Spotmydive
fr
es
en
Menu
  • Language
    • fr
    • es
    • en
  • Where to dive?
    • Diving destinations
    • Dive center
    • Diving cruise
    • Diving spots
    • Travel
    • Blog Trip
  • Equipment
  • Environment
    • Ecology
    • Health
  • Marine Life
  • Training
  • Unusual
    • Top 10
    • Culture
    • History
  • Contact
  • BEST DEALS
History

Can we live underwater? The Precontinent project.

By spotmydive
2016-09-12
featured

Commander Cousteau and his missions Précontinent I, II et III

As the whole world want to conquered space, Commander Cousteau is convinced that oceans will be the future of the humanity and decided to colonize the underwater world.

His mission Précontinent I

In 1962, the first cylindrical underwater house 5 m long and 2.5 m large, named « Précontinent ONE » was immersed off the island of Frioui in the Mediterranean Sea at 10 m deep. Despite its small size, this underwater shelter didn’t lack of anything. Shower, television, radio and even a library was installed inside. Two aquanauts, Albert Falco and Claude Wesly, are going to live there during a week breathing pressurized air. Every day they go out for mission at 25 meters deep, in order to study the behavior of wildlife and build a farm underwater. This experience is a success.

opération précontinent de Cousteau

Précontinent II

One year later the experience continue but this time in the red sea, off Soudan. This time it will last 1 month at 10 meters deep. The base is a real town with four different rooms, a laboratory, a warehouse for equipment and a hangar for underwater scooter. Five aquanauts Raymond Vaissière, Pierre Guilbert, Albert Falco, Pierre Vannoni and Claude Wesly lived 24 hours a day on it. At 25 m deep, there is another shelter where Raymond Kientzy and André Portelatine are going to stay for a week. Those two aquanauts, breathe a mix of oxygen and helium and have daily mission going to 110 meters some time.
Still a success! A documentary is made about this incredible experience: « A world without sun » 1964. Nowadays you can dive there to imagine what those explorers experienced.

opération précontinent de Cousteau, journal

Précontinent III

Cousteau’s team continue the adventure in 1965, in the seas of Saint-Jean-Cap-Ferrat south of France, at 100 meters deep. Six aquanauts are going to participate, André Laban, Philippe Cousteau, Rollet, Bonici, Coll and Omer. They will live during 1 month in a steel sphere inspired by Tintin’s rocket. Atmosphere only has 2% of oxygen. Helium and pressure affect the everyday life. Voices are deformed, water does not boil and food don’t taste anymore. Aquanauts have trouble to warm up because they dive in a water at 13°. The stay became a nightmare but fortunately, at the end, the six were safe and sound. Thanks to this project a study on gas was made and used during the conquest of space. World understood that work at depth is now possible but not without difficulties.
Unfortunately there is no fourth episode!

author

spotmydive

About author
Spotmydive editors are all about delivering quality information to you.

Leave a comment

All comments

    Related posts
    History

    Underwater Ruins of Lost Roman City Discovered in Tunisia

    By spotmydive
    2017-10-11

    A team of Tunisian / Italian archaeologists has exhumed, near Nabeul, on the Tunisian coast, the vestiges of Neapolis, a Roman city. For years, archaeologists from the INP National Institute of Tunisian Heritage and the University of Sassari-Oristano in Italy were searching the Gulf of Hammamet, in search of the port of Neapolis. A commercial […]

    History

    Operation Bernhard, The Underwater Treasure of Nazi Counterfeiters

    By spotmydive
    2017-09-07

    In 1942, a German team led by an SS made counterfeit notes during a secret operation. Part of this treasure will be found under water years later in a lake of Austria. Operation Bernhard Every year, missions are carried out by individuals or private companies in order to find the secrets of German scientific advances […]

    History

    History and evolution of underwater photography

    By spotmydive
    2017-09-01

    Did you know that underwater photography is as old as the « classic » photography? It’s been more than 160 years that the first pictures were taken underwater. 1. The first underwater photographers 1856 In 1856 William Thompson and Mr Kenyon are the first to build a metallic box in order to protect a camera […]

    Best deals

    • Popular

      Travel

      Rent a boat in Europe to get away

      By Lukas Joseph
      2022-04-19
    • Latest posts

      • Dive Clubs

        Scuba Hunt :  A Fun Adventure & Bragging Rights for Days

        By Laura Wilkinson
        2022-02-23
      • Gear

        Divesoft.center : a must-have for convenient diving experiences

        By Lukas Joseph
        2021-06-15
    • Navigation

      • Travel
      • Environement
      • Equipment
      • Training
      • Contact
      • Who are we?
      • Terms of use
    • Newsletter

      Join the community! Subscribe to our newsletter


      logo

    © Spotmydive 2022 - News and Magazine on the underwater world