the origins of apnea
breath-hold diving is an art form that human beings have been using for thousands of years in order to hunt and gather food from the sea and to earn their livelihoods. we humans are subtly connected to this habitat and all marine mammals in a very special way: when we hold our breath and descend under the ocean’s surface our heart beat slows as a way of safely prolong our time under water. with the advent of technology we somehow lost sight of this connection to the sea, we became separate from it, at best detached observers and at worst noisy intruders.
adventure is different for everyone
9 year old Jessica when asked what did you see: “A Manta Ray swam right under my feet!!! It was like I was there, like I was diving… it was amazing!!!”
16 year old Karen when asked what she thought: “my dream is to dive with manta rays and it was like I was already doing it… we need to stop using plastics… we need to do something…”
70 year old Robert: “I dove Komodo 30 years ago… it was like being transported back there, so real and so sad… we really need to reduce our single use plastics!”
experience to learn
learn to grow
share the growth
experience to learn – learn to grow – share the growth
To tell the tales of our oceans, we first have to experience them.
As water-men and women, we embark on targeted expeditions to study and protect marine creatures and habitats around the world.
breath-hold diving is an art form that human beings have been using for thousands of years in order to hunt and gather food from the sea and to earn their livelihoods. We humans are subtly connected to this habitat and all marine mammals in a very special way: when we hold our breath and descend under the ocean’s surface our heart beat slows as a way of safely prolong our time under water. with the advent of technology we somehow lost sight of this connection to the sea, we became separate from it, at best detached observers and at worst noisy intruders.
breath-hold diving is silent, calm, relaxed and as if the diver was meant to be underwater – or at the very least become as close as humans can to belonging in a liquid environment. the watermen project’s team relies on its extensive freediving experience to explore the underwater world in the most respectful way possible. the ability to approach endangered and iconic marine species without disturbing them has proven to be of tremendous scientific value. most importantly, stories and media of intimate close-up encounters between our water- men and women and marine life has inspired active support for ocean conservation among younger generations.
to tell the tales of our oceans, we first have to experience them.
as water-men and women, we embark on targeted expeditions to study and protect marine creatures and habitats around the world. the team dedicates its exploration skills to the conservation of those species, which are most desperately in need of protection.
some of these adventures range from studying the movement patterns of great hammerhead sharks in the caribbean to investigating the impact of plastic pollution on the legendary komodo dragons of indonesia. through ocean exploration we become witnesses of the challenges our oceans face today.
the team’s experiences, insights and encounters represent the essential ingredients to create meaningful stories aimed to inspire in young people all over the world a love for all things in the ocean.
young ambassador: inka cresswell
inka is an aspiring ocean explorer and filmmaker. In 2016 and 2017 she joined two of the watermen project’s shark research expeditions to translate the shark research efforts into engaging media. despite challenging sea conditions inka produced a series of expedition vlogs and captured stunning images of marine life and research efforts. without a doubt, inka will be an impactful ocean explorer and storyteller.
watch her award-winning film “my 25 – the ocean between us”
The Watermen Project | Route du Pont-Butin 70, 1213 Petit-Lancy, Geneva, Switzerland | General inquiries: info@watermenproject.org