Jacques Cousteau

Hello. My name is Jacques Cousteau, and I want to tell you about my amazing life exploring the deep blue sea. A long, long time ago, on June 11th, 1910, I was born. Ever since I was a little boy, I loved the water. I loved to splash and swim and float. I always wondered what was hiding under the waves. I dreamed of breathing underwater, just like a fish, so I could visit the colorful coral reefs and see all the sleepy starfish. I even made my very own underwater camera from a box and some glass so I could try to take pictures of my fishy friends.

When I grew up, my love for the ocean grew bigger and bigger. I had a wonderful ship named Calypso. She was my home on the sea, and my wife Simone and I had many adventures on her. But I still wanted to swim deep down with the fish. So, my good friend Émile and I worked together to make something new. We invented something called the Aqua-Lung. It was like a magic backpack that let me and my friends breathe underwater for a long, long time. I could finally swim free. I danced with dolphins and waved hello to giant turtles. It was a beautiful, quiet world full of wonder.

I saw so many incredible things in the ocean, and I wanted everyone to see them too. I used my cameras to make movies and television shows about my underwater adventures. I wanted to bring the ocean right into your home so you could meet the funny octopus and the sparkly fish. I lived a long, happy life exploring the sea. Then, when I was very old, my adventures ended. The ocean is a big, beautiful home for so many animals. It is important to be kind to our wonderful blue world and help keep it safe for all the fish, turtles, and whales who live there.