Have you ever wondered what beauty exists beneath the surface of the deep blue sea? Dreamt about what it would be like to see sharks, rays, and other underwater wildlife up close? Now, with a new contest from OceanX, you could join the ranks of the James Camerons and Sylvia Earles of the world with a sub dive to uncover the ocean’s wonder and mysteries.
Hosted by OceanX, an ocean exploration initiative founded by Ray and Mark Dalio, the contest will give one lucky winner and a guest the opportunity to take an underwater excursion in one of OceanX’s famous submersibles. OceanX’s fleet of deep-sea submersibles have traveled around the world, descending deep to the Antarctic seafloor, diving with Sir David Attenborough into the Great Barrier Reef, filming iconic scenes in the BBC’s Blue Planet II, and even capturing rare footage of a giant squid at depth. The contest is part of OceanX’s mission to make ocean exploration accessible to the world and inspire the next generation of ocean explorers.
To win this once-in-a-lifetime experience, entrants are invited to submit a name for OceanX’s new research vessel, Alucia2, which will set sail for the first time in 2020. The winning name will evoke either the excitement of exploring the ocean or the urgency with which humanity must better understand and protect it — or both. Entry is available to U.S. residents over 18 and the submission period will last through August 7, 2019. For official rules and to enter, visit http://www.bit.ly/win-a-sub-dive.
A one-time oil survey ship, Alucia2 spans nearly 280 feet and will be the most advanced combined exploration and media vessel ever built. The ship’s features include a 40-ton man-rated A-frame strong enough to deploy submersibles, towed sonar arrays and more; an enclosed submersible hangar; and a dedicated deployment bay that will allow for independent launch and recovery of piloted and autonomous underwater drones. The ship will also feature two submersibles, each of which can dive beyond a depth of 3,000 feet for up to eight hours, going where no human has been before. New discoveries will be made on board using state-of-the-art dry and wet marine laboratories, and the ship’s media studio will bring these discoveries to screens, potentially delivering groundbreaking scientific news in real time.
The naming contest for Alucia2 is part of the recently announced launch of MISSION OCEANX, a global, six-episode series and cross-platform event that pairs a dream team of the world’s greatest ocean storytellers with Alucia2. MISSION OCEANX will be co-produced for National Geographic by OceanX, BBC Studios’ Natural History Unit, and renowned filmmaker and National Geographic Explorer-at-Large James Cameron. For more on the series, see here.
