Deep Ocean Expeditions

Fortunately this can be solved by joining with the excellent well experienced expedition, ship and Mir (submersible) crews on the endless list of deep diving opportunities below 6,000 feet.

Having experienced 8,800 feet at Nine Degrees north on thermal vents, 14,400 feet in the north Atlantic on the Bismarck, and 12,500 feet on the Titanic, I can only be in awe of the beauty of new life in nature and the stupidity of man in war and peace !

As a little light relief the same folk also had me in a wet suit at 100 feet in the middle of a shark feeding frenzy, once again the beauty of nature!

Fortunately I intend to feed my addiction by joining the 2007 - 08 programmes with a range of new adventures particularly if they can get me back to Antarctica."

Trevor Montgomery, Australia
Titanic, Bismarck and Vents diver

"Very few civilians have the opportunity to dive down to 16 000 feet and explore the sea-floor and its unique ecosystem. Dr. Anatoly Sagalevitch, together with Mike McDowell and their expert, dynamic support teams have given me that chance.
Knowing through past experiences that safety throughout the vent dives is their first and most important concern, I can highly recommend traveling with Deep Ocean Expeditions and P.P. Shirshov Institute of Oceanology. The ship's crew is highly aware of the passengers comfort and therefore service, accommodations and food are first class."

Elvira Butz, Switzerland
Titanic and Vents MIR diver

"I have been lucky enough to join the good ship Keldysh on three occasions, diving to the Atlantic and Pacific Hydrothermal vents as well as the doomed Titanic. I say "lucky" as that is exactly how I feel. The crew of Keldysh is absolutely first-class and as helpful and pleasant as one could possibly hope for. And the MIR crew is nothing short of outstanding. My wishes and desires include often not-so-subtle modifications to the MIR submersibles for my film work and they have often spent the night grinding, welding and wiring new systems on the subs which perform beautifully on the next day's diving. I cannot underscore enough how much I look forward to my next Keldysh adventure!"

Michael deGruy, USA
Freelance filmmaker – BBC, Discovery Channel

"For most people, impossible dreams remain just that until the final curtain falls in ones life. The recent availability of the Russian MIR submersibles has made possible my participation in a series of impossible dreams so amazing that they defy imagination. The first dive to Titanic in 2001 was meant to be a "Once in a lifetime experience." Instead, that expedition has led to an annual series of unique adventures aboard the MIR submersibles, with the added bonus of being able to reunite and associate with a group of the most interesting people one could ever hope to meet. I just can't get enough!"

Bob Williams, USA
Veteran of four MIR submersible dives.

"The Mir submersibles are oceangoing 'spaceships' and their 'base station' is the mother ship Akademik Keldysh. Every dive made into inner space is a voyage of discovery and since life on our planet began in the sea, we are literally diving to the edge of creation. It is a rare and special lifetime experience for our expedition participants. I greatly enjoy helping to show them the world of the abyss."

Don Walsh, USA
US Navy Submersible Pilot #1 (1959) and DOE expedition staff member

"I am an adventurer and through a very strange set of coincidences I found out about an adventure of a lifetime offered by Deep Ocean Expeditions.. a chance to go to the wreck site of the Titanic. I didn't know it was possible for civilians to go down there! I thought it was Something only Cameron and his crew could do (since they are the ones famous for using this research ship the Keldysh). But there I was after a series of emails and a ton of questions on my part with Belinda Sawyer.. able to go down.. with the very experienced crew of the Keldysh and Deep Ocean Expeditions. Not only was the adventure itself fantastic but the lecturers on board are the true adventure leaders in the world.. the men and women who make science - like Ralph White (who was with Ballard when he found the Titanic), like Don Walsh (one of only two men to go the Marianas trench). And our Host Rob was personable, knowledgeable and just fantastic.

As a world record holder, I get to do many things in this world...but I have to say to date this was my greatest adventure yet - not to mention that on July 10th, 2006, the day I went down, I broke another world record by doing the first every book signing, a fact that made it into the Ripley's Believe it or Not book.

I say this to anyone out there who wants to explore the world if you are looking for an adventure that will change your life...call these people, email them...whether its to the thermal vents, the North pole or the Titanic...these people can take you to places only the few on earth have been!"

Fran Capo, USA
Author, Comedienne, Motivational Speaker, Adventurer and Worlds Fastest Talking Female

"On July 2005, DOE fulfilled my dream to see the "boat of the dreams", the Titanic. Besides that, it allowed me to meet a team of people highly trained that made me feel at home and become aware what a wonderful thing it is to learn about the depths of the sea. Both experiences, to descend within the Mir to the Titanic and to share this journey along with the crew of the Keldysh and people of different countries was exciting, amused and extremely enriching for my soul."

Claudio Taboada, Argentina
Titanic diver 2005