The Aqualung - ~claude

In His Own Words

Cousteau was a poet as well as a scientist, an eloquent voice for the voiceless sea.

"The sea, once it casts its spell, holds one in its net of wonder forever."

— Jacques Cousteau

"People protect what they love."

— Jacques Cousteau

"The impossible missions are the only ones which succeed."

— Jacques Cousteau

"The best way to observe a fish is to become a fish."

— Jacques Cousteau

"From birth, man carries the weight of gravity on his shoulders. He is bolted to earth. But man has only to sink beneath the surface and he is free."

— Jacques Cousteau

"We forget that the water cycle and the life cycle are one."

— Jacques Cousteau

"If we were logical, the future would be bleak indeed. But we are more than logical. We are human beings, and we have faith."

— Jacques Cousteau

"The happiness of the bee and the dolphin is to exist. For man it is to know that and to wonder at it."

— Jacques Cousteau

"No aquarium, no tank in a marine land, however spacious it may be, can begin to duplicate the conditions of the sea."

— Jacques Cousteau

"Water and air, the two essential fluids on which all life depends, have become global garbage cans."

— Jacques Cousteau

"It takes generosity to discover the whole through others. If you realize you are only a violin, you can open yourself up to the world by playing your role in the concert."

— Jacques Cousteau

"When one man, for whatever reason, has the opportunity to lead an extraordinary life, he has no right to keep it to himself."

— Jacques Cousteau

"We must plant the sea and herd its animals using the sea as farmers instead of hunters."

— Jacques Cousteau

"What is a scientist after all? It is a curious man looking through a keyhole, the keyhole of nature, trying to know what's going on."

— Jacques Cousteau

"A lot of people attack the sea, I make love to it."

— Jacques Cousteau

On Conservation

• Overfishing threatens 90% of large ocean fish species - Cousteau warned us decades ago

• Coral reefs face bleaching events unprecedented in history - they need our protection now

• 8 million metric tons of plastic enter the ocean each year - we must turn the tide

• Marine protected areas work - when we give the sea space to recover, it does

• The deep sea remains 80% unexplored - there is still so much wonder to discover

• Shark populations have declined 70% since 1970 - the apex predators need our help

• Seagrass meadows absorb carbon 35 times faster than rainforests - protect the underwater gardens

• Every piece of plastic ever made still exists - choose reusable alternatives

• Sustainable seafood choices matter - consumer power can reshape fishing practices

• Climate change is the greatest threat to ocean health - the sea absorbs our carbon and our heat

⚓ The Aqualung ⚓

In His Own Words

On Conservation