Although good intentions are no substitute for quality, one cannot resist some sympathy for the author [of Life and Death in a Coral Sea] whose Silent World opened a new realm for millions, whose aqualung pioneered rewarding fields for both research and enjoyment, and whose books, films and other activities are seriously dedicated to underwater exploration. There are few men like Jacques-Yves Cousteau, but they have an important role to play in the development of science, chiefly because they provide that imaginative energy so necessary if research projects are to reach beyond the resources of any one institute….

In 1967 [he] began his voyage in the Calypso, once a minesweeper but now fully equipped for underwater research. M Cousteau dubbed this voyage a "permanent expedition", although the immediate aim was to gather material for twelve television films and six books to defray costs. The first book,… [The Shark] was...