INFLUENCE 65 ADVENTURE elite traveler SPRING 2019 Victor Vescovo on driving exploration

became a reality, we saw how much this As his self-funded journey to the bottom of all five oceans nears the expedition could impact the scientific halfway point, Victor Vescovo tells Elite Traveler what inspired his community. Not only can we finally obtain reliable access to some of the mission, and why exploring the unknown is so important world’s most punishing environments, we also have the ability to study organisms and other undiscovered samples that promise a world of new scientific discovery in biological, geological and oceanographic study. To many people, the Five Deeps Expedition looks like a very elaborate and expensive vanity project — another check on a bucket list of sorts. Okay, fair I feel like I have been exploring all enough. I say, at some level, it is. But I my life. From riding all over my also believe it is incredibly important neighborhood on a bicycle as a kid; for those with the means to fund basic immersing myself in the pages of many, science and technological development many books; climbing to the tops of to do so. Science and technology have some very high mountains; and now, solved more world problems and diving to the depths of the world’s alleviated more suffering than any other oceans. historical factor — except, perhaps, My first ‘expedition’ taught me regime change. And there’s nothing perhaps my most valuable lesson. At more inspiring than seeing people and three years old, I tried to drive a car, organizations being pushed to do things and after a very brief initial success, it that have never been done before that ended as expected — extremely badly. advance us as a species. Surviving that trauma had a profound What excites me most about diving impact on how I view life. I have always the Five Deeps Expedition is the act of felt fortunate to be alive, and I have an doing it, against all of the challenges intense desire to make the most of the and moments of doubt. My hope is that time I have on Earth. this is just the beginning of an I hugely admire great explorers, pilot uncovering of knowledge, a technical engineers and climbers like Roald proving ground that will be a part of Amundsen, Neil Armstrong, Chuck propelling scientists across the world Yeager and Reinhold Messner. My into a new era of exploration and childhood dream was to become an organizational and logistical challenge. My hope is that this is innovation — as well as the continuation astronaut, then a pilot. To me, making An endeavor of this magnitude requires of the full story of the oceans that is the most of life means experiencing all partners at the top of their fields with just the beginning of an only now beginning to be told. the world has to offer and what it has to the required technical skills and uncovering of That’s where the Discovery Channel show from every possible angle. That expertise, but who share the same and Atlantic Productions come in. desire drives my curiosity and truly is curiosity and passion for exploration knowledge, a technical Sharing our discoveries in a television the fuel for my need to explore. that I have — like EYOS Expeditions, proving ground that seriesisawinforeveryonewhowants What I love most about this journey which is running the day-to-day to learn more about two-thirds of our is the uncharted nature of it — that no execution of the mission. will be a part of planet. Once our expedition is person, organization or government has When I first called Triton propelling scientists complete, I hope the DSV Limiting ever even tried to make it happen. In Submarines, I wasn’t sure what the Factor will continue to explore the fact, no one in history has been to the response would be, but I am grateful across the world into a oceans’ hidden places and help in bottom of four of our five oceans — well, that they did not laugh me off the new era of exploration complex undersea recoveries. now there are only three left to reach phone. Not only did they jump at the Asforwhat’snextforme,maybeI’ll since we just dived to the bottom the chance to build a full ocean depth and innovation finally fulfill my childhood dream of Atlantic Ocean in December 2018. submersible, but they worked tirelessly becoming an astronaut. Mr Musk, if Human beings are capable of to design, build and perfect it. The DSV you’re reading this, I say to you: I’ll give accomplishing truly amazing feats if Limiting Factor not only delivers on the you a ride in my vessel, if you give me a they put their minds and resources to it. objective, but will have a life well ride in yours. The Five Deeps Expedition is an beyond our expedition.

Photo Reeve Jolliffe,EYOS Expeditions extremely complex technological, As the Five Deeps Expedition vision fivedeeps.com