Philippe TAILLIEZ
 

Symbolic character of the Sea, always present at the majority of the festivals with the lively and high spirits of a young man, Philippe Tailliez left to the other world.

I wish him to find and be with his friends and to observe the Earth from the stars and, if it is still possible, I am sure that he will continue to watch over the oceans from up these because the planet still really needs it.

His enthusiasm was an example for today’s youth and myself, I observed him with much respect and attentively listened to him every time he would express himself. He belonged to this big family of explorers, forerunner in their field and his death leaves a great emptiness.

I think that the person taking over will not guarantee, or at least that today’s researches do not have the same stamina, they often work in an individual way, in a different spirit.

The works that Philippe Tailliez left for us, give an invaluable testimony of which it is possible to draw from, more than what they teach us for that and all that you made.

Thank you and plain sailing, Captain !
 
 

Jacques MAYOL
 

The news of the death of Jacques Mayol arrived a little like thunder, often at a moment when one least expects it. Having still seen him in November during the Antibes Festival sitting on his own at a table on the terrace of a restaurant, his face appreciating the sun rays and glancing at the blue of this sea that he loved so much, nothing really predicted what was going to happen.

When one passes a famous person in this kind of situation one thinks sometimes one could just ask him if one could sit at his table in order to talk a little and to share a unique moment. But, by respect of his intimacy, by timidity or fear of refusal, one thinks not to disturb him.

Today, I regret not having known how to get pass that step because now I will never have that possibility to talk to the one who is a little at the origin, like for a lot of us of a whole generation, of our dreams of the Great Blue because even if the purity of the gesture of apnea is nobler than that of scuba diving, we all quiver from this feeling of this indescribable shiver which one feels when one goes down and up the depths of this bluish universe…

Jacques Mayol decided to leave his passions, taking with him his secrets, I think we shouldn’t hold this against him, for everything he has done in his life and in respect of his memory.

For sure we have lost a pioneer and I wish his spirit to find peace near the God Neptune.