On Wednesday September 19th at 7PM enforcement officers from the Division of Fish & Wildlife will give a power point presentation on the rules and regulations governing our CNMI waters. This will be in conjunction with the Marianas Dive meeting beginning at 6:30 PM at Porky's beach bar behind the McDonald's on beach road. Everyone is welcome to attend this very important meeting intended to help DFW disseminate accurate and up-to-date information to everyone with a vested interest in our waters. Since we live on an island that relies on the sea for survival in so many ways this really could apply to everyone!
Porky's owner Bruce Bateman has indicated all Marianas Dive members will enjoy drink specials and perhaps even get front row seats! If you've never been to Porky's it's a very comfortable and spacious bar with access to an outside seating area that over looks the lagoon. Not a bad place to spend an evening!
Basic Marianas Dive membership cost only $20 annually so just the specials at Porky's is worth the fee.
Just to be clear the presentation is open to everyone and does not cost a dime!
Hope to see you all there!
PS Porky's is smoke free on Wednesdays!
Monday, September 17, 2007
Sunday, September 16, 2007
Marianas Dive Lau Lau Clean Up
Lau Lau Bay received a helping hand from the Marianas Dive group today!With Angelo and BCNMI supplying the bags and gloves, about 20 volunteers hit the beach for a clean up.
Afterwards, more than a dozen divers hit the water with mesh bags and pulled out all sorts of things that just should not be there. Batteries, beer cans, clothing, fishing line......
Bottom line is we worked up a bit of a sweat for an hour in the sun, then got to go for a refreshing splash and a "treasure' hunt. I even managed to point out a Spanish Dancer (first I've seen) to Mark who got a few shots. Then on the way back in I saw another Mark snapping more photos of it! Throw in the bait ball of Bigeye Scad and it was another great group dive. And we managed to pick up a significant amount of trash too!
Thanks to everyone who showed up including our tourist friends from Japan who found time to pitch in and to the Mister, and Khorram families as well.
Also to Captain Mike and Steven from the big ships. Then of course there are the die hards: Mark, Tammy, Dennis, Judy, Rusty, Brad, Mike & Mike (that's me), Katrina and Angelo! (not all pictured here!)
For more on the event visit Mark and Tammy's underexposed.For more on the dive happenings around the Marianas visit the discussions at Marianas Dive.
Saturday, September 15, 2007
Children of Our Homeland Project
A big thank you must go out today to the folks from the Children of Our Homeland Project and specifically one Liz Rechebei. Thanks to Liz a few extra dollars were found so my company can stay in business (a good thing) and all the kids in the public school system will have access to my DVD and the wonders that lie beneath the waters here (also a good thing). In addition, I have volunteered my time to visit some of the schools this year to speak about the underwater world and why protecting it is so important to their future! I've said it before on this blog but, one of the things I find most rewarding is watching kids watch the DVD. They are fascinated and have great questions, most of which I can answer which is also a good thing!
Out And About
This morning while emailing the passion profit regarding a project we are working on for Marianas Dive I was reminded that, "Canada, was and still is a favored
migration destination for Jamaicans".
Ya I'm well aware! Ben Johnson being one of the more famous!
We're coming up on a dark day in CND history.
I was in a pharmacy school at UBC studying the structures of drug molecules - that morning all prepared lectures were tossed and classes were spent talking about Ben as the professors tried to answer all our questions, drawing structures and going into great detail as to how steroids work. Dr. Frank Abbott who latter would become Dean of the Pharmacy School started it off with his 8:30 Pharmacology class! It was probably the most well attended few days of lectures I can remember and everyone, even us less keen in the back rows, wanted to be there and paid attention.
It was the only thing talked about on campus and Sept 28, 1988 will go down as memorable a time as any despite it being a pretty tough pill to swallow. I could even go into great detail as to the exact place and goings on at the time he actually won the medal a few days earlier and recall how good it feels to have a country come together and how proud you feel to be apart of it- even if it's just sitting your ass on a bar stool!
Isn't it also interesting how Jamaicans want to head for the cold North while Canadians want to flee south (at least in the winter) and often bring up the concept of "adopting" the Turks & Caicos Islands. Hmmmmmm All my pictures of Turks are in Canada!
migration destination for Jamaicans".
Ya I'm well aware! Ben Johnson being one of the more famous!
We're coming up on a dark day in CND history.
I was in a pharmacy school at UBC studying the structures of drug molecules - that morning all prepared lectures were tossed and classes were spent talking about Ben as the professors tried to answer all our questions, drawing structures and going into great detail as to how steroids work. Dr. Frank Abbott who latter would become Dean of the Pharmacy School started it off with his 8:30 Pharmacology class! It was probably the most well attended few days of lectures I can remember and everyone, even us less keen in the back rows, wanted to be there and paid attention.
It was the only thing talked about on campus and Sept 28, 1988 will go down as memorable a time as any despite it being a pretty tough pill to swallow. I could even go into great detail as to the exact place and goings on at the time he actually won the medal a few days earlier and recall how good it feels to have a country come together and how proud you feel to be apart of it- even if it's just sitting your ass on a bar stool!
Isn't it also interesting how Jamaicans want to head for the cold North while Canadians want to flee south (at least in the winter) and often bring up the concept of "adopting" the Turks & Caicos Islands. Hmmmmmm All my pictures of Turks are in Canada!
Friday, September 14, 2007
Marianas Dive Lau Lau Clean Up
Marianas Dive and BCNMI will team up this weekend for an extra fun day of cleaning and diving. Throw in a BBQ on the beach and how could you miss it? In case you've been living in one of the many caves on island you know the BCNMI team has been doing weekly clean ups since, well, since ever since! This Sunday we will pitch in and do our part as divers at the ever popular Lau Lau Beach Dive site parking lot. Rain or shine members of Marianas Dive and anyone else wishing to help out will be starting the beach clean up sometime after 8AM. The plan is to get hot and sweaty for a few hours and then hit the water and comb the shallows with mesh bags collecting anything resembling trash or fishing line. Then to decompress between dives Angelo will fire up the coals and cook whatever you bring down to cook up. If it pours rain all morning he may decide to head for dryer pastures and leave us there to do a second dive on an empty stomach!
Come on down and pitch in, meet some fellow divers and keep our dive sites clean for everyone to enjoy and tell their friends about!
Come on down and pitch in, meet some fellow divers and keep our dive sites clean for everyone to enjoy and tell their friends about!
Thursday, September 13, 2007
Mytenda
It's here and The Underwater World of Saipan has hit the shelves! Mytenda is a new online store designed by a couple of local fellas who saw the need to provide a service. The store is making it easy for anyone looking to purchase products unique to the Marianas. For more info see the Tribune article here. Now I wish someone in Canada would do the same, I miss my Smarties (Canada's version of M&M's) and my Twizlers.
I'm excited to have partnered with this concept as I'm sure the DVD will provide all those who've moved abroad with a good taste of home, although it may make them wonder why they left in the first place!
If you have not already done so check out www.mytenda.com
I'm excited to have partnered with this concept as I'm sure the DVD will provide all those who've moved abroad with a good taste of home, although it may make them wonder why they left in the first place!
If you have not already done so check out www.mytenda.com
Saturday, September 8, 2007
Marianas Dive Day
It's here, just under a few hours before the group takes the plunge at Lau Lau Bay.
2PM is the meeting time. Dive plan - non really except be safe and dive within your limits.
Angelo had a good description of the event on his blog here.
Then it's off to Porkys beach bar for the social event. Owner and underwater historian Bruce B will be putting on the BBQ style, live music (two bands) and drink specials along with a diving conversation. Doesn't get much better than that.
Hope to see you all today.
Check out the forum for Marianas Dive for news on what's going on here. Lots of good conversation, join in and help make this a better place to dive!
2PM is the meeting time. Dive plan - non really except be safe and dive within your limits.
Angelo had a good description of the event on his blog here.
Then it's off to Porkys beach bar for the social event. Owner and underwater historian Bruce B will be putting on the BBQ style, live music (two bands) and drink specials along with a diving conversation. Doesn't get much better than that.
Hope to see you all today.
Check out the forum for Marianas Dive for news on what's going on here. Lots of good conversation, join in and help make this a better place to dive!
Monday, September 3, 2007
Carnival of the Blue Comes to Saipan
No it's not a cruise ship!
It's an amazing way to connect all those with a passion for our planet and specifically our oceans. According to this months host, Angelo over on the Saipan Blog, Carnival of the Blue is a roundup of a month's worth of the best ocean blogging on the Internet. Each month someone hosts or makes a post containing all the links to stories submitted to the Carnival over the previous month. I still have not gotten through all the links to the stories Angelo has posted but there is some very interesting stuff and I'm honored that my blog has been included in his write up.
The emphasis of this blog is to use video as the medium to showcase and illustrate points about the diving here on Saipan and the Marianas in general. You'll find an opinion or two here and there as well as a few posts on the topside attractions and the photos I've taken along the way but primarily it focuses on our underwater world and the impact we, as divers, may have on the environment. If you have the time to check out some of these videos you'll see that we have some amazing things here and a trip to these islands is well worth the effort!
It's an amazing way to connect all those with a passion for our planet and specifically our oceans. According to this months host, Angelo over on the Saipan Blog, Carnival of the Blue is a roundup of a month's worth of the best ocean blogging on the Internet. Each month someone hosts or makes a post containing all the links to stories submitted to the Carnival over the previous month. I still have not gotten through all the links to the stories Angelo has posted but there is some very interesting stuff and I'm honored that my blog has been included in his write up.
The emphasis of this blog is to use video as the medium to showcase and illustrate points about the diving here on Saipan and the Marianas in general. You'll find an opinion or two here and there as well as a few posts on the topside attractions and the photos I've taken along the way but primarily it focuses on our underwater world and the impact we, as divers, may have on the environment. If you have the time to check out some of these videos you'll see that we have some amazing things here and a trip to these islands is well worth the effort!
Sunday, September 2, 2007
Diversity - Land, Sea & Culture
Speaking of branding!
How about playing on the word diversity! I'm a diver (duh) so the diver thing is a no brainier and since diving (including water sports) makes up the biggest part of the economic engine that will get the economy back on track, why not.
Now lets look at following that up with Land, Sea & Culture.
With the island chain stretching as long as it does and with the differences in the composition or make up of each island this is also a no brainier. Images could easily show the diversity of the Land from black to white sand beaches. From Rugged untouched coastlines to the businesses and "city" of Garapan. From Lime stone caves to very long runways and expansive grassy fields... you get the picture. This does not even touch on the diversity of activities available on land here. Golf, trecking, shopping, historical site seeing, museums, go carts (I like go carts) etc.
Diversity of Land
The same can be said for the terrain below the ocean's surface and the life that calls these waters home. The fish and coral species is, well, a no brainier too. I've heard from a scientist type that we actually fall within the "coral" triangle, which includes Indonesia along its bottom arm and the Marianas at the top point. The coral triangle being the area where the largest diversity of species exists in the ocean, not hard to show diversity there! Add in the multitude of activities available on the surface and you've got diversity other islands would salivate over. Besides the usual stuff like snorkeling, fishing, jet skies and banana boat rides we also have windsurfing and kyteboarding (from beginner to advanced conditions) even Triathlons must be added here- they do swim.
Diversity of Sea
The key, however, to the Marianas becoming a truly un-matchable experience to even the seasoned traveler is the diversity of culture one can experience here. Many who live here may not see this or they may not be willing to accept it but IF each of the varied cultures calling these islands home were allowed to flourish we would quickly become the envy of all competing nations within the region.
It is true that when we talk about diversity of culture here we are speaking mainly of Saipan. With the indigenous Chamorro and Carolinian peoples followed by Spanish, German and Japanese rule before the end of WWII when the Americans took over, multiculturalism is already taking hold. Throw in a longstanding guest worker program with folks from the Philippines, China, Bangladesh, and various other Asian nations and you end up with a melting pot of culture. Add tourists with the same diversity of origin; Japan, Korea, Russia, China and it's a, you guessed it, no brainier. Diversity of culture.
When people think culture for vacation. You know like… "Honey where should we go on vacation this year" - "oh I don't know maybe somewhere with some culture". They are usually thinking indigenous culture and here too the Marianas excels. Even if the multitude of nationalities and shear size of the population has "watered down" the Chamorro and Carolinian Cultures on Saipan they are still very much present and in the forefront on Tinian and Rota. So we have the best of both worlds to offer especially to those who stay a little longer to experience the whole package.
As mentioned this diversity must be allowed to flourish before it becomes an unbeatable asset. From a multitude of authentic restaurants offering a sample of the worlds cuisines to various festivals that feature each unique aspect of the individual culture - tourist will eat it up. Done without conflict and prosperity will follow since stability and respect will drive consumers to the land of happy friendly people, all people! You can't get that in very many places around the world and unlike Mother Nature it is in our hands to control. We've been blessed with beautiful white sand beaches, green tropical jungle and warm sunshine but these alone will not make our islands stand out- the people will!
Diversity of Culture
Diversity- Land, Sea, & Culture
Lets all just get along - you heard it here first.
How about playing on the word diversity! I'm a diver (duh) so the diver thing is a no brainier and since diving (including water sports) makes up the biggest part of the economic engine that will get the economy back on track, why not.
Now lets look at following that up with Land, Sea & Culture.
With the island chain stretching as long as it does and with the differences in the composition or make up of each island this is also a no brainier. Images could easily show the diversity of the Land from black to white sand beaches. From Rugged untouched coastlines to the businesses and "city" of Garapan. From Lime stone caves to very long runways and expansive grassy fields... you get the picture. This does not even touch on the diversity of activities available on land here. Golf, trecking, shopping, historical site seeing, museums, go carts (I like go carts) etc.
Diversity of Land
The same can be said for the terrain below the ocean's surface and the life that calls these waters home. The fish and coral species is, well, a no brainier too. I've heard from a scientist type that we actually fall within the "coral" triangle, which includes Indonesia along its bottom arm and the Marianas at the top point. The coral triangle being the area where the largest diversity of species exists in the ocean, not hard to show diversity there! Add in the multitude of activities available on the surface and you've got diversity other islands would salivate over. Besides the usual stuff like snorkeling, fishing, jet skies and banana boat rides we also have windsurfing and kyteboarding (from beginner to advanced conditions) even Triathlons must be added here- they do swim.
Diversity of Sea
The key, however, to the Marianas becoming a truly un-matchable experience to even the seasoned traveler is the diversity of culture one can experience here. Many who live here may not see this or they may not be willing to accept it but IF each of the varied cultures calling these islands home were allowed to flourish we would quickly become the envy of all competing nations within the region.
It is true that when we talk about diversity of culture here we are speaking mainly of Saipan. With the indigenous Chamorro and Carolinian peoples followed by Spanish, German and Japanese rule before the end of WWII when the Americans took over, multiculturalism is already taking hold. Throw in a longstanding guest worker program with folks from the Philippines, China, Bangladesh, and various other Asian nations and you end up with a melting pot of culture. Add tourists with the same diversity of origin; Japan, Korea, Russia, China and it's a, you guessed it, no brainier. Diversity of culture.
When people think culture for vacation. You know like… "Honey where should we go on vacation this year" - "oh I don't know maybe somewhere with some culture". They are usually thinking indigenous culture and here too the Marianas excels. Even if the multitude of nationalities and shear size of the population has "watered down" the Chamorro and Carolinian Cultures on Saipan they are still very much present and in the forefront on Tinian and Rota. So we have the best of both worlds to offer especially to those who stay a little longer to experience the whole package.
As mentioned this diversity must be allowed to flourish before it becomes an unbeatable asset. From a multitude of authentic restaurants offering a sample of the worlds cuisines to various festivals that feature each unique aspect of the individual culture - tourist will eat it up. Done without conflict and prosperity will follow since stability and respect will drive consumers to the land of happy friendly people, all people! You can't get that in very many places around the world and unlike Mother Nature it is in our hands to control. We've been blessed with beautiful white sand beaches, green tropical jungle and warm sunshine but these alone will not make our islands stand out- the people will!
Diversity of Culture
Diversity- Land, Sea, & Culture
Lets all just get along - you heard it here first.
Saturday, September 1, 2007
50,000 Views
Today this video I posted on Youtube hit 50,000 views!
It's nothing fancy and the number of views certainly does not say anything about it's entertainment value. The title on youtube is "Cruel Death" from many of the comments one could argue that most people are looking for something exciting to die - like a pit bull or a human and are disappointed when it's just a starfish. On the other hand many are hell bent that this species is a threat to mankind and should be stopped no matter what the cost.
"if that was a crown of thorns star fish then your a dumn shit--- they destroy reefs"
Still others believe strongly that it's just another tool in Mother Nature's arsenal to keep the balance! My original post on this blog is here.
This was a comment on the post left by Greg Moretti.
Mike,
Thanks for posting this video and your comments. Regardless of where you stand on the COTS issue, it is illegal in the CNMI to kill starfish without a special permit that would allow you to do so. There are also biological implications of well-intentioned people who are not educated about the marine environment taking "control" measures into their own hands. Often times divers attempt to kill Crown of Thorns Starfish (COTS) by methods such as cutting them into pieces or the method you show in your video. As Brad mentioned, there is a "prefered" method of control that involves injecting them with a poison. This is because research has shown that other methods simply do not work or actually make the problem worse. When radially symetrical invertebrates such as starfish are cut up into pieces, the pieces can each regenerate into new individuals. So people think they are killing one and they are actually making more. I have also read that when the starfish are stressed/threatened they may release their eggs into the water, making the issue even worse. I suppose one could argue that the COTS would have released eggs at some point regardless... but the point is that if you don't know what you're messing with, there may be unintended negative consequences. If you have concerns about COTS or want to start a discussion about control measures and their pros/cons, talk to the biologists at CRM, DEQ, or DFW. Specifically, John Starmer at CRM, Pete Houk at DEQ, or Mike Trianni at DFW. The CRM/DEQ guys are coral reef biologists, while DFW has management authority over the marine critters. I'd like to see these guys at some of our diver get-togethers!
What do you think?
I've started a new thread on the Marianasdive forum to poll the users about this issue. Should be an interesting debate.
Speaking of debates there are a few others raging over there on that new forum. If you're even remotely interested in the world of diving here this is a must for you to take a look at.
Joining is free!
It's nothing fancy and the number of views certainly does not say anything about it's entertainment value. The title on youtube is "Cruel Death" from many of the comments one could argue that most people are looking for something exciting to die - like a pit bull or a human and are disappointed when it's just a starfish. On the other hand many are hell bent that this species is a threat to mankind and should be stopped no matter what the cost.
"if that was a crown of thorns star fish then your a dumn shit--- they destroy reefs"
Still others believe strongly that it's just another tool in Mother Nature's arsenal to keep the balance! My original post on this blog is here.
This was a comment on the post left by Greg Moretti.
Mike,
Thanks for posting this video and your comments. Regardless of where you stand on the COTS issue, it is illegal in the CNMI to kill starfish without a special permit that would allow you to do so. There are also biological implications of well-intentioned people who are not educated about the marine environment taking "control" measures into their own hands. Often times divers attempt to kill Crown of Thorns Starfish (COTS) by methods such as cutting them into pieces or the method you show in your video. As Brad mentioned, there is a "prefered" method of control that involves injecting them with a poison. This is because research has shown that other methods simply do not work or actually make the problem worse. When radially symetrical invertebrates such as starfish are cut up into pieces, the pieces can each regenerate into new individuals. So people think they are killing one and they are actually making more. I have also read that when the starfish are stressed/threatened they may release their eggs into the water, making the issue even worse. I suppose one could argue that the COTS would have released eggs at some point regardless... but the point is that if you don't know what you're messing with, there may be unintended negative consequences. If you have concerns about COTS or want to start a discussion about control measures and their pros/cons, talk to the biologists at CRM, DEQ, or DFW. Specifically, John Starmer at CRM, Pete Houk at DEQ, or Mike Trianni at DFW. The CRM/DEQ guys are coral reef biologists, while DFW has management authority over the marine critters. I'd like to see these guys at some of our diver get-togethers!
What do you think?
I've started a new thread on the Marianasdive forum to poll the users about this issue. Should be an interesting debate.
Speaking of debates there are a few others raging over there on that new forum. If you're even remotely interested in the world of diving here this is a must for you to take a look at.
Joining is free!
Saturday, August 25, 2007
Guam’s Blue Hole
Ok so I’ve been in Guam the past few days with no easy internet access. The hotel we are staying at claims they are in negotiations with a service provider but by all accounts this negotiation has been going on for a while with no end in sight. Wish we had of known before booking the hotel!
So today I got to ditch my lovely wife and child for a morning of diving! Peace and quiet! A good friend and dive master June has moved from Saipan to Guam and offered to take me out with his new company Sapphire dive! It looked like good weather in the morning when we left the dock and luckily the sun stayed out just long enough for our decent into the abyss. Then it didn’t stop raining hard most of the day!
The site called blue hole is a deep dive with the top of the reef at about 55 feet. There’s not a whole lot around except the hole. It’s a good size and easy to drop into. Its exit however is at about 130 feet so upon exit you will likely be feeling pretty good! I managed to get some pretty good shots with the sun ball shining down the hole including silhouettes of divers as they descended but the best shots of the day came after we left the hole and started our way back up the wall.
Here we found a very curious Giant Moray Eel. One that has obviously been feed a few times as he didn’t think twice about coming out to look at his reflection in the camera and on a few approaches attempted to nibble on my finger. Fingers look a lot like Vienna sausages! Just another reason why we really should not feed these guys but that’s a whole other Diver Ethics post.
All in all it was a good day of diving and very relaxing compared to keeping a 19 month old entertained!
Unfortunately I don’t see a lot of posts coming over the next few days since internet access is an issue. Right now I’m posting this from my car while checking my email outside the Days Inn hotel. There’s another story but last night while trying to find somewhere to log on I discovered they had free internet that just happens to reach into the parking lot!
So today I got to ditch my lovely wife and child for a morning of diving! Peace and quiet! A good friend and dive master June has moved from Saipan to Guam and offered to take me out with his new company Sapphire dive! It looked like good weather in the morning when we left the dock and luckily the sun stayed out just long enough for our decent into the abyss. Then it didn’t stop raining hard most of the day!
The site called blue hole is a deep dive with the top of the reef at about 55 feet. There’s not a whole lot around except the hole. It’s a good size and easy to drop into. Its exit however is at about 130 feet so upon exit you will likely be feeling pretty good! I managed to get some pretty good shots with the sun ball shining down the hole including silhouettes of divers as they descended but the best shots of the day came after we left the hole and started our way back up the wall.
Here we found a very curious Giant Moray Eel. One that has obviously been feed a few times as he didn’t think twice about coming out to look at his reflection in the camera and on a few approaches attempted to nibble on my finger. Fingers look a lot like Vienna sausages! Just another reason why we really should not feed these guys but that’s a whole other Diver Ethics post.
All in all it was a good day of diving and very relaxing compared to keeping a 19 month old entertained!Unfortunately I don’t see a lot of posts coming over the next few days since internet access is an issue. Right now I’m posting this from my car while checking my email outside the Days Inn hotel. There’s another story but last night while trying to find somewhere to log on I discovered they had free internet that just happens to reach into the parking lot!
Monday, August 20, 2007
New Diving Blog
We have a new diving blog! Well respected (I've heard good things from everyone who I know has taken a course from him) dive instructor Richard Sikkel has entered the blogging world! Check out his site. Welcome to the trenches Richard! This of course reminded me that I have not posted my third (and final) installment of the Around the Island Paddle. Richard is also very active in the Saipan Outrigger Canoe Club (SOCC). Perhaps in due course we will have a world famous Circumnavigation of Saipan outrigger race to add to the reasons for traveling and living here!
Thats Richard in the 5th seat, second from the back, grey shirt! Double Rainbow how cool is that! Click on the picture to make it a little bigger.
Thats Richard in the 5th seat, second from the back, grey shirt! Double Rainbow how cool is that! Click on the picture to make it a little bigger.
Sunday, August 19, 2007
This Makes Me Angry
When I'm underwater not many things bug me but this is always sure to get me a little pissed.
Why do people feel they have to hold on to things especially with gloves and with No current? Why do people have to push off the coral with their fins? Please help to set a good example and instructors especially please bring these infractions to the attention of your students, don't perpetuate it by ignoring it!
Why do people feel they have to hold on to things especially with gloves and with No current? Why do people have to push off the coral with their fins? Please help to set a good example and instructors especially please bring these infractions to the attention of your students, don't perpetuate it by ignoring it!
Tuesday, August 14, 2007
This Makes Me Hungry
I've been working on a personalized DVD for a group of divers who were here a few months ago and I just love this footage of a turtle grazing on the algae covered bottom at Lau Lau Bay. Of course I usually need to find a snack myself after watching this.
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