All posts tagged: eden rock

Wanderlust: Take Me To The Ocean!

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Many of us might be finding ourselves reminiscing about our past travels or dreaming about the day when we will be able to travel the world again visiting our favorite places or checking destinations off our travel wishlist.  In the meantime, a trip to the beach might be the very ‘travel’ adventure you need.  Living in the Cayman Islands has its privileges.  Being surrounded by alluring turquoise waters with an exquisite underwater world to explore makes the Cayman Islands a true paradise.  You can’t help but want to dive in.   The experience of lockdown, social distancing, and the global pandemic has given us an opportunity to reflect on life.  Some of us, find ourselves more appreciative than ever for the simple things in life.  Nature has been an incredible outlet for many to find solace, escape the stress or craziness of the day, feel rejuvenated, inspired and a place to find peace to calm one’s mind.  Reconnecting with nature can have a positive impact on your mental health and wellbeing— whether through a walk …

People Protect What They Love

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“People protect what they love, they love what they understand and they understand what they are taught.” – Jacques-Yves Cousteau, The quote above has always resonated with me. It’s true, people protect what they love. Growing up in the Cayman Islands I learned from an early age that our oceans, marine life, and coral reefs are one of the greatest treasures and assets we have been bestowed custodians of. We have a moral obligation to protect and preserve the precious coral reefs surrounding our islands. After all, our coral reefs are the very heart of Cayman. From a young age, in school, we are taught that Cayman has always had a strong and deep connection to the ocean. Our Coat of Arms has the words, “He Hath Founded It Upon The Seas” inscribed.  For many of us, these words serve as a reminder that our past, present, and future is and always will be linked to the ocean. The generations before us built our heritage on this strong connection to the ocean.  The Cayman Islands heavily …

Ocean Guard: Protecting an Underwater Paradise

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People protect what they love, it is that simple.  Many of us share an incredible love and respect for our oceans, coral reefs and marine life.  “Coral reefs are the largest living structure on the planet, and the only living structure to be visible from space” (IYOR).  Coral reefs have been in existence and evolved on earth over the past 200 to 300 million years. (IYOR)  Right now, coral reefs are more vulnerable than ever before.  Coral reefs are degrading because of arising changes in their natural environment and the disruption of the balance of the ocean.  The accumulation of stressors are having a profound effect upon coral reefs putting them in a precarious state.  Some of the major threats coral reefs face right now are: ocean acidification, coral bleaching, over-fishing, pollution, coral diseases, invasive species and coastal developments.  Coral reefs are disappearing at an unprecedented rate.  This results in the loss of precious ecosystems and habitats for marine life.  Coral reefs play an integral role in maintaining the balance of the ocean, ecosystems and …

Best Blog Posts of 2016

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  The Best of 2016 Just a few days into the new year, I thought it might be nice to reflect a little on the past.  Most importantly, I would like to thank all of you wonderful readers.  Your support means the world to me.  I am so grateful that you have enjoyed reading my environmental blog.  It has been a journey finding my voice and writing articles for my blog.  I have met some incredible people along the way.  I am very thankful for the amazing contributors to my blog: guest writers and photographers— your contributions have been incredible, thank you.  Collaboration is a wonderful thing.  The biggest milestone for me this year, was the privilege to be published in Mission Blue’s Ocean Stories.  It was an absolute honor. I look forward to writing new posts.  I hope that you will enjoy reading future articles. Here are the Top 5 Blog Posts of 2016 (Please click the links below to read the full article.)   1. The Cayman Islands: A Haven for Sharks & Rays  This article was …

eden rock

Hope On The Horizon: Cayman Islands (Mission Blue Hope Spot)

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Photo Credit: Ellen Cuylaerts I am so excited to announce that today I was published in Mission Blue’s Ocean Stories.  It was such an honor! I am so humbled by this moment.  It was an absolute pleasure to work with Mission Blue and Ellen Cuylaerts.  Thank You Ellen for allowing me to use your spectacular pictures for the article. Recently, the Cayman Islands, George Town Harbor was designated as a new Hope Spot by Mission Blue. To read more about my article please visit Mission Blue’s website, or click here. Content Update: 7th January 2017.  Below is my article in full.  Originally published in Mission Blue’s Ocean Stories.  Photo Credit: Ellen Cuylaerts Recently, the George Town Harbor in the Cayman Islands was named a Mission Blue Hope Spot- one of fourteen newly designated Hope Spots.  This is incredible news for environmentalists both locally and internationally.  A designated Hope Spot is an area considered to be “critical to the health of the ocean”.  These special areas are recognized by Mission Blue and respectively conservationists around the globe as …

Selling Out The Coral Reefs

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Only after the last tree has been cut down, only after the last river has been poisoned, 
only after the last fish has been caught, only then will you find that money can not be eaten. 
- Cree Indian Prophecy A profound quote. It is haunting and heavy with truth. A cautionary warning, foreshadowing what is to come if we don’t recognize the devastating implications of man’s destruction of the environment. There is an urgency for us to stop and take a look around at the state of peril our environment is in. We need to examine the way we are living. Is it really worth compromising the intrinsic value of the land and sea for profit, greed, convenience and to serve man’s ego?  Man has infinite wants with finite natural resources. Sustainable living is key to reversing and repairing the damage already inflicted upon the planet and it is fundamental for generations to come. This planet was neither designed nor created so that man could exploit, destroy and exhaust all the natural resources in …