All posts tagged: ocean

Cayman Art Fix: Colour in landscapes of our beautiful isle. 

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Artists and colouring enthusiasts based in the Cayman Islands and from all corners of the globe, you are in for a real treat.  Local artist, Kristi Anderson has created a Caymanian masterpiece Adult Coloring E-Book is now available (Release Date 20th October 2017).  Proud of Cayman’s environment and heritage, Kristi has documented the hidden gems of our island in her debut coloring book.  This is the first of it’s kind. “The Art in Colour Me Cayman is all about exploring the environment and some of our national monuments. It is a way to bring to life the mundane image of a coconut tree to the forefront of our minds and for us to realise that we are surrounded by beauty from West Bay to East End and back.”- Kristi Anderson                 Got a craving for art? Cayman Art has got your fix! Cayman Art Fix E-book has intricate drawings that truly captures the very essence of the Cayman Islands.  While indulging in a fun and cathartic artistic activity …

Turning the Tide on Plastic

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It is becoming more evident that as consumers we have an addiction to plastic and it is a habit that is in desperate need of breaking. Plastic is an escalating problem globally. In particular, single-use plastics such as bottle caps, plastic bags, straws and so on are more frequently being found in our oceans or tangled around or ingested by marine life. Micro-plastics are another major component of ocean pollution. Plastic products that are not recycled end up somewhere and that could be in landfills or as debris polluting the environment, rivers, lakes, and oceans which is problematic. Somewhere along the way the ocean has become a trash can, and it was never intended or designed to be one. Our oceans serve as a home to marine life, coral reefs and ecosystems all of which depend on a healthy ocean for their survival— we depend on a healthy ocean for our survival. We view the ocean as this indestructible resource, however, even the ocean has its limits and plastic pollution disrupts the health of the …

Dive In: Coral Conservation Community Project

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Grand Cayman Eco Divers have had great success over the last year with maintaining their coral nurseries and outplanting viable coral fragments onto Cayman’s reefs.  Brittany Balli and Aaron Hunt, are a husband and wife team, that are dedicated to their Coral Nursery Restoration Program and are devoted to ensuring a positive future for Cayman’s reefs.  Their commitment to coral reef conservation has lead Grand Cayman Eco Divers to work in a united effort with Sunset House and Dive Tech to ensure the success of their programs.  Grand Cayman Eco Divers were inspired by the positive results of their coral nursery program to initiate a study abroad program, inviting both international and local students to learn about their coral nursery program and coral conservation here in the Cayman Islands.  In an effort to expand on education of coral conservation and raise awareness for the coral nursery program Grand Cayman Eco Divers are inviting our local community to get involved and join the volunteer team for their coral nurseries. Inspiring a Community to become involved in …

Blue Mind. Our Deep Connection to Water

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Photo Credit: Erich Schlegel Water plays an integral role in our daily lives— it’s essential for our survival. It is evident that we all have a deep connection to water, perhaps more than we realize. Many people talk about getting their daily dose of “vitamin sea” and that aligns with New York Times bestselling author, Dr. Wallace J. Nichols’s book Blue Mind that explores our relationship with water and the positive healing benefits we gain both on a cognitive and emotional level.   We require water for our survival, but we also have an underlying dependency on water for recreational use as a pathway to acquiring its positive benefits. In particular, our oceans offer us a place of sanctuary and can help restore and rejuvenate us from stress. It is amazing how by just spending time in the ocean, it has the ability to allow an anxious day to easily slip away. Water, whether it is a lake, river, waterfall or the ocean it has a diversity of positive impacts on us. Memories tied to experiences with …

Working with Sharks

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Ever wondered what it would be like to be a shark researcher for a day? Today’s feature is a Q&A with Johanna Kohler, Shark Project Research Officer at the Cayman Islands Department of Environment.  Johanna Kohler is an accomplished Marine Biologist, specializing in shark behavior and ecology, currently based in the Cayman Islands. She has gained valuable experience from both, working and traveling, all over the world, giving her an impressive portfolio in the field. As an advocate for ocean conservation, Johanna Kohler is passionate about protecting and preserving sharks. Her respect and love for sharks is evident through her commitment to study sharks in order to gain valuable insight for the betterment of shark conservation. Sharks are majestic creatures that have unfortunately been misunderstood. As a result sharks are mostly portrayed in a negative light, resulting in them being wrongly feared. In actuality what we should be afraid of is an ocean without sharks, not an ocean with sharks. Sharks play a vital role in regulating the health of the ocean and keeping marine …

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 …