A team of four divers decided to explore the seabed of the Mediterranean by spending 28 days at a depth of 120 in a pressurized module. A rather original way to reach Monaco from Marseille…
Scientists believe that we know more about the planet Mars than the bottom of our seas and oceans, which, nevertheless, cover 71% of our planet. A concept that pushed the photographer and diver Laurent Ballesta to embark on an adventure that Jules Verne would have envied: travel aboard a 5 square meter module (named the Bathyale) across the floor of the Mediterranean during 28 days at 120 meters deep. Moreover, he was not alone in this adventure since three other divers accompanied him. A real human feat that began in Marseille on July 1st and should reach the Bay of Monaco at the end of the month.
Discovering the Mediterranean
A challenge that required a long preparation by the four divers who will have to stay submerged for four more days decompressing once they arrive, before being able to admire the sites and sounds of Monte Carlo. Not to mention the battery of medical tests they will have to undergo. But the risk is worth the reward for Laurent Ballesta, who is eager to discover the Mediterranean from a whole new angle. “Men have traveled there for millennia; it is believed to hold no more secrets. Because they have conquered it and abused it, we believe it is devastated. But the Mediterranean is still a living sea that has yet to be explored,” he explained. An adventure that is both athletic, artistic, and ecological, as scientific research will be conducted during the expedition, to identify the underwater fauna and flora of the Mediterranean. And maybe, make some fantastic discoveries along the way…
*Article originally published on the French edition of the Monaco Tribune.