Team

JEAN-CLAUDE ROUBAUD

Archaeological Diver, Chief Diver

 

28 October 1958, France

 

Has worked with Franck Goddio since 1992. 

Jean-Claude is the project's Chief Diver. He started snorkelling when he was 6 years old and has been a SCUBA diver since 1978. He became a professional diver in 1985 and has worked as a dive instructor, hyperbaric chamber operator, diesel mechanic, marine carpenter, builder of wooden boats and a heavy machinery operator.

“I was born on the Mediterranean coast, the sea and water are native to me … it has always attracted and fascinated me. The practice of discovering underwater archaeological objects on ancient sites or shipwrecks is the realization of my childhood dreams. The knowledge of the past interests me more and more…”

“On this project I had a ‘super’ experience… when I was lifting a fragment of the large stele weighting 8 tons with two lift bags… the boat towed me and the huge fragment. I found myself able to ride atop the stele, like on a magic carpet, surveying the whole site of the sunken city of Heracleion, and all the ancient shipwrecks! What a ride!!”