James Cameron Celebrates 56th Birthday Underwater
NEW YORK (CBS/AP) "Avatar" director James Cameron celebrated his birthday underwater on Monday.
Cameron, who turned 56, marked the occasion by diving to the bottom of Russia's Lake Baikal -- the world's oldest and deepest body of fresh water -- in a Mir-1 submersible, which was also the same craft he used when filming "Titanic" in 1997.
A longtime ocean enthusiast, Cameron has other underwater projects up his sleeve.
The Academy Award-winning director said he is building a submarine in Australia that will take him 36,000 feet underwater. He also said he is developing an upgrade 3-D underwater camera and has plans for an underwater feature film that he said he might make before taking on an "Avatar" sequel.
Russia's Prime Minister Vladimir Putin made a similar trip last year, diving 4,560 feet below Lake Baikal's surface. According to the The Guardian, Putin said he was surprised by the gloominess of the underwater scene and described it as "plankton soup."