All posts tagged: whale shark

Dive Into Shark School with Jessica Harvey

Sharks are fascinating creatures.  Over the years, sharks have often been misunderstood and this helped create a negative perception of sharks.  Gradually, that perception is beginning to shift and sharks are being seen in a more positive light.  If anything, we should be more afraid of not seeing sharks.  Our marine environment has a delicate balance, and everything is interconnected.  Sharks play a vital role in maintaining the health of our oceans, keeping marine ecosystems in balance and our coral reefs in check.  Seeing a healthy population of sharks is typically a positive indicator of a healthy coral reef.   The Cayman Islands is a designated shark sanctuary.  Sharks and rays are a protected species under Cayman’s National Conservation Law.  Here in the Cayman Islands, there are eight species of sharks commonly found in our waters including: Great Hammerhead, Nurse shark, Lemon shark, Caribbean Reef shark, Blacktip, Tiger shark, Oceanic Whitetip and Silky shark. Amongst the variety of shark species found in the Cayman Islands, some species of sharks reside in Cayman waters all year …

A Day In The Life Of A Shark Conservationist: Ellen Cuylaerts

One of my personal heroes is Ellen Cuylaerts.  I have great admiration for Ellen’s ocean conservation efforts.  She is a true luminary.  Ellen faced her fears and learned how to dive and swim with sharks.  By embracing her fear, she gained a deeper love, respect, understanding, and appreciation for sharks.  It is her bravery, and curiosity to learn more about our ocean and sharks that teaches us we can all do great things if we stay true to ourselves and follow our passions.  Ellen’s tremendous love and dedication to shark conservation are evident in her underwater photography.  She uses her passion for photography to show sharks in their natural habitat.  Her photos not only capture incredible ocean moments and encounters with one of the world’s most fascinating creatures, but they tell a powerful story.  Sharks are incredibly misunderstood creatures, resulting in them often being feared.  Through her photography, Ellen strives to change the perception of sharks by reminding all of us that sharks are not to be feared, but respected.  They play a vital role …

Dive In: Guy Harvey’s Ocean Conservation Month & Fundraiser

Guy Harvey Ocean Foundation has designated November as Ocean Conservation month. This is a first for the Cayman Islands and is an excellent opportunity to raise awareness about issues our oceans and marine life face as well as ocean conservation efforts. To kickoff the month of November, Guy Harvey Ocean Foundation will be hosting their 3rd annual fundraiser on Wednesday 8th November 2017. The event will take place at Luca restaurant from 6:30pm-9:30pm, and will include both a live and silent auction. This is a cocktail party not to be missed, as the keynote address will be presented by special guest Dr. Ellen Prager. Tickets are on sale now at Guy Harvey Gallery and Shoppe, CI$150.00 for a ticket and all proceeds raised will go towards funding the biannual Southern stingray survey and shark tagging by the Guy Harvey Ocean Foundation. Throughout the month, there will be a focus on: Shark Talk – educational documentaries and talks for all local students at the Regal Cinema; an educational pack and short videos made available to schools …