http://www.divebuddy.com/blogs.aspxScuba diving blogs posted by DiveBuddy.com members.240oceanboundhttp://www.divebuddy.com/blog.aspx?BlogID=6509Thu, 11 Mar 2010 10:47:23 CDT Wednesday, March 10, 2010 -  Wow, it’s been almost a year since that dive at Morrison springs (see my first blog)  Hard to believe I’ve come so far since that dive.  I’ve been to so many different places,  dove and seen so much in less than two years since becoming a certified diver.  I now have over 150 dives. Just a few of the places I’ve dove include Palancar Gardens in Cozumel, the Lost Anchor in Belize, Round Rock in Grand Cayman, swam with dolphins in Roatan,  the Oriskany in Pensacola, The Miss Louise in Destin, the Red Sea Tug in Panama City,  the Spiegel Grove in the Keys, Devils Den, Ginnie Springs, and hunted sharks teeth Venice Florida.   I made my 100th dive at Vortex where diving began for me.  I’ve got to see a Hawksbill turtle up close and personal (another story), nurse sharks, a Big A eel, three goliath groupers which I hid from because of their size,  saw my first sea horse in Coz, and the first of many dreaded Lion Fish in Belize, and made a friend out of a dolphin in Roatan.   I think Nudibracs are cool!  I have seen so many Toad fish there are no way to count them and I finally stopped taking pictures of them.    I’ve learned that Remoras  are pests underwater but they’ll eat left over diver’s lunch if given the opportunity.  I go to some dive sites in Destin so many times that I know the fish and knew which ones were supposed to be where.  Was disappointed when those familiar fish are not seen.   Saw my first bat fish in Destin, first Squirrel fish and Jaw fish in Grand Cayman.  I’ve learned that many fish have personalities.  I’m continuing to learn and improve my photography skills underwater (just glad film is a thing of the past).  I’ve finally learned that I don’t have to take a photo of EVERYTHING (but still do lol).  I’ve learned that Ikelight is a wonderful company and that they’ll replace a flooded flash even due to operator stupidity.  I also learned that a small bug no bigger than the point of a penc...PersonalOceanicDreamshttp://www.divebuddy.com/blog.aspx?BlogID=6508Wed, 10 Mar 2010 15:31:00 CDT Well here is some great news, The Humane Society has joined forces with Shark-Free Marinas. Congrats to Luke and team: ‘Shark-Free Marina Initiative’ promotes catch-and-release Note: There are Shark-Free Marinas in Harwich, Mass.; Key Largo, Fla.; Miami; Tequesta, Fla.; Vero Beach, Fla.; and West Alton, Mo. (March 9, 2010) — The Humane Society of the United States has teamed up with Shark-Free Marinas in a campaign to significantly reduce worldwide shark mortality. Fittingly, the effort is called the “Shark-Free Marina Initiative” and seeks the support of marina operators worldwide to prohibit the landing of any shark on their premises, thus encouraging catch-and-release fishing. To help publicize the plight of sharks and the need for their protection, The HSUS and SFMI are supplying signs and public information to participating marinas in the U.S. and the Caribbean. “The Humane Society of the United States is pleased to join the efforts of the Shark-Free Marina Initiative,” said John Grandy, Ph.D., senior vice president of wildlife for The HSUS. “The HSUS works tirelessly to end animal cruelty, exploitation and neglect and is deeply concerned by the deteriorating status of shark populations.” Luke Tipple, executive director ...External BlogsRTSeahttp://www.divebuddy.com/blog.aspx?BlogID=6507Wed, 10 Mar 2010 13:34:00 CDTThe annual Canadian fur seal hunt has been a hot button issue with most animal conservation groups. With a slow but growing anti-fur movement, there has been pressure placed on the Canadian government to terminate the hunts, but the government has resisted and remained in favor of the industry that the hunts support (many of the hunters are actually fishermen, participating when seasonal weather curtails their fishing activities). This year, there has been an new wrinkle that poses an additional threat to the seals: a lack of winter sea ice. Normally, there is substantial sea ice that forms in the Gulf of St, Lawrence and this ice layer provides a critical platform for fur seal birthing grounds. (To watch a video, click on the image above, then click on the web site’s video link when the picture of a seal appears.) According to the Humane Society of the United States, " This year, Environment Canada [a government agency] says we are witnessing the worst ice in history off Canada’s east coast. For the first year on record, virtually no sea ice has formed in key seal birthing areas. The impact on seals will be devastating. Many mother seals are likely to abort in the water, and unprecedented numbers of pups will die." Whether this loss of sea ice is a statistical anomoly or the result of climate change is difficult to determine. On the one hand, there is documented evidence of declining sea ice throughout the Arctic region extending over a marked period of years. However, looking at a graph of February winter ice for eastern Canada shows fluctuations dating back to 1969. There was a growing decline starting in 1995, but there were marked increases in the later part of this first decade of 2000 until this year, when it plummeted, reaching an all-time low. In any case, the lack of sea ice will definitely have an impact on the fur seal population due to the loss of seal pups unable to survive at sea. The Canadian Press reports, "A marine mammal specialist for the Department of Fisheries and Oceans recently told The Canadian Press he also expects the death rate for seal pups to rise this year from its average of 15 per cent." The Humane Society, which has always opposed the fur seal hunts, is stepping up their campaign to get the Canadian government to halt the impending hunts if, for no reason at all, but for the additional pressure it will place on fur seal populations already faced with higher mortality due to this unusual loss of winter sea ice. Here’s a video on the challenges facing Arctic sea ice that I assembled for Google Earth and InMER, a marine research and education organization. <a style="font-style: italic;" href="http://www.humanesociety.org/news...External Blogsscubajcfhttp://www.divebuddy.com/blog.aspx?BlogID=6506Wed, 10 Mar 2010 17:51:50 CDTThe Academy of Scuba was out at Lake Pleasant today. Spent some time at Desert Tortoise Road. Good news is the lake is cleaning and clearing up. About 10 foot of visibility and the debris is starting to float away from the dive sites. If you are curious about the temperature, [...] [ This is an external blog. Read complete blog here... ]...External BlogsRTSeahttp://www.divebuddy.com/blog.aspx?BlogID=6505Tue, 09 Mar 2010 17:45:00 CDTIt was a year ago that I ran a post about the 800-lb. gorilla-in-the-room problem: world overpopulation. Take a look at what I wrote on March 6 of last year. Not much has changed, other than the human population has continued to grow unabated. But as last year’s posting notes, it’s a touchy subject. The Zero Population Growth movement of the late 60’s and 70’s has faded in our memories, replaced by a more draconian system in China and ignored as a serious issue in most other industrialized nations. However, it is at the core of many, if not most, of our environmental problems. We are pushing nature beyond its limits to sustain us, and all of our efforts to address the symptoms - through increased crop yields, sustainable seafoods, cleaner industrial factories, and even alternative energy - are ultimately stop gap measures at best. But to raise public awareness through fear and dire predictions seems to fall on deaf ears nowadays. Perhaps we are beset with too many problems, too many issues of Armageddon-like proportions, that we just can’t handle one more, particularly one in which there does not seem to be a simple, mutually agreed upon solution. A year ago, the Center for Biological Diversity (CBD) was painting a bleak picture about overpopulation. This year, they are using a somewhat lighter touch with Endangered Species Condoms. Each individually boxed condom has information about the impact of human overpopulation on all species - although I’m not sure how many people are going to pause to read the box ("Can you hang on a second, dear. I want to read something here."). Maybe afterwards, as a replacement for that traditional post-coital cigarette or snuggle time. CBD’s executive director, Kieran Suckling, says, "The packages are designed to get people talking about overpopulation. And boy, do they work. We tested them on Valentine’s Day, expecting 100 volunteer distributors to come forward. An astounding 5,000 people volunteered taking all 100,000 condoms in just a couple of days! As planned, the media ate it up. We generated funny but deadly serious conversations about overpopulation and the extinction crisis in hundreds of newspapers including The New York Times, L.A. Times, Miami Herald, and Boston Globe. More than 300,000 blogs and Web sites covered the issue." CBD hopes to distribute 250,000 condoms by Earth Day, on April 22nd. You can learn more at a special Center for Biological Diversity web site devoted to the subject. Says Suckling, "It is imperative that we break the wall of silence around overpopulation. If we don’t, all the environmental progress we make will be overwhelmed by the sheer mass of people pushing into the last wildlife habitats, eating the last fish, and damming the last wild rivers." [ This is an external blog. Read complete blog here... ]...External BlogsMatavaFijihttp://www.divebuddy.com/blog.aspx?BlogID=6504Tue, 09 Mar 2010 20:40:00 CDTKadavu, an island in the south of the Fijian islands, may become the site of the first true marine reserve in the Pacific.Marine reserves could be the answer to the ocean’s dwindling fish stocks.Learn more:http://www.greenpeace.org/australia/news-and-events/news/overfishing/oceans-in-deep-peril [ This is an external blog. Read complete blog here... ]...External Blogswcreefers1@aol.comhttp://www.divebuddy.com/blog.aspx?BlogID=6503Tue, 09 Mar 2010 12:24:03 CDT Hello,   It’s that time to start thinking about the Channel Islands in October. Probably the best time of the year to dive the Islands. If you haven’t dove the Channel Islands, California your missing one of the great diving experiences. I’m preparing for the 2010 Channel Islands dive trip. Don’t get stuck on a overcrowded boat trip  Ours is a limited load (25 divers) 3 day live-aboard trip leaving out of Santa Barbara, CA. As always the best price in the state. I have attached my flyer with information regarding the trip. If you’re interested, let me know right away so I can hold a spot for you. Hope you can make it. Check out www.truthaquatics.com you can see the Vision and their calendar   Safe diving,   John Rush West Coast Reefers wcreefers1@aol.com ...Dive Tripdirtguy49http://www.divebuddy.com/blog.aspx?BlogID=6502Tue, 09 Mar 2010 09:43:22 CDTAnybody interested in a budget diving holiday in the Philippines in June 2010?  Two weeks. Airfare about $650 to $850 - SFO/MNL/SFO on an Asian air carrier.   And then about $100 to $120 per day for diving, room, meals and in-country travel.  No firm date yet, but starting to look at 2 weeks some time in June.  I am not a travel agent, I will assist with arrangements, but you will make all your own bookings and payments. Drop me a note, if you want more info.  I have a list of suggested web sites to look at for learning about diving in the Philippines in general and then more info about diving on the wrecks at Subic Bay and Coron....Dive TripRTSeahttp://www.divebuddy.com/blog.aspx?BlogID=6501Mon, 08 Mar 2010 00:10:00 CDTA well deserved congratulations to The Cove for being awarded the Best Documentary Oscar at Sunday night’s Academy Awards presentation! If you have not seen this film about the brutal harvesting of dolphins and whales in the Japanese village of Taiji and the subsequent distribution of polluted meat to an unsuspecting Japanese public, you can now purchase the DVD (here’s a link to Amazon.com). All of the films nominated in the Best Documentary category are important films and worth seeing. The contenders focused on critical social issues - human rights, abuse, immigration. And all of these challenges deserve our attention. What made The Cove perhaps a bit special was that it combined both a conservation issue (the particularly brutal harvest of marine mammals) with a human issue (the indifference of the Japanese fishermen, the ignorance of the local villagers to the hazard they are exposing themselves to, and resistance from the Japanese government to do anything about it). Add to that the drama experienced by the film crew in secretly filming the harvest, and you have a film that stands out as both education and entertainment with the hope that viewers will be motivated to do something about an ecological and human health tragedy. Perhaps winning the award will provide The Cove with a little extra clout with the Japanese government, but there are plenty of forces currently at work to prevent the film from getting its message out to those who need to hear it the most - the Japanese people. The producers have several online vehicles (web site, Facebook page & cause, blog, etc.) that you can visit to learn what you can do to help them get more exposure to a people who, unfortunately, have such a long heritage of dependence involving seafood. The Cove needs all the help it can get. Links: The Cove web siteFacebook Fan PageFacebook CauseThe Cove blog [ This is an external blog. Read complete blog here... ]...External BlogsRTSeahttp://www.divebuddy.com/blog.aspx?BlogID=6500Mon, 08 Mar 2010 11:21:00 CDTOcean researchers and many conservationists have heard of oceanic low-oxygen or "dead zones" wherein large areas of ocean have lower-than-normal levels of oxygen. To a large extent, these areas are normal or somewhat predictable - deepwater and seasonal movements of water; all part of the ocean’s normal process of oxygen intake, use, and replenishment. But there are more and more signs from throughout the world that these dead zones are becoming more frequent and growing in size. From both coasts of Africa, to South America to the Pacific Northwest, dead zones are becoming a real problem, killing off some aquatic species, displacing others, and affecting the ocean’s relationship with the atmosphere - a relationship that provides a majority of our breathable air. A recent article in the online McClatchy newspaper outlines what has been happening in the Pacific Northwest, along the Oregon/Washington coastline. Some scientists believe it’s too soon to tell whether the root cause - a warming of the surface waters that acts as a cap to suppress the normal cycle of deepwater to shallow, or upwellings and downwellings - is due to global warming, but it’s high on their list of suspects. Some might think that it’s a sign of ocean acidification, but this is a different process taking place here, as well illustrated in the article. However, in any case, the net effect of the coast of Oregon and Washington is tangible, with piles of dead Dungeness crab and 25-year old sea stars littering a sea floor covered with a higher-than-normal bacteria layer. "Areas of hypoxia, or low oxygen, have long existed in the deep ocean. These areas — in the Pacific, Atlantic and Indian oceans — appear to be spreading, however, covering more square miles, creeping toward the surface and in some places, such as the Pacific Northwest, encroaching on the continental shelf within sight of the coastline.’The depletion of oxygen levels in all three oceans is striking,’ said Gregory Johnson, an oceanographer with the National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration in Seattle."If these low-oxygen zones continue to increase in size and/or frequency, the ocean ecology will have to make adjustments, some that will be severe and that we will feel as they impact commercial fisheries. But scientists are not sure just how far-ranging these changes could be. After all, they have no reference models or examples to turn to - we are heading into unknown territory."Scientists are unsure how low oxygen levels will affect the ocean ecosystem. Bottom-dwelling species could be at the greatest risk because they move slowly and might not be able to escape the lower oxygen levels. Most fish can swim out of danger. Some species, however, such as chinook salmon, may have to start swimming at shallower depths than they’re used to. Whether the low oxygen zones will change salmon migration routes is unclear.Some species, such as jellyfish, will like the lower-oxygen water. Jumbo squid, usually found off Mexico and Central America, can survive as oxygen levels decrease and now are found as far north as Alaska." Read entire McClatchy article. <br /...External BlogsK2SCUBAhttp://www.divebuddy.com/blog.aspx?BlogID=6499Sun, 07 Mar 2010 22:34:11 CDTReported by Bjarne Wildau &#160; In Australia, where the danger of the deadly jellyfish is not ignored, beaches known to be infested have signs warning people when to swim and when not to. &#160; &#160; The box jelly fish is clear as glass and prefers shallow water with sand bottoms &#8211; just like the millions of tourists coming [...] Related posts:Ben Southall stung by an irukandji jellyfish Article from: Natalie Gregg December 30, 2009 12:00am BEST... May you never have a Jellyfish Bad Day from ScubaDiverGirls Blog! The following post is seeded from the ScubaDiverGirls Blog... [ This is an external blog. Read complete blog here... ]...External BlogsK2SCUBAhttp://www.divebuddy.com/blog.aspx?BlogID=6498Sun, 07 Mar 2010 22:48:34 CDTFrom 2003 to 2008, an international research team led by University of Alaska-Fairbanks scientists Natalia Shakhova and Igor Semiletov surveyed the waters of the East Siberian Arctic Shelf, which covers more than two million sq km of seafloor in the Arctic Ocean. &#34;This discovery reveals a large but overlooked source of methane gas escaping from [...] No related posts. [ This is an external blog. Read complete blog here... ]...External BlogsOceanicDreamshttp://www.divebuddy.com/blog.aspx?BlogID=6497Sun, 07 Mar 2010 12:07:00 CDTMike (close to 2m long) and "Scarface" (close to 5 m long) Photo: Tim Rock Do you want to know what makes a banker turned into a shark conservationist tick? In case you think about me - you are WRONG. I am talking about Mike DaShark. Mike is one of the brainiest individuals I know, at the same time he is as pleasantly unassuming as you would expect an intellectual heavy-weight to be. If I were asked to describe Mike in one sentence, I’d say this about him: Not a trace of hot air, no underdeveloped ego in need to be puffed up, no show biz on his own behalf, incorruptible, and solid as a rock inmidst the busy pettiness of self-interest that is so characteristic of most shark conservationist groups. Mike is not an English native speaker; he hasn’t even had a formal language training in English - he just picked it up and practiced it. And yet - few educated people speak and write English the way he does. Here are, then, the thoughts of an ex-banker who abandoned a very successful investment banking career, and all that goes with it, to become a dedicated, hard working, and persevering shark conservationist in Fiji. Mike - you rock!! [ This is an external blog. Read complete blog here... ]...External BlogsOceanicDreamshttp://www.divebuddy.com/blog.aspx?BlogID=6496Sun, 07 Mar 2010 17:05:00 CDTShe is "Ella" Photo: Wolfgang Leander Nobody really knows how many tiger sharks have been netted in Scottburgh) during the last two years or so; all I have heard is that the numbers of the Aliwal Shoal tigers have gone down. There were fantastic characters among the tiger girls of Aliwal Shoal: "Dartboard" and "Mathilda", both camera lovers, and, my favorite: "Ella", quite large, elegant as befits an elderly lady, and most gentle. In fact, I have never encountered a more gentle tiger shark - and mind you, I was also able to closely befriend serene "Emma", the legendary Tiger Beach resident, so I guess I can tell. I will be travelling to South Africa in less than a week, and am, as you can imagine, very excited about meeting good friends: Jifa (= Jean-Francois Avenier) and "Machin", his new husky, the Addisons, Fiona Ayerst, Hanli Prinsloo, Fred Buyle, William Winram, Roger Horrocks - not to mention the striped ladies, including "Ella", as I very much hope. ) The shark nets have to be removed, in South Africa and the rest of the world. Read why. [ This is an external blog. Read complete blog here... ]...External BlogsGreghttp://www.divebuddy.com/blog.aspx?BlogID=6495Sat, 06 Mar 2010 10:40:41 CDTDiveBuddy.com has passed the 14,000 member mark!  Our members span the entire world...including places you’ve probablly never heard of :)  Need a dive buddy locally or for a destination you’re visiting?  With over 14,000 members you’re bound to find someone to blow bubbles with. Thank you to everyone, especially our Moderators and Life Time Members, that have helped to make this online community so special.  Dive shops have earned new business because of DiveBuddy.com.  Divers have found new buddies because of DiveBuddy.com.  Air has been compressed into more tanks because of DiveBuddy.com ;)  This is your scuba community; learn, research, play, organize...it’s all possible here. Dive safe and often! Greg Davis Member #1 DiveBuddy.com ...Press ReleaseRTSeahttp://www.divebuddy.com/blog.aspx?BlogID=6494Fri, 05 Mar 2010 22:24:00 CDTThe CITES Meeting is now only one week away. Scheduled for March 13-25 in Qatar, this meeting is shaping up to be the "Copenhagen Conference of endangered species." Let’s all hope the end results are more productive and substantive. I’ve mentioned CITES in several past postings, but for those of you who are unfamiliar with this international organization, it stands for Conference on International Trade in Endangered Species of Wild Fauna and Flora. And although there are some who would be concerned over any organization that would seem to be involved in regulating trade in endangered species rather than eliminate it altogether, it has become an important body because that very position has enabled it to include a large number of member nations. Through its program of Appendix ratings (Appendix I being the most severe: a labeling of "endangered" for the particular species and often a complete curtailment in trade - no hunting, no buying), CITES has become a recognized force in worldwide conservation of flora and fauna. The CITES web site has been completely revamped in anticipation of the meeting and you can look at a program of all the amendment proposals, which include adding species to their list or moving a species from Appendix II (a threatened species with with regulated or restricted trade) to Appendix I and, in some cases, proposals for the reverse based on some measure of improvement. Unfortunately, all of the species are listed by their scientific names, so you will need to pull out your biology and botany books or spend time Googling the Latin names. But here’s a list of those that have received a lot of attention: Bluefin TunaGrey WolfBobcatPolar BearAfrican Bush ElephantNile and Moreletii CrocodilesGreat, Scalloped, and Smooth Hammerhead SharksGreat Hammerhead SharkSandbar SharkDusky SharkOceanic White Tip SharkPorbeagle SharkSpiny DogfishAnd that’s not all. You can look at the entire list and download the complete proposals (15MB Zi...External Blogsaquaviewshttp://www.divebuddy.com/blog.aspx?BlogID=6493Wed, 03 Mar 2010 07:23:31 CDTArticle By Noel Boivin of TheSharkGuys.comLike a man who gets a disparaging nickname after being seen naked following a dip in cold water, most killer whales are burdened with an unjust moniker, being neither unusually bloodthirsty nor whales – they are the dolphin equivalent of the morbidly obese family member who needs a wall knocked [...] [ This is an external blog. Read complete blog here... ]...External Blogsniza_ahttp://www.divebuddy.com/blog.aspx?BlogID=6492Thu, 04 Mar 2010 14:03:57 CDT 26 FEB 2010 Paradise Springs, Ocala Fl Well today I finally did some diving after a year of none of it. My buddy Larry invited me and I accepted since I never been to Paradise Springs, and I haven’t dive with him for over a year.  He and his friend Todd picked me up and we left my house at 7 am and arrived at Paradise Springs at 0935.  Oh by the way the temperature was 38 degrees when we left and as we were driving the temperature kept dropping on us, but when we arrived at Paradise Springs it came back up to 40, later on to 48. As we arrived there, we signed the dive release paper and watch the video since. Then Larry took us around and showed us the dive spot, and explained to us what will happen once we get into the water. The water was warm and felt good, about 71 degrees more or less. The first dive is always interesting, we got in and went to the platform checked our buoyancy and then started exploring, we dive around, as we got further down the light was diminishing, and it was getting a little colder. I had to equalize my ears several times, as usual. We got all the way down, 90 ft as per my gage where there was sign stating not go further in as you could lose your life with the Grim Ripper’s picture on it. That was nice. I took some pictures, so hopefully they turn out.  On my way up both of my legs decided to cramp up, not just one but both of them, which has never happened to me before. That was a pain, and one of them still hurts. We came back up, relax for about an hour, and then decided to do a second dive. I needed the second dive just as more practice with my buoyancy and to be more comfortable.  I was able to practice my buoyancy, I went all the way down 100ft this time, on our way back up I took some time to explore the floor and see if I could find some fossils, didn’t find any but did see some berried in the rocks. I did get to see a Cat Fish and a sucker fish (the type of fish which clean the fish tank). I think someone threw him into the springs and he’s there all along.  On this second dive we only stayed sown for about 35 minutes as I was feeling dizzy and needed to get back up. I was dizzy because I didn’t eat anything while we were resting from our first dive. My fault, anyways, it was a good dive, meet new dive buddies, and dive with old friends which is always good.  Hopefully more dives will come along.    ...Dive TripRTSeahttp://www.divebuddy.com/blog.aspx?BlogID=6491Wed, 03 Mar 2010 22:44:00 CDTAs you may know from following U.S. news or from past postings in this blog, there is an ongoing political battle over the EPA (Environmental Protection Agency) and its ability to use the Clean Air Act to enforce standards that would require addressing issues regarding climate change and global warming. The previous administration had tried to weaken or limit the application of the Clean Air Act and though some action was taken by the current administration in rolling back those restrictions or limitations, it’s not out of the woods yet. The Center for Biological Diversity is using an email campaign to remind legislators as to the importance of a full and vibrant Clean Air Act by citing not the environmental or ecological implications and impacts, but by putting it in the context of dollars and cents, lost productivity, and increased human health hazard. "It is directly responsible for saving lives, improving health, and decreasing hospitalizations and lost school and work days. According to the EPA, in 2010 the Clean Air Act will save 23,000 lives and prevent 1.7 million asthma attacks, 4.1 million lost work days, and more than 68,000 hospitalizations and emergency-room visits. The Clean Air Act saves money and protects our economy. In its first two decades alone, the Act provided pollution reduction benefits 42 times greater than the estimated costs of regulation, including decreased healthcare costs and reduced lost work time worth $22.2 trillion. If implemented by the EPA as required by existing law, the Clean Air Act will produce similar benefits while reducing greenhouse pollutants." Now, opponents of climate change or those favoring a more limited application of the Clean Air Act might argue with the stats listed above, but it makes for a more politically relevant debate when the impacts in question are immediately personal and not appear, at least to the politician, somewhat esoteric or obscure. Heaven forbid that these impacts might catch the attention of ... of... one of their... voters! Eeeuuuuwh! Click here to send an email to your legislator. [ This is an external blog. Read complete blog here... ]...External BlogsK2SCUBAhttp://www.divebuddy.com/blog.aspx?BlogID=6490Wed, 03 Mar 2010 19:45:03 CDTThanks Andrea from Kathy of  www.kirkscubagear.com for her review and background information about the  documentary  &#8220;The Cove&#8221;.           There are some images that cannot be unseen, and some pain that cannot be healed.  Ric O’Barry has spent the last 3 decades trying to right a wrong that led to the slaughter of tens of thousands of the world’s most [...] Related posts:Experts: &#8216;Intelligent&#8217; Dolphins &#8216;Suffer If Made To Perform Or Swim With People&#8217; Dolphins are so intelligent that they are traumatised if... Japan Hits Back At Aussie PM In Whaling Row; Sea Shepard Accused Of Conducting &#8216;Unlawful Rampage&#8217; Japan pins whale row on Gillard Peter Alford, Tokyo... Australia: No guarantee of legal action against whaling THE Rudd government won&#8217;t guarantee international legal action against... Fin Whales, Once Rare, Crowd California Coast LOS ANGELES, Jan. 2, 2010 Population Explosion of Tiny... [ This is an external blog. Read complete blog here... ]...External BlogsMatavaFijihttp://www.divebuddy.com/blog.aspx?BlogID=6489Wed, 03 Mar 2010 21:45:00 CDTYou want to give the name of a fish to a buddy, friend or student in his/her own language? Use the fish name translator (7 languages and picture function).Fish database and translation Select a fish in one language to have the translation in other languages: German: [ This is an external blog. Read complete blog here... ]...External BlogsRTSeahttp://www.divebuddy.com/blog.aspx?BlogID=6488Tue, 02 Mar 2010 12:12:00 CDTI was watching a re-run of the PBS program series, Nature, and there was an interesting episode on monster crocodiles. The researcher was traveling the world in search of 20-foot+ crocs, most of which having been hunted over decades either as trophies, for their hides, and in defense of cattle and, in some cases, local villagers. The net effect was that these super-size reptiles were becoming a rarity, if not all together extinct. Then today I read an interesting follow-up on the Conservation International (CI) web site. CI has been involved in working with government officials in Columbia and members of the IUCN in getting local villagers to help conserve remaining populations of American crocodiles that inhabit Columbian wetlands and mangroves. Although illegal to catch, subsistence-level villagers are enticed to catch crocodiles and sell them on the black market. "Within the mangrove wetlands, the crocodile is an important umbrella species which helps to sustain the functioning of the ecosystem; among other benefits, crocodiles often eat dead fish, keeping the water clean for the other species that rely on it – including humans." With the new government-sponsored approach, by locating crocodile egg nests, retrieving the eggs, incubating and raising them in a hatchery for the first year or so, then releasing them later into the wild, the hunters-turned-conservationists are improving the odds for the survival of the crocodiles, compared to how their dwindling numbers would survive on their own. Maintaining a healthier balance in the wetland/mangrove ecosystem means allowing nature’s predators and scavengers to thrive, producing a stronger and healthier population of fish and better water quality - which benefits both the ecosystem and man. Much like what happens when sharks are protected, rather than hunted, in reef areas, local villagers benefit from a healthier ecosystem that is a food source and there is also the ancillary economic benefit derived from ecotourism - crocodile tours have sprung up in Columbia. Once again, protecting the environment pays off in more ways than one. Read the entire Conservation International article. [ This is an external blog. Read complete blog here... ]...External Blogssharkdiver73http://www.divebuddy.com/blog.aspx?BlogID=6487Tue, 02 Mar 2010 17:39:00 CDTFrom Shark Diver CEO, Patric Douglas March 1, 2010 somewhere near "Oceania": Ahhh for the love of a few power cables and a new Flip Mineo HD. The past week has been off the hook for sharks, local seafood, and heart pounding adventure. Unfortunately the Flip camera I brought with me died on Day Seven with 90% of the top side footage of the 13 different white sharks we have documented, our underwater fottage is safe and being worked into something to look at, have patience. The Mineo HD did not survive a huge swell that almost washed me off the back deck, such is life, electronics, and sea water in remote places. I have a small top side teaser for your review and will be back in the office (California) next week, we should have some underwater stuff for you then. Every once in a very long while you get to meet and work with wonderful and unique people in remote locations to bring back new and exciting dive sites for the rest of the planet - this was one of those special moments in my decade long career in shark diving. I consider these last few days some of the best ever. To see these animals in such a pristine environment has been a pleasure I will savor for many years to come. Site Specifics 1. 20-20 foot bottom 2. Multiple animals on site 3. Defined shark season 4. Great local accommodations and food 5. White sharks on demand 6. Site is 40 minutes from dock We are working with a larger production company in April to "tell the tale" of whites in New Zealand at the last great white shark site on the planet Oceania. It has been a remarkable adventure thus far and I am looking forward to Aprils big females when I come back down with the crew. Discover Shark Diver New Zealand. [ This is an external blog. Read complete blog here... ]...External BlogsK2SCUBAhttp://www.divebuddy.com/blog.aspx?BlogID=6486Mon, 01 Mar 2010 13:39:29 CDTKeywords are probably the most important factor that drives traffic to any website or blog. So it is very important to choose the right keywords... [ This is an external blog. Read complete blog here... ]...External BlogsK2SCUBAhttp://www.divebuddy.com/blog.aspx?BlogID=6485Mon, 01 Mar 2010 19:31:06 CDTChile earthquake: tsunami creates havoc across the Pacific Pacific island nations have been hit by a tsunami triggered by the powerful Chilean earthquake, although damage caused by the rising seas has been less severe than originally feared. By Bonnie Malkin in Sydney Swimmers and board riders venture back into the water at Sydney&#8217;s Bondi Beach even though it [...] Related posts:Diver swept away by wall of water By BRITTON BROUN, TOM HUNT and TIM DONOGHUE &#8211;... Shark Diving in Moorea, French Polynesia This is not a Great White, but he plays... Earth&#8217;s polar ice sheets vulnerable to even moderate global warming; New Orleans, much of southern Florida, expected to be permanently submerged Study: Earth&#8217;s polar ice sheets vulnerable to even moderate... [ This is an external blog. Read complete blog here... ]...External BlogsK2SCUBAhttp://www.divebuddy.com/blog.aspx?BlogID=6484Mon, 01 Mar 2010 20:29:57 CDTBy BRITTON BROUN, TOM HUNT and TIM DONOGHUE &#8211; The Dominion Post A day after hundreds fled their seaside homes to escape a tsunami, people have been warned to stay away from the water, with massive earthquake aftershocks possible in Chile and the seas continuing to surge. The death toll [...] Related posts:Chilen earthquake: tsunami creates havoc across the Pacific Chile earthquake: tsunami creates havoc across the Pacific Pacific... [ This is an external blog. Read complete blog here... ]...External BlogsOceanicDreamshttp://www.divebuddy.com/blog.aspx?BlogID=6483Mon, 01 Mar 2010 17:18:00 CDTAccording to a study by the University of Florida (George Burgess) shark "attacks" are down. In 2008 a total of 41 incidents were recorded while in 2009 these were down to only 28. Read complete report here. [ This is an external blog. Read complete blog here... ]...External BlogsRTSeahttp://www.divebuddy.com/blog.aspx?BlogID=6482Sun, 28 Feb 2010 18:57:00 CDTInteresting article by Bryan nelson in Mother Nature Network on how research in social/cultural science can help anticipate people’s reactions, positive or negative, to factual science. In other words, rather than presenting facts and expecting the obvious rationale of those facts (obvious to the person presenting the information, that is) to convince all, one must consider more deeply the cultural attitudes the listener brings to his/her thought process. ’"People tend to conform their factual beliefs to ones that are consistent with their cultural outlook, their world view,’ [says] social scientist Don Braman told National Public Radio. Braman is a scholar at George Washington University and part of The Cultural Cognition Project, which has been conducting experiments about how individuals interpret facts differently." The article says this cultural effect has played into how some people have accepted or rejected information amount climate change, that it is all filtered through their own perspective no matter how incontrovertible the facts are. "For instance, people labeled in the ’individualistic’ group [a study group that embraced technology, authority, and free enterprise] tended to favor nuclear power as a viable solution to the energy crisis. When they were given a report which offered nuclear power as a solution to the climate crisis, they were more likely to consider global warming a serious problem. On the other hand, since ’communitarians’ [the study group that was suspicious of technology, authority, and free enterprise] distrusted nuclear power, they were less likely to see global warming as a concern when nuclear power was the only proposed solution. In other words, both groups evaluated the issue of global warming differently depending on previously held beliefs." While the article’s focus was on applying cultural science to the issue of climate change, it can easily be applied to other ecological issues. I, for one, advocate the potential for aquaculture because I have positive attitudes about technology (that it can address the environmental challenges that aquaculture faces) and because I choose to eat as little wild-caught fish as possible (therefore I am more receptive to the idea of open-water fisheries being eliminated in favor of aquaculture). Someone more skeptical of technology or more dependent on fisheries might have a different reaction to the potential of aquaculture. In some respects, it’s not that hard to figure out. As someone who has spent years in the marketing communications field, I kn...External BlogsRTSeahttp://www.divebuddy.com/blog.aspx?BlogID=6481Mon, 01 Mar 2010 12:17:00 CDTThe World Wildlife Fund (WWF) has produced some outstanding radio, print and television PSA’s (public service announcements) over the years. These forms of communication often are subtle because they are, by nature, intrusive. Here’s a link to one of their most current PSA commercials (click on image): The imagery is eye-catching and the message is simple (and it borrows from one of my favorite songwriters, Joni Mitchell). Some might argue over the effectiveness of the "soft" approach because with each day ecological and environmental issues become more critical, but it is one piece of a strategy, one weapon in their arsenal of tools to enlighten people. I was listening to a political commentary show and the panelists were discussing the politics of fear and if and where it can be effective. The consensus was that it can lack effectiveness when addressing big picture/long term issues; it can come off sounding like Chicken Little screaming that the sky is falling. People often have difficulty thinking in terms of the big picture and they will tune out or close down to warnings of cataclysmic futures because it is something to which they can’t easily relate. It’s so dire they would rather hide under a rock and live with the status quo than deal with it. That’s where the softer approach can have value, wedging open the door of long-term thinking just a little - whether its politics or conservation. Immediate and personal issues might require a stronger clarion and together, with messages like the one WWF puts forth in the PSA above, perhaps we can move the audience to react to immediate issues of concern while also expanding their minds to more expansive or greater long-term solutions. Every little bit helps. [ This is an external blog. Read complete blog here... ]...External Blogslreese2http://www.divebuddy.com/blog.aspx?BlogID=6480Mon, 01 Mar 2010 19:01:39 CDT A friend of mine invited me to go on the "Super Bowl" of shark diving trips!  Joe Romerio of 333 Productions booked Tiger Beach with Jim Abernethy.  There were 10 of us on this trip, all hand picked by Joe so I got to be with some phenomonal photographers!  We left out of West Palm Beach on Jim Abernethy’s live-aboard The Shear Water.  Very comfortable and well maintained boat.  And what a great crew he has!  We were definately in good hands.  We were going to leave at 7pm but the wind was 35mph with 45mph gusts.  We waited until midnight when the wind had abated a bit.  All I can say is.....I know what it’s like to try and sleep in a washing machine.  It was well worth the ride to see the beautiful  turquoise water of the Bahamas the next morning.  We had to stop at immigration for about an hour then off to Tiger Beach.  This trip is designed to get us up close and personal with Tiger, Lemon, Reef, and Great Hammerheads.  This is a "no cages" trip so we had a 2 hour dive briefing before hitting the water.  Jim Abernethy is a super professional and has set rules you must obey for yours and the sharks safety.  I think it is truely ammazing the way he has these trips organized so you get the mazimum dive time and interaction with the sharks.  He REALLY is there for each and every one of his passengers.  Of the 5 days of diving we saw 4 different dive sites.  Tiger Beach/Crystal Tiger is located in a sandy area in about 20ft of water.  Shark Tooth Ridge is a reef next to a sandy area.  The reef is about 50 ft deep, where the sand is, it’s about 70ft.  Ginormous is another reef next to a sandy area. The Reef is about 55ft, the sand about 80f.  The last place was called Flying Tiger Splashing Dragon.  We didn’t dive here but we had some wild top side action!  I’ll get to that........... First....Tiger Beach/Crystal Tiger!!!!  To attract the sharks we had milk crates full of fish tied together and dangling off the back corner of the boat.  You can see them in some of the pics I posted.  As soon as the bait went in the water we had Lemon sharks.....lots and lots of Lemon sharks.  I’d never seen one before.  They’re quite big!  I’d say between 5 and 9ft.  They actually have a yellow tint to them.  Ed, the Divemaster went down first to make sure everything was good, then off the boat we went!  You had to make sure you didn’t slide off on a Lemon shark!  Everyone had a camera and a "stick"  The stick is a piece of PVC pipe you hold vertically in front of you (one end planted in the sand) if you don’t want the sharks to touch you.  Especailly if you get a big nosey Tiger.  You NEVER hit or poke the sharks with the "stick".  We were down for about 15 min when our first Tiger showed up.  Jim has 3 classes of Tiger sharks.  Wild, Players, and Super Models.  Wild are the new commers that stay on the perimeter.  Players are the ones that will come in close but not for very long, and the Super Models are the ones over time Jim has formed a kind of repore with.  I think he said there are 8 Super Models in all.  Emma is by far the most popular.  She’s a 14 ft Tiger with her own webpage, written by her!  www.emmatheshark.com  I got to meet Emma!  After a short while we had 3 Tigers.  Two wild and one player.  Since we were right at the back of the boat and didn’t have to do a safety stop and in 20 ft of water, my first dive lasted an hour and 34 mins!  We dove there until sundown.  I got in 4 hour and a half dives.  While seeing Tiger sharks intermittent all day we were constantly surrounded by more Lemon sharks that I could count!  We did a night dive here.  Joe had his big video camera with the lights so it made really cool shadows.  Lots of Lemons on this dive. Shark Tooth Ridge.....this place is pretty cool.  Ed went down and set the bait boxes on the reef.  They were anchored to permentant rings pounded into the reef and held up in the water by empty gallon jugs.  After that was done we went down 5 at a time and settled as close to the bait as you wanted to get.  We had Caribbean reef sharks here.  Waaaaaay more than I could count.  They kept us busy until Emma showed up!  She is a big girl!  All 14ft of her!  Emma is such a laid back shark and the perfect ambassador for her species.  She took a trip around the divers then went to Jim for some back scratching.  This was awesome!  We had to watch our air here since we had to do a safety stop.  I headed back to the accent line with one of the other divers.  One of the things Jim told us was to ALWAYS be aware of what is behind you!  When  I looked back I saw we were being followed by a Tiger.  We reached the accent line and made our way to 15ft.  The other diver was below me.  The water was pretty rough that day so you didn’t hold onto the line, you let it slide in your hand or you’d be flying up and down with the boat.  Things were fine for me but something startled the Tiger shark circling us and it did ...Dive TripOceanicDreamshttp://www.divebuddy.com/blog.aspx?BlogID=6479Sun, 28 Feb 2010 20:42:00 CDTI have been out of the country for a while with little internet access - would have posted this earlier. As I am sure everyone is aware of the earthquake that has hit Chile; there are many ways to help the country and the people. The best resource that I have come across is the Support Disaster Relief on Google. Here you will find ways to donate, look for people, etc. This comes at a time when many are still thinking about the catastrophe in Haiti - while Chile is not in the same state and as a country will react faster than any other developed one - they will still need help in any form. Do not let numbers fool you and minimize the event in Chile...please help. I have many good friends there - none are missing to my knowledge - put as I scan my Twitter feed, I still see many people asking about there loved ones. GodSpeed Chile! [ This is an external blog. Read complete blog here... ]...External Blogsscuba-fishhttp://www.divebuddy.com/blog.aspx?BlogID=6478Sat, 27 Feb 2010 20:52:34 CDTTo better recognise the achievements of those PADI Dive Centres and Resorts who have made significant contributions to the growth and development of diving, PADI Asia Pacific have announced the finalists and winners of this year’s PADI Asia Pacific Member Awards program which recognises the efforts of dive operators during 2009.The PADI Member Awards program [...] [ This is an external blog. Read complete blog here... ]...External Blogssharkdiver73http://www.divebuddy.com/blog.aspx?BlogID=6477Fri, 26 Feb 2010 04:56:00 CDTDay four at the new Oceania dive site saw four animals arrive at the same time today. The stand out white shark being a female that had been tagged three separate times. She is known to the local research team as "Miranda," tagged first in 2008 and again in 2009 by Clinton Duffy and Dr.Ramon Bonfil. "Baggie" was back in full force again today and framed against our max depth of 30 feet his bulk was a stunning sight to behold. These animals are all very fat and very robust white sharks.Video to come. Discover Shark Diver New Zealand. [ This is an external blog. Read complete blog here... ]...External Blogsbbianchihttp://www.divebuddy.com/blog.aspx?BlogID=6476Fri, 26 Feb 2010 13:13:27 CDTLittle Cayman Diving &#8211; HD &#8211; 2010 from Brandon Bianchi on Vimeo. [ This is an external blog. Read complete blog here... ]...External BlogsK2SCUBAhttp://www.divebuddy.com/blog.aspx?BlogID=6475Fri, 26 Feb 2010 01:55:11 CDTTrainer Dawn Brancheau Drowned Before Eyes of Dozens of Shocked Spectators By LEE FERRAN and RUSSELL GOLDMAN Feb. 25, 2010 The swing of a ponytail was likely what caused a killer whale in Orlando&#8217;s SeaWorld to attack and drown an experienced trainer before the terrified eyes of dozens of bystanders, a SeaWorld official [...] No related posts. [ This is an external blog. Read complete blog here... ]...External BlogsK2SCUBAhttp://www.divebuddy.com/blog.aspx?BlogID=6474Fri, 26 Feb 2010 02:04:48 CDTBy David Derbyshire Last updated at 11:57 PM on 20th February 2010 They are known as one of the deadliest creatures on Earth. But according to a shocking new study, great white sharks are also one of the most endangered. Wildlife experts say there are now fewer than 3,500 great whites left in the oceans, [...] Related posts:Do Sharks Sleep? Can A Shark Stop, Close its Eyes and Rest?... Fin Whales, Once Rare, Crowd California Coast LOS ANGELES, Jan. 2, 2010 Population Explosion of Tiny... Scuba Diving with the Unicorns of the Sea Unicorns of the Sea, Seeded from Kathy of ScubaDiving... [ This is an external blog. Read complete blog here... ]...External BlogsK2SCUBAhttp://www.divebuddy.com/blog.aspx?BlogID=6473Sat, 27 Feb 2010 13:34:58 CDTBy Victoria Gill Science reporter, BBC News, Portland Whales store carbon by the tonne A century of whaling may have released more than 100 million tonnes &#8211; or a large forest&#8217;s worth &#8211; of carbon into the atmosphere, scientists say. Whales store carbon within their huge bodies and when they are killed, much of this carbon [...] No related posts. [ This is an external blog. Read complete blog here... ]...External BlogsK2SCUBAhttp://www.divebuddy.com/blog.aspx?BlogID=6472Sat, 27 Feb 2010 14:28:49 CDTStudy: Ocean Geoengineering Scheme No Easy Fix For Global Warming; &#8216;There Remain Many Uncertainties&#8217; &#160; Editors Note:&#160; infusing carbon dioxide into the ocean causes H2CO3&#160; Carbonic Acid. . .we will acidify the ocean if the below occurs. This map displays simulated additional surface warming for the year 2100 caused by the temporary use of artificial upwelling GEOMAR SOUTHAMPTON, [...] No related posts. [ This is an external blog. Read complete blog here... ]...External BlogsRTSeahttp://www.divebuddy.com/blog.aspx?BlogID=6471Fri, 26 Feb 2010 18:38:00 CDTLead poisoning is being shown to have an effect on wildlife from California condors to bald eagles to grizzly bears and even whole environments like wetland preserves. The source of the poisoning comes from lead bullets either lodged in an animal who survived the wound, consumed by a predator or scavenger feasting on a bullet-wounded animal, or as ammunition that missed its target and contaminates the soil or surrounding ecology. The Center for Biological Diversity reports that three endangered condors died of lead poisoning, suspected of having foraged in Utah before reaching and dying in northern Arizona. Four bald eagles died this winter of lead poisoning in Alberta, Canada; one of the eagles having as much as 9 times the fatal level of lead. And in Yellowstone, a recent study showed grizzly bears had elevated lead levels during hunting season, due to feeding on wounded elk. And loose lead shot has been shown to contaminate soil and even work its way down into protected wetlands While lead-free ammunition is required in some select areas in some states, it is not nationwide for all environments. And while a total ban on all sport hunting is probably not realistic, there is some movement to extend the range of non-lead regulations. Earlier this week, California Assemblymember Pedro Nava introduced legislation to outlaw toxic lead shot from all of California’s 627,000 acres of designated state wildlife areas. That’s a step forward. "We need to get lead out of wildlife areas," said Nava. "It makes no sense to allow people to leave poisonous material in our state parks." The Center for Biological Diversity is conducting a "Get the Lead Out" U.S. campaign. Click here to learn more. Read Los Angeles Times article on poisoned condors. Read Calgary Herald article on poisoned bald eagles. [ This is an external blog. Read complete blog here... ]...External Blogsaquaviewshttp://www.divebuddy.com/blog.aspx?BlogID=6470Thu, 25 Feb 2010 01:54:32 CDTSpectators at Orlando&#8217;s Sea World were witness to more than just some cute looking Killer Whales also known Orcas jump out of the water and do a few tricks, on Wednesday 24th February, 2010. It was during a show packed with an audience, that a Killer whale named Tilikum snatched a trainer from a poolside [...] [ This is an external blog. Read complete blog here... ]...External Blogs