much more to be discovered."

The Weather Channel partnered with Cousteau to show ongoing coverage, including live reports, the website said.

More South Florida Stories:

Contact Us