What is the latest news about the Calypso (Cousteau's boat)?

[Anthony Appleyard]

The link address


Калипсо - в память о Жак-Ив Кусто - ЯПлакалъ



is Russian for "Calypso - in memory of Jacques-Yves Cousteau - I cried".


In reply to message:

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Anthony Appleyard, АлександрД replied to a thread you are watching at ScubaBoard.

What is the latest news about the Calypso (Cousteau's boat)?



АлександрД

any news?

just found the link, little bit rotten, but with nice photos of Calipso...
Калипсо - в память о Жак-Ив Кусто - ЯПлакалъ


man from one ship, who docked at Concarneau, recognised Calipso nearby

 

[Erich S]

Read that a rib from the ship is being donated to the Maritime Museum of Malta so it seems it’s already being pieced out.

 

[JMBL]

I saw Calypso in La Rochelle, around 2000, don't remember the year exactly, it had already been striped. It was like a decaying corpse under a shroud. A very bad and sad memory.

 

[Erich S]

It probably should have been sunk and made into a natural reef which would have been fitting after the death of JYC.

 

[JMBL]

It probably should have been sunk and made into a natural reef which would have been fitting after the death of JYC.

I remember an interview, years before Calypso went down, where Cousteau stated exactly that, saying he wouldn't like her to became a museum. Can't remember when precisely, all I know is I was just a kid, may be 10, 12 tops. To give you a time frame, I'm now 48.

 

[Popgun Pete]

I read that before he died Cousteau contradicted that desire and wanted the ship to continue to serve in some capacity as a research vessel and beacon for oceanic conservation (my words, not his exactly). The owner of the ramming barge should have been liable for damages, but probably had no money. France having basked in the glow of his work and fame should have come to the party, but once Notre Dame burned funds were badly needed there. The vessel should be saved as once that door shuts it never opens again and history will look back at an opportunity lost. To raise cash maybe they could sell commemorative models of the vessel, say on a medallion of some sort. There has already been a watch.

 

[JMBL]

I read that before he died Cousteau contradicted that desire and wanted the ship to continue to serve in some capacity as a research vessel and beacon for oceanic conservation (my words, not his exactly). The owner of the ramming barge should have been liable for damages, but probably had no money. France having basked in the glow of his work and fame should have come to the party, but once Notre Dame burned funds were badly needed there. The vessel should be saved as once that door shuts it never opens again and history will look back at an opportunity lost. To raise cash maybe they could sell commemorative models of the vessel, say on a medallion of some sort. There has already been a watch.

There was at least 2 calls for funds from Francine Cousteau :

- one to build a Calypso 2, a kind of enhanced Alcyone in fact
- one to restore Calypso (several years later

The fist time, I gave money, then never heard anything about the project, which of course came to a dead end. After that 1st scam, I stopped being concerned. The 'Fondation Cousteau' is still officially active, but to the best of my knowledge, is not involving in anything, expect that Calypso scam. I get a mail from times to times about various project, mission, whatever, but it's far from convincing.

 

[Edward3c]

I don’t think Calypso will ever be whole again due to of lack of funds.

The boat used to dynamite the reef at the Blue Hole and smuggle emeralds out of Belize. A lot of work undertaken for Shell prospecting for oil and gas.

Yes, his underwater filming raised the public’s awareness of the undersea world, but it took the BBC’s natural history film unit years to re-educate the public of what the underwater environment really looked like, when the searchlights were switched off.

 

[drbill]

The boat used to dynamite the reef at the Blue Hole and smuggle emeralds out of Belize. A lot of work undertaken for Shell prospecting for oil and gas.

Yes, his underwater filming raised the public’s awareness of the undersea world, but it took the BBC’s natural history film unit years to re-educate the public of what the underwater environment really looked like, when the searchlights were switched off.

Easy to criticize from today's perspective, but where were you in the 50s and 60s, It was a different world in terms of our environmental understanding and all the good work JYC did needed to be funded somehow.

 

[Erich S]

Easy to criticize from today's perspective, but where were you in the 50s and 60s, It was a different world in terms of our environmental understanding and all the good work JYC did needed to be funded somehow.

Well said!