fbpixel Aquarius Archives - Mission Blue

Blog Archives
Ocean Trio Makes Diving History at Aquarius

By Deb Castellana
Imagine if you will, a life support pod at the bottom of the sea. About the size of a city bus, Aquarius sits in 63’ of water inside the Florida Keys National Marine Sanctuary. Currently operated by Florida International University, Aquarius was almost closed due to lack of funding in 2012. Mission Aquarius, during which Mission Blue’s Dr. Sylvia Earle lived below for a week, was eloquently documented by One World One Ocean. Through the efforts of many who shined a spotlight on Aquarius as a unique and valuable asset to science, Aquarius received a stay of execution. In her time, she has served an important role, hosting NASA astronauts in training, coral scientists, climate change experts, journalists and statesmen.…

Posted in mission blue |

8 Comments
Photo of the Day ~ Aquarius Awaits

Our old friend Aquarius stands patiently on the sea floor, waiting for the launch of Mission 31 – Fabien Cousteau’s quest to break his grandfather’s underwater record by one day. This June, Fabien will descend 60′ to Aquarius Reef Base off Key Largo Florida for an epic 31 day mission to bring attention to the importance of underwater exploration.  Plus we are expecting some exciting celebrity guests.  More news soon on Mission Blue!
Feature Photo: DJ Roller/Liquid Pictures…

Posted in Multimedia |

2 Comments
Fabien Cousteau tests the limits of human subaquatic exposure

Fabien Cousteau, grandson of the famed SCUBA inventor Jacques-Yves Cousteau, plans to continue the family tradition of pushing the limits under the waves. In a little over a month, Fabien will descend into the last remaining underwater marine lab in the world — Aquarius in the Florida Keys National Marine Sanctuary — to spend 31 days in the habitat as part of his Mission 31. The duration of the mission is twice the length of any previous Aquarius mission and one day longer than his grandfather’s stay in Conshelf II undersea research station. He will quite literally be pushing the known boundaries of human subaquatic exposure.

“It’s about the adventure of discovery — about pushing the boundaries that are familiar to us,” Fabien told Mission Blue.…

Posted in Uncategorized |

Leave a comment
Freediving World Champion Yasemin Dalkilic Visits Aquarius

When World Champion Freediver, Yasemin Dalkilic dove on the Aquarius habitat late last summer, it’s future looked less than bright. But since the video was produced, Aquarius has been able to secure some funding – enough to keep it treading water, at least for now.
Last year the US government cut funding for Aquarius from $5 million to zero.  The only underwater habitat in the world performing scientific research, Aquarius has been on Conch Reef off Key Largo Florida for 22 years. And now she is a magnificent living reef in her own right. At only sixty feet deep, the dive is not a stretch for the 9 time World Champion Freediver, Yasmine.  Beginning with a charming little girl’s fantasy of living underwater, Yasemin takes us on a tour of Aquarius. …

Posted in Uncategorized |

Leave a comment
Featured Underwater Comic Strip

Sherman’s Lagoon is a syndicated daily comic strip set underwater in a cartoon lagoon. It features a dimwitted great white shark named Sherman and his sea turtle sidekick named Fillmore.

Related features:
5 Questions with Cartoonist Jim Toomey
The United Natinos and Jim Toomey Team Up to Create Ocean-Related Animated Videos
Cartoonist Jim Toomey Supports Bermuda’s Blue Halo Initiative
Two Minutes on Oceans: Blue Carbon
A Short Film — Coral Reefs: Polyps in Peril…

Posted in Uncategorized |

Leave a comment
Mission Aquarius: Spawning the Next Generation of Seekers and Solvers

This July, Mission Blue’s founder Dr. Sylvia Earle will team up with One World One Ocean for a 6-day mission to Aquarius Reef Base — the mission has been dubbed “Mission Aquarius.”
As previously reported by Mission Blue, Aquarius Reef Base, located off Key Largo, Florida, is the world’s only fully-functional underwater laboratory dedicated to marine science, education and outreach and ocean exploration. While the Mission Aquarius team will oversee an ambitious research agenda, outreach and education about Aquarius and the many scientific achievements it’s helped support will also take center stage.
Starting July 16, One World One Ocean and Mission Blue will be reporting in real-time from the Aquarius Habitat. One World One Ocean will bring our followers live interviews and real-time footage that highlights the scientific research conducted by the mission team.…

Posted in Uncategorized |

Leave a comment