Alcyone (ship)
Encyclopedia
Alcyone
In Greek mythology, Alcyone was the daughter of Aeolus, either by Enarete or Aegiale. She married Ceyx, son of Eosphorus, the Morning Star....
is a ship operated by the Cousteau Society
Jacques-Yves Cousteau
Jacques-Yves Cousteau was a French naval officer, explorer, ecologist, filmmaker, innovator, scientist, photographer, author and researcher who studied the sea and all forms of life in water...
. It was created as an expedition ship and to test the operation of a new kind of marine propulsion system, the turbosail
Turbosail
-Concept:In 1980, Jacques Cousteau dreamed of creating a ship with a modern engine that would be powered, at least in part, by the wind, a clean, free, renewable energy source...
. The Alcyone is equipped with two of these unusual sails, which are used to augment its diesel engines. Since the accidental sinking of the Calypso, the Alcyone has been the Cousteau Society's expedition vessel.
The Alcyone in popular culture
- John DenverJohn DenverHenry John Deutschendorf, Jr. , known professionally as John Denver, was an American singer/songwriter, activist, and humanitarian. After growing up in numerous locations with his military family, Denver began his music career in folk music groups in the late 1960s. His greatest commercial success...
wrote a short song called "Alcyone The Wind" as a tribute to Alcyone. The song was sung in the 1993 documentary Secret Societies of Dolphins and Whales.