30 Mile Dive: Attention to the Unseen Ocean Crisis

This September, veteran deep-sea explorer and combat diver Scott Cassell attempts a world-record breaking, non-stop SCUBA dive from Catalina Island to Los Angeles.

It’s an extraordinary endeavor, rife with risk. But he hopes it will draw much-needed attention to an unseen ocean crisis happening around us.

“If we were to see the devastation that has occurred in the ocean – as if it were on land – we would be horrified,” says Cassell. “My value in life was found when I discovered the ocean. When I see people harming it, I take that personally. And I’m a man of action.”

Although Cassell will dive in a region historically known for large shark populations – much of it underwater and at night – sharks are not a huge fear factor for him. Towing an acoustic array to attract sharks – and with cameras rolling underwater – Cassell’s mission includes a census of the region’s top ocean predators. But he’s not particularly keen on getting attacked by one. “I’ll be wearing my shark suit and some aluminium ankle covers, just in case,” he says.

And he’ll be doing it on deadline.

“I’ve been researching human endurance in salt water at 68 degrees, and I’m coming up with this very scary number of 21 hours, at which point I just might have a heart attack and die,” he says. “My original intent was to dive for 24 hours, but I realize now I better aim for 20.”

While Cassell prepares for his formidable dive, Global Reef gears up to document it.

“In our lifetimes, the ocean in our own backyard has fundamentally changed,” says Global Reef’s Media Director, Ian Hinkle. “Scott’s dive will show just how drastic these changes are. This is an opportunity for individuals to support an incredible project, do something positive for our oceans, and even join Scott’s expedition.”

On the weekend of September 17th, you can get involved and track his progress in the ocean, live with bloosee.com, at www.globalreef.org.

The documentary film, 30-Mile-Dive, is being funded by public backers through crowd-sourcing site indiegogo.com. Here’s how it works: backers can pledge anywhere from a buck on up; each donation level has a corresponding reward: from a ring-tone, to a copy of the film, to an excursion in a real submarine with Scott himself. Our first round of crowd-funding was successful, and we will be launching another round in mid-August.

Want to have an unforgettable experience as a credited member of the production team? You can do that too – for $2500. Donations are tax deductible in the United States through Cassell’s non-profit organization, Undersea Voyager Project. [501(c)3]. www.indiegogo.com/30-mile-dive

Scott Cassell fell in love with the ocean after watching 20,000 Leagues Under the Sea as a boy. He has more than 13,000 hours as an underwater explorer, combat and commercial diver. He is a USCG qualified sub pilot, Navy diving supervisor and dive medical technician. He is a record holder for longest dive distance, 52 miles non-stop, and was the first to film a giant squid species. His credits include National Geographic, Discovery, Animal Planet, History Channel, Disney, BBC, Spike, and Univision. Scott is a fellow of the Royal Geographical Society.

“The ocean is where monsters dwell. It’s where man’s imagination can become reality, because it truly has the most magnificent animals to ever have existed. The world does have magic, and it’s under the sea.”
~ Scott Cassell

Global Reef is a Canadian social enterprise with a mandate to create explosive, action-packed media properties that highlight the value of ocean conservation. We bring a unique team of award-winning filmmakers, underwater cinematographers, and a crew of dedicated dive professionals. Global Reef works to inspire people to think about the state of our oceans, and empowers them to act. www.globalreef.org