Robert Manuel Carmichael is, first and foremost, a friend of the ocean. He is the founder and co-founder of several companies and a non-profit, each with unique focus on the earth’s waters and the diving industry. He is the inventor of various diving, medical, and marine instruments, including innovative dive equipment for Halcyon Dive Systems.
He has a constant passion for underwater exploration and a knack for improving the functionality of mechanical devices. He learned how to build a recreational hookah system in 1980 as the first full-time employee of Brownie’s THIRD LUNG™, a job that inaugurated his love for diving.
In the late 1980’s, he began experimenting with technical mixed gas diving and was the enterprising force behind the development of what would become the Halcyon “PVR-BASC” rebreather. This rebreather helped revolutionize deep technical diving and would lead to numerous world record cave dives.
More than 15 years later, these and many other innovations were developed with Robert’s business partner and friend, Jarrod Jablonski, with whom he founded Halcyon Manufacturing in 1995. Through the next several decades, Robert would go on to found a multitude of companies with a unique focus on the diving industry, including Brownie’s Marine Group, Inc., a publicly traded company under stock symbol BWMG. Brownie’s Marine Group, Inc., is the parent company to an innovative family of brands, all concentrated on the diving industry. From the flagship product – Brownie’s THIRD LUNG™, to the ultra-portable tankless diving systems set to revolutionanize the world enters the water through BLU3®, to the coolest tankfill systems on the market – NitroxMaker™ and YachtPro™.
Robert continues to bring innovative solutions into a wide range of marine applications, building a team under Global SubDive, which supports mixed gas supply and submersible support operations and systems for yachts and expedition ships around the globe.
Armed with decades of experience in a number of capacities, both top sides and underwater, Robert pulls from a varied history that includes deep, technical, open ocean, and cave diving, as well as patents for several diving industry innovations, gas fill systems and services for private homes and yachts that meet the needs of often highly specialized expeditions.
Combined with unstoppable drive to push underwater exploration in the name of discovery and preservation, Robert enters 2021 fully equipped with a multitude of adventures.
Brownie’s Marine Group, Inc., is publicly traded company under the ticker: BWMG. It is the parent company to an innovative family of brands, with a unique concentration on the diving industry. From our flagship product – the Brownie’s Third Lung to the coolest tankfill system on the market, BMG has been at the forefront of diving innovation with products that have become the standard in the diving industry. Learn more.
Brownie’s THIRD LUNG™ manufactures Surface Supplied Air (SSA) Hookah diving systems that allow up to three divers to dive to depths of up to 65 feet without the use of tanks. The most versatile THIRD LUNG™ systems are mounted in a lightweight, super-strong and impact resistant case that sets into a highly visible and durable float tube. Powered by your choice of gasoline or battery, our largest floating system can accommodate up to 4 divers. Learn More.
In 2017, Brownie’s Marine Group, Inc., became the North, South, Central America and Caribbean exclusive distributor of masterfully German-engineered L&W Compressors. Providing a high quality alternative, and re-invigorating, the high pressure compressor market. Learn More.
BLU3 is a revolutionary line of ultra-portable tankless diving systems with a mission to dive with a purpose and collect valuable data to help protect the waters we love for generations to come. We envision an abundantly blue planet populated by ocean-loving divers who help keep it that way. BLU3 is the culmination of 38 years experience, innovative engineers and a remarkably dedicated team. Learn More.
Global Sub Dive is a complete exploration and marine research team built upon a group of unique assets including a DP-1 ship(s), a matched pair of ABS certified manned submersibles, Remotely Operated Vehicles (ROVs). Global SubDive provides a means for collaborative human exploration, documentation, and conservation of the marine world through partnerships and direct chartering of our fleet and vast complement of resources. Learn more.
Project Baseline is a grassroots organization that mobilizes citizen-divers to record change in the world’s underwater environments and to engage with scientific, conservation, and government entities to advance the restoration and protection of our natural and cultural treasures. Learn more.
Halcyon Dive Systems is a Scuba Diving Equipment manufacturer based out of High Springs, Florida. Halcyon began as a group of divers who knew exactly what they wanted, but could not find it in any dive store. Our passion for diving led us to designing wings and lights to satisfy ourselves. We soon discovered that we were not alone in our pursuit of equipment that could radically improve the diving comfort of every diver; from the newest recreational diver, to supporting divers doing the most aggressive technical dives ever completed. Our founders, owners, and senior management have a long history as diving pioneers, with diverse backgrounds, ranging from academia, to manufacturing and consulting. Learn more.
BGL’s mission is to provide the one of the world’s most capable platforms and team for the human exploration and documentation of shallow and mesophotic marine environments (0-1000 feet). Mr. Carmichael is responsible for all aspects of corporate operation, overall mission planning and execution. He is also the lead submersible pilot and is responsible for submersibles project development and mission planning. BGL currently supplies DP1 vessel ship and other services to NAVSEA SFOMF Port Everglades, FL.
BGL’s mission is to provide the one of the world’s most capable platforms and team for the human exploration and documentation of shallow and mesophotic marine environments (0-1000 feet). Mr. Carmichael is responsible for all aspects of corporate operation, overall mission planning and execution. He is also the lead submersible pilot and is responsible for submersibles project development and mission planning. BGL currently supplies DP1 vessel ship and other services to NAVSEA SFOMF Port Everglades, FL.
GUE is an international non-profit organization whose mission is to explore and document unexplored underwater environments. Mr. Carmichael has served on the Board of Directors since the organization’s inception. His constant passion for underwater exploration has helped shape the organization’s growth and mission. Since 2009 when GUE introduced Project Baseline, Mr. Carmichael’s focus has been directed nearly exclusively on helping to develop and expand the Project Baseline mission through active participation as the founder and manager of Project Baseline Gulfstream, marketing and promotion, fund raising, and ultimately the development of the r/v Baseline Explorer platform to carry the Project Baseline mission to its next level of development.
Halcyon Dive Systems is an industry leader in the manufacture of advanced scuba diving systems and semi-closed rebreather systems including the record holding PVR-BASC Halcyon Rebreather, which has been used to set several records for long-duration underwater exploration in all manners of environments. Mr. Carmichael has been the lead inventor on several of the company’s patented products including the rebreather.
Brownies Yacht Diver is a group of full service dive shops in Fort Lauderdale and Palm Beach, Florida, uniquely providing “turn-key solutions for Nitrox, Trimix, Rebreather Support equipment and traditional SCUBA Tankfill Systems to the international yachting community at a boat builder and end-user level. Brownie’s Yacthdiver provides global support, training and operations as a “one-stop” diving solution provider. Mr. Carmichael founded and executed this novel business model as a hands-on entrepreneur. The company is now operated by his brother, David Carmichael.
Brownie’s Third Lung is the world’s leader in manufacturing and distributing recreational surface supplied diving systems, land and yacht-based scuba air compressors and water safety products. Brownie’s utilizes superior parts and tooling to set us well above and standard in the industry. Research and development is performed in-house where we observe, listen, learn and respond to our diver’s needs and make precise modifications to maximize performance and comfort. We are divers, explorers, innovators, engineers and business people with a passion for all of the water around us including our springs, lakes, rivers and our vast oceans. We regularly dive our products from our base in Pompano Beach, FL.
Organized a collaboration with Nova Southeastern University to carry scientists underwater onto deep artificial reefs (ship wrecks) using human-occupied underwater vehicles (HUVs). Achieved a 1000-foot submersible dive with a researcher as passenger. Roles: mission planner, submersible pilot.
Organized an ongoing effort to document coral reef conditions along Florida’s east coast, Bimini Bahamas, and the Florida Keys. Established several monitoring stations and regularly documented reef conditions using still photography and video. Collaborated with researchers at Harbor Branch Oceanographic Institute to document the impact of wastewater outfalls on reef health and organized submersible tours to carry media personnel to the outfalls and thereby raise public awareness of the impacts. Learn more.
Developed a series of projects over 15 years to document the unique features of the Cat Cay Wall that borders the Florida Strait to the east including projects aimed at identifying and describing features thought by some to be remnants of ancient civilizations and projects aimed at developing the HUVs for recreational use and private exploration missions. Learn more.
Organized a collaboration with the University of the Azores and the University of the Algarve to document black and red coral distributions and sizes in water depths of between 0 and 1000 feet using video transects and targeted sample collection by technical divers between 0 and 330 feet and direct observation, video, and still photography from submersibles between 0 and 1000 feet. Roles: mission planning, submersible team leader, submersible pilot. Learn more.
As Ship and Submersible Expedition Leader, Robert coordinated twin subs and GUE/PB rebreather dive team with scientists from several universities, including Oxford and Stanford, to execute the first mission of the XL Catlin Deep Ocean Survey. We explored and documented in detail, 5 sites at depths between 15 and 300 meters: submersibles at 300, 200 & 150 m and divers at 90, 60, 30, and 15 m. Scientists identified approximately 300 new species of coral, sponge, and algae, and carried journalists and UNESCO representatives to depth to announce the world’s first High Seas World Heritage Site, the Sargasso Sea.
Lead a rebreather dive team and twin submersibles to assist scientists from NOAA’s National Marine Sanctuaries, the Bureau of Ocean Energy Management, and the Office of Ocean Exploration and Research. There, submersibles and divers worked in water depths of 90 – 240 m to conduct laser and photogrammetry surveys of wrecks that sank in July 1945 WWII’s Battle of the Atlantic off of North Carolina. The work they completed will advance NOAA’s goal of expanding the Monitor National Marine Sanctuary and foster ongoing Project Baseline collaborations. Personally piloted the submersible that first witnessed the wreck of U576 and executed the Dynamic Laser Scanning. Learn more here. Additional Battle of the Atlantic links: Explorers; Mission Summary
Designed, developed, and installed technical diver support system, submarine LAR/support system. Executed first mission with ROV and submersible (Triton 1000/2-NEMO) to Guadalupe Island, Mexico to research Great White Shark ambush attacks on Elephant Seals at edge of 150m wall. This expedition is featured as part of Sharkweek TV series that aired in the summer 2018 and 2019.
Developed and executed the twin-submersible exploration team surpassing the requirements of the Oxford University science objected covering over 40-miles underwater over the course of 85-dives.
4,391 broadcast packages aired about the Mission in 140 nations – broadcasters who ran multiple packages included CGTN, CCTV, Sky News, ITN, Al Jazeera, ABC, CTV (Canada(, France TV, Press TV, Sun TV (India), RT (Russia), Euronews (in 13 languages), ABC Australia, POLSAT, DW (Germany)
37 programming packages: produced and distributed by AP Horizon (Environment strand) about the Mission for AP clients. 30 hours live subsea broadcasting distributed by Associated Press (Official News Agency Partner). AP reach two-thirds of the world. More information about the broadcasters reach in image below. First Descent Live: carried by 49 broadcasters (incl. ABC, CCTV, Al Jazeera, ITN, Euronews) on 760 occasions in 24hours. First live submersible documentary series & newscast – ‘Deep Ocean Live’ – 9 hours of live prime-time television broadcast on Sky News and Sky Atlantic (Official Programming Partner). Sky reach 110million people in 140 countries.
First live submersible 2-ways interviews with broadcasters globally including ABC’s flagship show, Good Morning America (4.5million viewers) and CGTN. First Live Subsea Presidential Address: President of Seychelles, distributed globally by AP – related video aired 991 times and became the top news story globally.
Tier 1 Media: Print & Digital: incl. Time, Washington Post, Times of India, Mail, Japan Times, Guardian, Times (UK), New York Times. View summary of features published on digital. Digital Media: reaching half a million people per day across a coordinated network of Nekton and partner channels.
Submarine Live (STEM Education) – hundreds of thousands of young people engaged including 10,000 in 16 countries directly participating in 5 days of live links to scientists and technicians on board the Mothership. “Half of the world saw coverage of the Mission” – Sandy MacIntyre, VP, Associated Press