Curiously, I often ponder the realization that it’s been 40 years since Walter Starck used his first ‘Electrolung’ off the deep reefs of Andros. It’s been 50 years since the depths of the region first peaked the curiosities of Ed Link, John Perry, Dick Birch, Cousteau, and others. Time does indeed fly, even more so when we turn our heads in the other direction.

As we set out at the end of this month to continue our explorations ‘in Bahama deep’, we are keeping in perspective that 40 and 50 years ago similar pursuits were underway, and while their successes lead to the foundations of undersea research and related technology development in the US, the fundamental values and motivations of these early explorers got lost somewhere. Not only are we revisiting their dive sites, but we will revisit their hopes and dreams, and the vision that put ocean exploration on the map. How can we measure progress – as an institution, as a country, and as a species – if we lose sight of our history? Many questions are sure to be answered as we stare into the Abyss.

To quote Friedrich Nietzsche, “When you stare into an Abyss, the Abyss stares back into you.”

It certainly does.