Would you like to rub shoulders with legendary ocean explorer Dr Don Walsh and share his experiences from his record-breaking 10-kilometre descent to the world’s deepest ocean trench? Well you can, by going on board the Damen Yacht Support vessel Fast and Furious.
The company has set up the SeaXplorer Lounge on board the yacht where visitors can experience the exhilarating world of true expedition yachting at the Monaco Yacht Show
The lounge is open to all Monaco Yacht Show visitors and Fast and Furious, is carrying dive gear, a submersible and scale models from builders 65 to 100-metre range of SeaXplorer expedition yachts.
Don Walsh began his career as a US Navy submarine commander. In January 1960, he and Jacques Piccard took the submersible Trieste to the deepest point in the world’s oceans, the Challenger Deep in the Mariana Trench: a record breaking 35,840 feet – more than 10 kilometres deep. For 52 years no one had repeated this exploration.
Then in March 2012, James Cameron piloted his Deepsea Challenger to this same place. Walsh was also a member of that expedition. For the past four decades, Don Walsh has worked on a huge number of dive expeditions, including the wrecks of the Titanic and Bismarck.
Walsh’s voyages have taken him to both the Arctic and Antarctic regions, including more than 50 polar expeditions including the Northwest and Northeast Passages, the North (5 trips) and South Poles.
The “Walsh Spur” (ridge) near Cape Hallett is named for him in recognition of his contributions to the US Antarctic Program.
Don Walsh will be joined by Rob McCallum, co-founder at luxury expedition specialists EYOS Expeditions. He is also on hand to explain why an increasing number of high-end yachting clients want to go to the wildest places on Earth and how to get there in total comfort, luxury and safety.