All posts tagged: ocean lover

10 things you didn’t know about Cayman’s sharks

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Today’s feature is a guest post by Johanna Kohler. 1. Little Cayman and Brac escape. Some individuals of our Caribbean reef shark population travel between Grand Cayman, Little Cayman and Cayman Brac.  A female Caribbean reef shark which was tagged in 2013 in Grand Cayman traveled regularly to Little Cayman and Cayman Brac over the next 3 years before its tag died in 2015. 2. What’s your name? • Bash Brothers and Little Basher – Bro action The Bash Brothers are two male sharks in East End of Grand Cayman. They like to swim together, one behind the other on the edge of the wall. Recently a smaller male shark has joined the team – hence “Little Basher”. One of the Bash Brothers has a distinctive scar on its gills. Some days they may be inquisitive on other days they may ignore you. When you go diving within their home range they may show up. • Scarlet/Smudge – the friendly Caribbean reef shark Scarlet, also known as Smudge, is an old local at East End …

Spotted: Shark Conservation in Action

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In 2009, the Cayman Islands Department of Environment (DOE), in partnership with Marine Conservation International (MCI), began studying Cayman’s sharks.  This initiative was originally sponsored by a UK Darwin Plus grant and by CayBrew’s, Whitetip Fund.  The Darwin Plus project has recently concluded and subsequently, since the beginning of the year, the project is now fully supported locally by CayBrew’s Whitetip Fund and continues to focus on improving shark research and conservation efforts in Cayman. In recent developments and in part due to the hard work and efforts of both DOE and MCI, sharks and rays were included as totally protected species in the December 2013, National Conservation Law the provisions of that law effectively make the waters of the Cayman Islands a shark and ray sanctuary, since April 2015.  Shark research continues in order to monitor Cayman’s shark populations.  The research helps to better understand our sharks and the threats they face which results in better informed management decisions and ultimately more effective protection and conservation.  Providing a safe haven is key to effective …

Ghost Nets: Silent Killers of the Ocean

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“My work in this underwater photography performance realm is to use my body and my movements as a human canvas for these issues.  Because quite simply, ocean conservation is a human issue.” -Christine Ren Christine Ren, is embarking on a new environmental campaign to raise awareness about “Ghost Nets” silent killers of the ocean.  Ren is combining her background in dance with underwater photography once again. Her aim is to draw attention to the serious threat fishing nets and lines impose on marine life.  The imagery is powerful, as it illustrates the vulnerability of marine life and the plight they face.  Ren’s thought provoking photographs, turns that tables by bringing into focus what it would be like if a human being endured the same struggle and pain marine life undergo when they become tangled in nets or ingest them.  By reversing the situation, we can’t help, but feel empathy. We cannot ignore the serious nature of the issue and harm caused by derelict fishing gear floating around in the ocean.  The ballerinas are wrapped in …

FORCE BLUE: A Call of Duty to Heal the Ocean

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I had the honor of meeting U.S RECON Marine Sergeant Rudy Reyes and listening to him share his story about his experience as a former combat diver and now a veteran on a mission to help protect and restore the marine environment. I cannot truly capture in words how profound his story is or the eloquent way he spoke about his life’s journey. Nor, can I begin to fathom the magnitude of the experiences he has been through and endured as a combat diver. All I can humbly offer is that listening to him speak with such humility, eloquence and passion I was incredibly moved by his words and a part of me was changed forever by his heartfelt story. His life’s journey has lead him to a new call of duty, dedicating his life’s work to empowering other Special Ops veterans to join FORCE BLUE’s conservation efforts to help restore critical marine ecosystems around the world. While on his first trip to the Cayman Islands two years ago, diving off the shore of Sunset …

World Oceans Day 2017

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The ocean is the heart of our planet and it is our life-support system.  Oceans provide over 50% of the world’s oxygen, so it is vital that we maintain a healthy ocean.  We depend on the ocean for our survival.  Coral reefs are home to 25% of marine life.  Coral reefs are often viewed as the rainforest of the sea and have intrinsic value. The caribbean alone has lost approximately 80% of its coral reef coverage.  Coral reefs on a global scale are under threat.  There is an urgent need to protect the ocean and preserve coral reefs. The ocean has this incredible power to unite us— we all are connected to the ocean. The ocean is vast and full of wonderment and spectacular beauty.  Let us all join together to help protect the ocean and conserve coral reefs.  It is important that we also take the time to connect with nature and celebrate the beauty of our planet. A simple way we can create positive change is by recycling and removing trash scattered along …

Plastic, Caught In Our Blind Spots

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Christine Ren, is making waves with her thought provoking art, drawing attention to environmental issues.  Her piece entitled, “Blind Spots” is mind blowing.  A satirical piece, sparking conversation about environmental concerns as it makes an interesting commentary on society’s consumption of plastic.  The portrait of a girl blindfolded with a shopping cart full of plastic products that are cascading out of the cart and into the ocean, is perfectly constructed to highlight society’s behavior in terms of not taking ownership or responsibility for the massive accumulation of plastic that has over years been dumped into the ocean.  It shows how easy it is for society to lose sight of critical environmental issues that are right in front of us and problems that are increasing.  And, if not lose sight of a glaring issue, the ease and ability we have to push it out of our minds or into our blind spots to avoid dealing with it. Christine’s art forces us to stare at the blatant issue of plastic pollution and face the reality of a …