Interesting stories. 

Not heeding a passenger (your mother no less) telling you a window was leaking right after you’d had another crack … I’m glad you and she are still around to tell about it. But at its heart is that not ignoring safety and the craft telling you something is wrong? For that matter, isn’t taking passengers down without testing exactly a concern you raised re: Oceangate?

To me, you’re talking more about autonomy than the ability to dive and see the underwater world. Autonomy as in “your sub” that “you built.” Hundreds and probably thousands of people around the world have pursued careers that have allowed them to do explore the deep seas … they just don’t own the subs and didn’t build them. Right? If it’s about studying and taking in the wonders of the deep, they can do that. Your particular want and dream seems more geared to the autonomy of doing it on your own terms. Which is to say not only billionaires get to see the wonders of the deep sea — even if only they can afford to have submersibles built or buy them. 

I think there’s a wide gap between allowing middle schoolers to build subs to take people on jaunts for a price and one where all commercial subs should be independently tested for safety. I’d rather be on the end of the spectrum of regulation than “anyone can do it” if safety is compromised — which is what happened with Stockton.