Victor Vescovo is the Founder, Chief Executive, and Chief Submersible Pilot at Caladan Oceanic, a private marine research organization. Caladan Oceanic aims to explore the deepest parts of the oceans with the latest technology, and letting the world see just what is at the bottom of our oceans. He is also a Managing Partner and Co-Founder of Insight Equity, a private equity firm that makes control investments aimed at strategically viable, middle-market companies. Before dedicating his life and resources to marine research and exploration, Victor served more than 20 years in the US Navy as an Intelligence Officer and Intelligence Instructor.
Victor joins me today to discuss his experience as the head of a marine research organization, some of his most memorable dives, and the technical aspects of deep-sea exploration. He shares where he gets his passion for marine research and why mountain climbing has a more spiritual feel than diving in a submarine. He explains the effects of plastic waste on bodies of water, the deepest they’ve found plastic and garbage, and our responsibilities as stewards of this planet. He also describes some of his most exciting finds and shares what he thinks is the purpose of life and why he’s no longer interested in the monetary aspect of his research.
“For heaven’s sake, experience your world. You’re not going to be here for long.” - Victor Vescovo
This week on Kathy Sullivan Explores:
● What it was like exploring the Mariana Trench
● What drives Victor\'s passion for exploration
● Victor\'s business side and his interests in finances and the economy
● The similarities and differences between mountain climbing and ocean exploration
● Why it\'s more challenging to explore the ocean than it is to climb a mountain
● The amount of pressure a submersible is experiencing when deep diving
● Why a spherical shape is the best for submersibles
● How Victor assembled his team of researchers for the Hadal expedition
● The struggles of having a professional film crew with their expeditions
● What it means to focus on the problem instead of the people when something goes wrong
● The importance of making a decision, even if it turns out to be the wrong decision
● Victor\'s thoughts on castigating and praising team members in public
● What it\'s like to explore the deepest and darkest parts of the ocean
● Why the Titanic dive was one of Victor\'s most dangerous dives
● How deep can plastic waste go into the sea
● The trenches with the most contaminations in the world
● The trash Victor and his team found in the deepest ocean trenches
● Some of the most interesting structures and animals Victor has seen in his dives
● Why bureaucracies can hinder dives and other explorations
● Giving back as a researcher and philanthropist
● What Victor believes is the purpose of life
● Why Victor thinks people should be more self-sufficient
Connect with Victor Vescovo:
● Caladan Oceanic
● Caladan Oceanic on Instagram
● Caladan Oceanic on Facebook
● Caladan Oceanic on Twitter
● Caladan Oceanic on YouTube
● Victor Vescovo on LinkedIn
Spaceship Not Required
I’m Kathy Sullivan, the only person to have walked in space and gone to the deepest point in the ocean.
I’m an explorer, and that doesn’t always have to involve going to some remote or exotic place. It simply requires a commitment to put curiosity into action.
In this podcast, you can explore, reflecting on lessons learned from life so far and from my brilliant and ever-inquisitive guests. We explore together in this very moment from right where you are--spaceship not required.
Welcome to Kathy Sullivan Explores.
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