On June 25, 2010, the Office of National Marine Sanctuaries launched "Cousteau Day," a system-wide day of celebration of Jacques Cousteau's life, marking 13 years since his passing and 100 years since his birth on June 11, 1910.

In his 87 years, Captain Cousteau's immense contributions to marine science and conservation, including the production of more than 120 documentaries, advancing the science of scuba, and promoting environmental activism are indisputable. 100 years after his birth, Jacques-Yves Cousteau continues to teach us, stir our imagination, push our limits, and inspire our dreams. We celebrate his singular life and enduring legacy. During his missions, Captain Cousteau was rarely without his red watch cap. This iconic image has come to be synonymous with his work and personality that paved the way for generations to care about oceans.

To connect our system of celebrations to his legacy, all ONMS staff wore a red watch cap on Cousteau Day and each sanctuary paid tribute to Captain Cousteau with individual events. These pages provide a look at what went on through videos, photos and essays.