Jacques Cousteau

Jacques Cousteau was born in France in 1910. He loved the ocean from the time he was a little boy. He grew up to become one of the world's greatest ocean explorers. He spent his life diving deep into the sea. He showed people the amazing animals and plants that live in the water. Many kids and grown-ups learned to love the ocean because of him.

A New Way to Dive

Long ago, divers could not stay under the water for very long. Jacques wanted to swim freely like a fish. So he helped invent a special tool called the Aqua-Lung. It let divers breathe air from a tank on their back. This tool is now called scuba gear. Today, people all over the world use it to dive safely. Jacques changed the way we explore the sea.

Sharing the Ocean

Jacques sailed the seas on a ship named Calypso. He brought cameras under the water to film sea life. He made movies and TV shows about his trips. People watched sharks, whales, and coral reefs from their homes. He also wrote books about the ocean. Jacques wanted everyone to care about the sea. He taught us to keep the water clean and protect sea animals.

Fun Facts

• His famous ship, Calypso, used to be a small war boat before he turned it into a science ship.
• Jacques always wore a bright red knit hat when he was on his ship.
• He won three Oscar awards for his amazing underwater movies.

Did You Know?

Jacques Cousteau helped invent the Aqua-Lung in 1943, and it became the scuba gear that divers still use today!