Fabien Cousteau - Red Dragon - Mission 31

[Tom Hamilton]

Greetings Fellow Redusers,

Just wanted to share with all of you a very exciting project, I am on Fabien Cousteau's team as underwater cameraman, Dragon 234 is busy capturing all the Mission 31 events. As most of you probably know, Jacques Cousteau, Fabien's grandfather, made a very enduring, indelible and lasting mark on our collective consciousness as intrepid explorer of the underwater world, bringing home to virtually everyone on the planet, the fascination, the huge diversity, and the powerful magic of our planet's watery realms.

Mission 31 Splashdown is on Sunday, a team of six aquanauts will live underwater in the Aquarius Reef Habitat for a total of thirty-one days, Fabien's intention is to exceed his grandfather's record, set in the Red Sea at Conshelf Two, 30 days, by one day. The goal is to draw attention to the plight of our oceans. A huge number of celebrities in various fields will be visiting the habitat over the next few weeks, this promises to be an event of huge proportions.

We have an astonishing collection of talent here, scientists from MIT, coral reef biologists from Florida International University, a phalanx of very solid US Navy divers overseeing operational safety, a production team from California with the will, the means, and the track record to work sixteen hours a day spreading this message to the world at large, and just an all round group of very solid people.

As the Mission progresses, I will provide regular updates, BTS grabs, and Mission oriented news.

http://m.youtube.com/watch?v=QfozX5i0zxY&feature=youtu.be

I would here like to extend heartfelt thanks to my Bomb Squad rep, Marco Montenegro, for expeditious handling of the Dragon upgrade in time for this project, thanks Marco, you rock!

Warmest regards to all my fellow Red shooters,

Tom Hamilton

 

[Phil Holland]

That is very cool. Many moons ago I was a Cousteau Kid. Can't wait to see your updates Tom!

 

[Tim Morten]

Good luck - very excited to see this!

 

[Jeff Whitehurst]

Way to go Tom Super stoked you finally got that Dragon. Teamed up with your Rouge and a first rate UW shooter at the controls, good things are sure to result!

 

[Chad Lancaster]

Very cool congrats. Looking forward to seeing the footage

 

[PatrickFaith]

I can't wait to watch the show or documentary. Take care of those ears (infections) and yourself diving so much.

 

[Robert Hart]

Another time. Another place. Probably a bit too maukishly sentimental to post the link here but too late. It's done.

Your film. Another grand adventure. - Enjoy.


https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=ZgsUXUBpS8Q

 

[luigivaltulini]

VERYYYY COOOLLL Congrats

 

[Tom Hamilton]

Hey all, thanks very much for the kind words. CNN was over this morning interviewing Fabien, here it is;

http://www.cnn.com/video/data/2.0/v.../31/newday-fabien-cousteau-full-intv.cnn.html

 

[Gavin Greenwalt]

Epic and Lumia 1020. That's my combo choice as well.

 

[Tom Hamilton]

Haha Gavin, sponsors always have the best gear, everyone knows that.

 

[Tom Hamilton]

Mission 31 Splashdown video

https://mail.google.com/mail/u/0/?ui=2&pli=1#inbox/145f1f89ac1e80d6?projector=1

 

[John J Ellerbrock]

Lynn Jaquish, Jacques Cousteau, and Mission 31

Lynn Jaquish, Jacques Cousteau, and Mission 31

Last year Joe Thompson Jr. donated two 35mm housings to the Gates underwater imaging museum. They were designed by Lynn Jaquish, who notoriously produced many an underwater housing for pioneers Lamar Boren, Al Giddings, and Howard Hall.

These particular housings have a distant connection to Mission 31: they were used by Joe Thompson Sr. to film the Calypso expedition through Belize in the mid 1970's. At the helm was Fabien's grandfather, Jacques Cousteau, sailing with special guest John Denver.

Joe Jr. has a file of fascinating history including photos, captains logs, maps and even French Flags that graced Calypso's mast.

A little piece of history....

J-

 

[Tom Hamilton]

I am honored and privileged to be a part of this team, one of the very big take-aways is just how smart, humane, and astonishingly intelligent Fabien Cousteu is. He is, without doubt, his grandfather reborn, in every and all aspects. If there is anyone who has the chance of reversing the appalling decline of our oceans, then it is Fabien.

I encourage everyone to follow, comment, and contribute to this very important mission, our future is here at stake.

 

[Tom Hamilton]

Some Dragon grabs from Mission 31;

A005_C012_0604PS by Red Sea Pictures, on Flickr[/IMG]MG]A005_C014_0604ST by Red Sea Pictures, on Flickr[/IMG][URL="https://flic.kr/p/nXwYHp"]A005_C012_0604PS[/URL] by [URL="https://www.flickr.com/people//"]Red Sea Pictures[/URL], on Fli
][URL="https://flic.kr/p/nVCy5W"][IMG]https://farm4.staticflickr.com/3878/14390398382_875f0c9dee_z.jpg[/URL]A005_C049_0
604L3 by Red Sea Pictures, on Flickr[/IMG]

Also a fun video made entirely with Nokia Lumia featuring Fabien Cousteau, his father Jean Michel Cousteau, and famed Ocean lady Dr. Sylvia Earle.
https://mail.google.com/mail/u/0/?ui=2&shva=1#inbox/145f1f89ac1e80d6?projector=1

 

[Tom Hamilton]

Just wanted to share with all of you, I had the extreme privilege of sitting across the dinner table from Jean Michel Cousteau and Dr. Sylvia Earle for more than two hours, just myself and my dive buddy/cam assist Billy Snook, as a very fortunate adjunct of being a Mission 31 team member, lots of wine flowing , we were regaled with the entire history of Jacques Cousteau's exploits, his redoubtable ship Calypso, the ins and outs of ocean exploration, and how planetary politics affect the migration patterns of sea life, those that have never known the artificial boundaries set by abysmally ignorant human definition.

One gets the feeling, when talking at length to the Ocean Elders, we are in dire need of acting. Sooner rather than later.

 

[Sean R.]

Wow Tom! It has been absolutely amazing to live vicariously through you on this adventure!
Thanks for sharing your experiences, please keep them coming...