Private Personal Submarine Expeditions, Underwater ROVS, Sea Mapping, Submarines for Superyachts

“Submersibles are really the only method for humans to completely explore and study the oceans of our planet.”

Ofer Ketter is a man of many facets. An explorer, submersible pilot, diving instructor, certified tour guide, Conde Nast Traveler ‘Top Travel Specialist’, photographer and videographer, and the co-founder of an experiential travel company, Origen Escapes. Bringing a huge amount of experience and an adventurous spirit to SubMerge, Ofer handles business development and marketing, manages new project opportunities and is the overall project manager, with responsibilities that include expedition design and management.

Ofer’s role at SubMerge is the sum total of all the other aspects of his career – designing, planning, leading, guiding and operating – while his penchant for one-of-a-kinds and first-evers, offers exciting opportunities for SubMerge’s clients. His extensive experience with private submersibles – as a pilot, expedition designer and operator, and within the submersibles industry – designing and participating in the creation of numerous patents, is overshadowed only by his passion and enthusiasm for them and what they can offer:

“They allow any human, from children and senior citizens, to non-swimmers and disabled, all the way to professional explorers, scientists and filmmakers, to experience the oceans. They are as comfortable and safe as riding or driving in a car.”

The spirit of adventure first called to Ofer when he was about 16 years old, a natural curiosity drawing him to study National Geographics, and to research diving, sharks and photography. The same year as graduating high school, where he majored in electronics and computing, Ofer could be found exploring Australia, where he completed his PADI Open Water certification in the Whitsunday Islands. The underwater world offered a new and exciting environment to explore, one with few restrictions, limits or borders. Over the following years, he gained further diving qualifications, becoming both an open water and technical dive instructor, while at the same time working as a professional photographer and expedition leader.

While working as a dive instructor at Cocos Island, Costa Rica, Ofer took a chance opportunity to complete his Seamagine Deep Submersible Pilot (Triumph 3-man 1500ft) Certification (he went on to complete piloting certifications for two other submersible models in 2011 and 2018 and, to date, has logged over 300 hours as a pilot) to become one of the few submersible pilots in the world. This, added to Ofer’s already unique combination of skills, opened up a whole world of opportunities and set him on a path full of adventure. From circumnavigating the globe onboard a superyacht as an expedition planner and leader and solo piloting the first ever deep submersible into an active crater of a volcano in the Galapagos to working as a documentary filmmaker and helicopter aerial cinematographer, to landing in the first Golf-Stream G5 Jet on an ice runway in Antarctica. And Ofer’s greatest adventure to date?

“Creating, managing, operating and participating in an expedition that reached the South Pole.”

For Ofer, SubMerge is an opportunity to both shake up the industry – creating change in the way that investments in ocean expeditions, for both explorer yachts and private submersibles, are managed – and to create unique life experiences, for private owners and for science and conservation. With the vast experience within SubMerge, of not just planning, design and operations, but also deep ocean mapping, deep ocean manned exploration and deep ocean ROV technology, this is most certainly achievable.

For Ofer, this is just the first step on the next great adventure.

“I would like to keep exploring remote locations underwater…to dive in a submersible to 1,000 metres and deeper.”

“Our operation connects people, technology and vision, to contribute to meaningful and inspiring discoveries.”

Born and raised on the shores of the Red Sea, Shmulik Blum was introduced to the wonders of the deep at a very early age and it has been his great passion ever since. This love has steered many of his big life and career decisions, from becoming a submersible pilot, pilot trainer and technician to a yacht captain, underwater photographer, and co-owner of DEEPSEE Submersible.

Responsible for submersible operations and set-up, Shumlik is SubMerge’s go-to person for submersible tech issues, dive planning, operations and logistics. His role, however, is much broader than this. Taking into account his extensive experience of operating submersibles around the world, it also incorporates expedition support and location scouting. With Shmulik on board, SubMerge clients can be safe in the knowledge that they are working with an extremely experienced and diligent submersible chief of operations.

“I’m motivated by challenges, and in 2005 the right opportunity came up to develop a conceptual project to build a one of a kind submersible.”

After completing a degree in computer science and a series of advanced diving qualifications, Shmulik headed to SEAmagine in California. He embarked on a two-year project that involved developing and taking an active role in the construction of what would become the DEEPSEE, a 1500ft ABS class submersible. Custom built for exploration and user experience, on its completion the DEEPSEE became the vehicle for a wholly new concept- a submersible that could be chartered for science, filming and luxury experiences. The DEEPSEE has brought with it many opportunities, and over the 15 years as its operations manager, Shmulik has been able to share this experience with others on a daily basis, training submersible pilots and leading expeditions for numerous clients, from high-profile business people to scientists and conservationists to crews from Nat Geo, BBC and Discovery Channel.

“When we built our sub, there were 10 subs in private hands. Today they are close to 100…this shift in the market brings great opportunities…”

To Shmulik, the recent increase in demand, particularly around their popularity for private yachts, has its advantages. It forces this niche market to push boundaries and develop innovative technologies that contribute to the greater good. But there are also attitudes that need addressing, and it’s in this that his hopes for SubMerge lie – a change to the market approach to the submersible, where they can be viewed as a toy. Far from it, the submersible is a complex machine, capable of sustaining human life at great depths, requiring a skilled crew to operate and maintain it. Then there’s the meticulous planning necessary to design and operate expeditions that meet the needs and expectations of private owners. With its combined knowledge and passion, the SubMerge team can undoubtedly fulfill these criteria.

For a man who’s greatest adventure has been being the first person to lay eyes on so many places underwater, for Shmulik pushing himself further, and deeper, and sharing that experience, is the only option.

“I am still dreaming of deeper diving submarines. Sharing such rare and magical moments with others, where you know you have created a transformation, is deeply fulfilling.”

“It puts you very close to pure nature in a place where we’re not meant to be as humans. You’re engulfed by the wonders of the deep sea, with a perfect balance of convenience and minimum separation between you and your surroundings.”

Oded Ezra grew up with the sea as his playground and a natural curiosity for what was hidden beneath the waves; today, he has made a career of it, combining his passion for underwater exploration with science and advanced technology. Managing and operating ROV (remotely operated vehicles) operations he has ventured around the world, working in ultra-deep waters, on far-reaching expeditions, and open-water research for both scientific and commercial projects.

Oded has spent over 12 years involved in highly technical offshore projects, operating boats, sonar, and ROV systems. He has been hands-on with many types of systems, operating, managing, and instructing on their use worldwide. With his experience and technical competence, Oded is the ideal person to oversee ROV systems for SubMerge, a role that involves their management as a rescue vehicle and for taking videos of the submersible during dives.

“For me the spirit of adventure is that healthy dose of curiosity mixed with a feeling of aliveness, all the senses fully engaged, when exploring a territory that I’ve never been to.”

A love of adventure, the ocean and nature was cemented at 16 when Oded earned his diving license. At university he studied for a BSc in Marine Sciences followed by an MSc in Marine Geosciences, his research revolving around deep ocean methane seeps and carbonate rock formations, and involving ROV surveys, seabed mapping and geophysical data analysis. He has gone on to complete a number of ROV qualifications from manufacturers of different systems.

From here his career took him all over the world, operating, managing, and consulting on a huge variety of ROV projects. These include ancient artefact recovery and scientific expeditions that allowed scientists access to inaccessible places. As ROV team leader for Haifa University, Oded was integral to an internationally significant find – a unique ecosystem and breeding ground for deep sea sharks consisting of methane seeps and brine pools at 1,150 metres deep, a discovery believed to have implications on our understanding of global sustainability.

For Oded, SubMerge represent the opportunity to build a greater connection with the underwater world, and one essential to its survival:

“It’s thrilling and exciting to be surrounded by the ocean, feeling part of it, watching the life around you, building a feeling of connection. Anyone who experiences this has to become a better advocate and protector of the ocean.”

It is here that Oded’s hopes for SubMerge lie – providing a great experience for clients and raising awareness of the magic of the deep. Their work, whether commercial, scientific, or private, can contribute to the conservation effort by documenting newly explored areas and sharing unique findings with the scientific community. As the combined knowledge and experience of the SubMerge team means that they can operate anywhere in the world, it also opens up places and high-end expedition experiences that, so far, have only been accessed by scientific and professional teams.

Ultimately, Oded thrives on creating and executing his own ideas, and he is continually working on his own business developing underwater observation systems, building ROVs and taking his pick of exciting projects.

“Modern subs are opening the door ever wider into our oceans for all of us to see, learn, understand and protect the natural wonders of our planet.”

Tomer Ketter is an explorer. An oceanographer, hydrographic surveyor and technical diver, Tomer has spent his career roaming the oceans, both above and below the surface. He has extensive field experience working with many kinds of vessels, mapping systems, scenarios, and clients, ranging from the esteemed to the extraordinary – a spell at the National Oceanographic Institute of Israel, member of the 2018 Shell Ocean Discovery XPRIZE winning team, and a role in record breaking expeditions to Challenger Deep and the base of Mauna Kea, to name just a few.

Tomer’s role at SubMerge draws on both his technical expertise and his time in the field. As the lead for seafloor mapping, Tomer is responsible for the development and execution of seafloor mapping operations. This involves acquiring and utilizing the best possible data to assemble a 3D model of the seafloor and the surrounding environment. Used in the expedition planning process, as well as aiding real-time sub navigation, these 3D maps also add an exceptional value to the experience and are made available for use by the rest of the ocean science community. It’s a role that also plays right into his love of discovery:

“I’ve frequently been asked to check if there’s a map of some obscure place…9 out of 10 times there isn’t any information so at some point I figured I should probably just go map those places myself!”

Born with the inner drive to push boundaries, Tomer grew up orienteering, trekking, and mountaineering. At 17 he was persuaded to scuba dive by his brother Ofer and was immediately hooked; his future in and on the water was cemented. After completing a BSc in Marine Sciences, and an MSc in Marine Geosciences, Tomer gained an advanced ocean mapping qualification from GEBCO and a hydrographer certification from the IHO before embarking on an action-packed career. Surveyor and navigator for deep water ROV operations; Hydrographer of the National Oceanographic Institute of Israel; curator of the north Pacific Ocean map for the Seabed 2030 project and member of the NSF Multibeam Advisory Committee; part of Fabien Cousteau’s Proteus initiative in Curacao and Victor Vescovo’s ‘The Five Deeps’ expedition and his world first full ascent of Mauna Kea, are just some of the highlights. In 2018 he embarked on what he considers his greatest adventure – winning the Shell Ocean Discovery XPRIZE. He was on the team of GEBCO alumni who bagged the $4M prize for their ‘SEA-KIT’ uncrewed vessel and cloud-based data processing system that allows for rapid seafloor visualization.

Tomer’s working life has been varied, hands-on and experience-driven, perfect for a consummate explorer. In 2020, all these experiences and achievements culminated in Tomer’s involvement in setting up Map the Gaps, a non-profit promoting equity and diversity in ocean mapping projects, and ultimately, his role at SubMerge.

For Tomer, SubMerge is about having a unique offering. With the combination of skills and knowledge that the SubMerge team provide, they have the vision and determination to position themselves as the top provider of expertise in the planning and execution of unique submersible expeditions, with seafloor mapping being a game-changing component.

These days, while not at sea, Tomer can be found combining several of his other passions – rock-climbing, photography, cooking – into a big road trip in his van. What’s next? More adventures of course!

“The spirit of adventure is an integral part of who I am. It symbolizes the curiosity and drive to go places and discover new things, along with the can-do attitude to help solve problems on the ground and combining individual skills and teamwork to make dreams come true.”