To get an intimate look at underwater life, scuba diving or snorkeling usually provides the best means.
But they both have their flaws: with snorkeling, you have to come up for air, and scuba diving requires a certification to use the oxygen tank—and either method leaves you exposed and vulnerable to underwater predators.
But what about if you could go underwater disguised as one of the toughest predators out there yourself?
South African Olivier Feuillette has invented a one-man contraption, a Subo, that submerges under water, and is manually propelled by what looks like a fishtail.
The whole structure is silver and sleek, giving it a reasonably close appearance to a shark.
His invention evolved from a simple kayak, and in the YouTube video, he starts out into the water with a paddle, then tucks it away, lifts a hatch and pulls it overhead, enclosing himself in the apparatus.
The Subo has a ballast tank, which allows the contraption to submerge and regulate its stability, and the fishtail rudder allows for the propulsion.
As for breathing underwater, the air comes from a cylinder, and the exhaled gas is released into the environment, much like a scuba diving cylinder.
For longer dives, Feuillette applies a CO2 filter, which removes carbon dioxide from the exhaled gases for re-use. This imitates the use of closed or semi-closed circuits used by scuba divers; therefore the same limitations of depth and length of submersion are in effect.
Feuillette says he can remain underwater for two to three hours using this type of cylinder.
As of now, there is no word on what this apparatus may cost or whether or not Feuillette intends to try to get the Subo on the market.
For now, it is a one-of-a-kind one-man contraption for the satisfied creator.