2020 marks the 200th anniversary of the first sighting of the Antarctic continent. With decades of combined experience in the region, and a genuine passion for exploring the ‘Last Continent’, EYOS has a proud record of achievements on the ice.
A one-of-a-kind company like EYOS requires extraordinary people behind the scenes - in the Faces of EYOS Question and Answer series we interview EYOS personnel.
Following the successful completion of the historic dive that made her the world’s most vertical person and first woman to reach the deepest point in the ocean, astronaut Dr. Kathy Sullivan has joined the EYOS Advisory Board.
Kelly Walsh, 52, today completed a historic dive to approximately 10,925m in the Challenger Deep. Walsh dove in the Western Pool, the same area that was visited by Kelly’s father, Captain Don Walsh, USN (Ret), PhD, who was the pilot of the bathyscaph ‘Trieste’ during the first dive to the Challenger Deep in 1960. Mr. Walsh’s 12-hour dive, coordinated by EYOS Expeditions, was undertaken aboard the deep-sea vehicle Triton 36000/2 ‘Limiting Factor” piloted by the owner of the vehicle Victor Vescovo, a Dallas, Texas based businessman and explorer.
In a world first, EYOS Expeditions today coordinated a call between the International Space Station and the DSSV Pressure Drop, the mothership of submersible DSV Limiting Factor. Limiting Factor ‘LF’ had just returned from a full ocean depth dive in the Challenger Deep, the deepest point in the ocean, with pilot Victor Vescovo of Caladan Oceanic and oceanographer/astronaut Dr. Kathy Sullivan onboard. The ISS is in Low Earth orbit at an altitude of 408 kms (254 miles) while the LF operates at a depth of nearly 7 miles.
The deepest diving octopus ever filmed was recently discovered by Dr. Alan Jamieson of Armatus Oceanic, was a species belonging to the Grimpoteuthis family, making this a likely new species of ‘Dumbo Octopus’. The observations were made at 5,760 and 6,957 metres deep (3.6 to 4.3 miles deep) in the Indian Ocean during the recent Five Deeps Expedition, the world’s first manned expedition to the deepest point in each of the five oceans.
EYOS Expeditions and Simwave have developed a bespoke ice navigation and expedition operations simulator course for superyacht officers that meets STCW and Polar Code requirements. This partnership combines Simwave’s expert instruction and sophisticated simulator technology in Rotterdam with the practical expertise of EYOS to deliver essential training with practical, real-world polar expeditions insight that is not found in any other course.
Following the historic Five Deeps Expedition and the current Ring of Fire Expedition, Caladan Oceanic’s Hadal Exploration System (HES) is being offered for sale exclusively through EYOS Expeditions. The HES is the only scientific platform specifically designed for work in the deep ocean ‘hadal zone’ and the submarine is the only vehicle certified with an official ‘Depth Unlimited’ rating. Able to dive repeatedly to 11,000m, the submersible is uniquely capable of reaching any depth, in any ocean and to do so for an indefinite number of dives. The package is listed at an asking price of $49.8 million which is based only on its actual design, construction, and shakedown costs.
After successfully diving to the deepest point in the Mediterranean Sea, the Calypso Deep, in mid-February, Victor Vescovo and the Caladan Oceanic crew sailed through the Suez Canal and into the Red Sea. In cooperation with the King Abdullah University of Science and Technology (KAUST) in Thuwal, Saudi Arabia, Caladan made multiple manned dives into the little-explored Red Sea and—for the first time—to its deepest point: the Suakin Trough. The team also dove the shallower, but scientifically important Kebrit Deep (Arabic for “sulfur”), 250 miles to the north.
Following the resounding success of the groundbreaking Five Deeps Expedition last year, EYOS Expeditions and Caladan Oceanic announce a world’s first opportunity for intrepid explorers to dive to the deepest point of the world’s oceans. The Mission Specialists accompanying this expedition will step into the history books for being amongst the first 15 humans to reach the bottom of the Mariana Trench/Challenger Deep at 10,928 metres/35,853 feet deep.
The second phase (of five) of Caladan Oceanic’s 2020 deep-diving expeditions has now been completed after sub pilot and explorer, Victor Vescovo and His Serene Highness, Prince Albert II of Monaco ventured down to the bottom of the Calypso Deep, the deepest point in the Mediterranean sea, on February 10.
EYOS Expeditions has completed a highly successful expedition to the wreck of the French submarine S647 ‘La Minerve’ which sank in 1968 with all hands. The expedition’s purpose was to complete a forensic investigation of the wreck and to place a commemorative plaque on behalf of the families of the 52 crew who were lost at sea.
EYOS Expeditions and Bomber Ski announce the ultimate experience for any serious skiing enthusiast: a week-long, superyacht-based skiing adventure, in Antarctica or Greenland, guided by six-time Olympic medalist Bode Miller and polar explorer Doug Stoup. Scheduled for December 2020 (Antarctica) and April 2020 (Greenland), both expeditions are timed for ideal skiing conditions, combining first tracks with many other wonders of the polar regions while enjoying the comfort of a 77-meter ultra-luxury superyacht.
EYOS is proud to be supporting Captain Fiann Paul, Colin O’Brady, and the entire crew of the vessel Ohana that will undertake an expedition next month to row to Antarctica. The expedition will set off from South America in mid December and then cross the 600 mile Drake Passage.
On October 31st the first DAMEN SeaXplorer luxury expedition yacht emerged from the building hall in the Netherlands. When the 62-meter custom-designed yacht is handed over to her owners in early 2020, she will be the first delivery in this groundbreaking series of yachts.