100-Day Undersea Mission Promotes Marine Conservation

Historic “Project NEPTUNE 100” Studies Hyperbaric Medicine and Promotes Marine Conservation from Jules’ Undersea Lodge

PRESS RELEASE

Key Largo, FL – For the first time ever, a human will remain in an undersea habitat for 100
days and conduct cutting edge diving medicine research.

Beginning on March 1, 2023, Jules’ Undersea Lodge in Key Largo, FL will host Project
NEPTUNE 100, a 100-day undersea mission to support marine research and conservation.
Managed by Marine Resources Development Foundation (MRDF)/MarineLab, the
project aims to boost support for marine conservation from its unique undersea base on the
bottom of a mangrove lagoon teeming with marine life from manatee to seahorses. The
former undersea laboratory will serve as a “Digital Studio in the Sea” broadcasting
interviews and science demonstrations to ocean enthusiasts around the world.

Distinguished hyperbaric medicine researcher and diving explorer Dr. Joe Dituri, Ph.D.,
DMT, CDR-US Navy (ret), will be the Aquanaut in residence for the entire 100 days. Dr.
Dituri is a retired Navy Saturation Diving Officer with a PHD in Biomedical Engineering. He
will be conducting experiments to study the effects of long-term exposure to pressure and
working with other researchers on diving medical issues, as well as teaching his hyperbaric
medicine and medical school courses from inside Jules’ Undersea Lodge. Dr. Dituri is Chief
Researcher for Underseas Oxygen Clinic in Tampa, FL. The International Board of
Undersea Medicine (www.ibum.org) is the presenting sponsor for the mission, supporting
his research.

Multiple researchers will join Dr. Dituri in the 100-day mission. The mission will feature
regular broadcasts with scientists talking about their experiments in Jules’. Some will live
underwater with Dr. Dituri for days at a time. Throughout the mission marine specialists will
be joined by social media influencers to highlight the important message of ocean
conservation.

MRDF/MarineLab is partnering with other conservation organizations to select topics and
speakers of global interest. Social media influencers will join these speakers and
researchers to amplify the important message of marine conservation. Since April of 2021,
the special nature of Jules’ Undersea Lodge – the world’s first undersea hotel – has
attracted over 45 million YouTube views. Based on this exposure, over 100 million views
are expected during the 100-day mission.

Marine exploration pioneer Ian Koblick, Founder and Chairman of the Board of
MRDF/MarineLab, is taking an active role in charting the direction and setting goals for the
mission. Mission Director Thane Milhoan is responsible for implementing Ian’s vision.
Any profits from the mission will be donated to MRDF to support its MarineLab
Environmental Education Center. MarineLab’s programs inspire today’s students to become
tomorrow’s scientists and policymakers, creating conservationists through education. More
information is available at www.marinelab.org.

Anyone interested in participating as a presenter, media influencer or citizen scientist should
contact Mission Director Thane Milhoan [email protected] or 305-451-2353. Several
sponsorship opportunities are also available; anyone wishing to sponsor this event please
contact Kim Gregory, MRDF Director of Development [email protected] or 305-451-1139
ext 3.