McConaghy boats - The fastest and now the deepest

Filmmaker and National Geographic Explorer-in-Residence James Cameron gives two thumbs-up as he emerges from the DEEPSEA CHALLENGER submersible after his successful solo dive to the Mariana Trench, the deepest part of the ocean. The dive was part of DEEPSEA CHALLENGE, a joint scientific expedition by Cameron, the National Geographic Society and Rolex to conduct deep-ocean research. - Deepsea Challange Mark Thiessen National Geographic

Filmmaker and National Geographic Explorer-in-Residence James Cameron emerges from the DEEPSEA CHALLENGER submersible after his successful solo dive to the Mariana Trench, the deepest part of the ocean. The dive was part of DEEPSEA CHALLENGE, a joint scientific expedition by Cameron, the National Geographic Society and Rolex to conduct deep-ocean research. - Deepsea Challange © Mark Thiessen National Geographic

The nearly 7-mile (10.9km) dive in the Mariana Trench's Challenger Deep southwest of Guam this morning was made possible by the Deepsea Challenger, a specially-designed submersible nearly eight years in the making, with McConaghy heavily involved in the final eighteen months of construction in Sydney, building components for the hull, buoyancy and battery propulsion systems. The long, thin vehicle, which Cameron calls a 'vertical torpedo,'
is fitted with lights, cameras, powerful thrusters and is oriented with the cramped pilot sphere at the bottom. It drops straight down sphere- first, rather than horizontally, like most deep-diving subs.

Several hours before launch, the support team dropped an unmanned vehicle about the size of a phone booth into the trench in an effort to attract whatever might be living down there. 'I'm going to attempt to rendezvous with that vehicle so I can observe animals that are attracted to the chemical signature of its bait,' Cameron told National Geographic. When he finally reached bottom, he sent the anxious crew on the support vessel Mermaid Sapphire the welcome message: 'All systems OK.'

McConaghy Boats have done it again. Leading edge, breaking records...congratulations to James Cameron and team, his vision, and willingness to partner with those that make the impossible possible.

Filmmaker and National Geographic Explorer-in-Residence James Cameron is congratulated by ocean explorer and U.S. Navy Capt. Don Walsh, right, after completing the first ever solo dive 35, 756 feet down to the “Challenger Deep,” the lowest part of the Mariana Trench. Walsh took the same journey to the bottom of the Mariana Trench 52 years ago in the bathyscaphe Trieste, with Swiss oceanographer Jacques Piccard. Cameron’s dive in his specially designed submersible was part of DEEPSEA CHALLENGE, a © Mark Thiessen National Geographic

Filmmaker and National Geographic Explorer-in-Residence James Cameron holds the National Geographic Society flag after he successfully completed the first ever solo dive to the Mariana Trench. The dive was part of DEEPSEA CHALLENGE, a joint scientific expedition by Cameron, the National Geographic Society and Rolex to conduct deep-ocean research. - Deepsea Challange © Mark Thiessen National Geographic