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Yearly Archives: 2010
TED Teams Up With Sylvia Earle to Launch Mission Blue

Mission Blue to Ignite Public Support For Creation of Hope Spots

NEW YORK, April 6 /PRNewswire/ — Today, TED and Sylvia Earle, the 2009 TED Prize winner and world-renowned, deep-ocean explorer, announced the launch of Mission Blue to raise awareness of the urgent need to create Marine Protected Areas – Hope Spots – ranging from the deepest oceans to sunlit reefs. The announcement came on the first day of the Mission Blue Voyage, a first-of-its kind conference hosted by TED from April 6-10 aboard the National Geographic Endeavour in the Galapagos Islands.

 

 

Mission-Blue Hope Spots

“I am thrilled to be working with TED to make my wish of creating a global network of Hope Spots a reality,” said Sylvia Earle. “The ocean is in trouble and therefore so are we.…

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Mission Blue Voyage

This conference-at-sea, the first of its kind,  was conceived by Dr. Sylvia Earle to bring together 100 global leaders—scientists, businessmen and women, policymakers, communicators and others—for several days of deliberation about the intertwined future of the ocean and humankind.  Traveling among the spectacular Galápagos Islands aboard the National Geographic Endeavour, the participants are focused on fulfilling the wish Sylvia outlined in her TED Prize acceptance speech in 2009:
“I wish you would use all means at your disposal – films! expeditions! the web! more! – to ignite public support for a global network of marine protected areas, hope spots large enough to save and restore the ocean, the blue heart of the planet.”

Mission Blue Voyage Update 

Sea Lion foraging

Cormorants nesting with eggs

The Galápagos Islands are unlike any other place on Earth—and our first day amply demonstrated this, as voyage participants branched out by land and sea. …

Posted in Mission Blue Foundation, sylvia earle, Ted ocean |

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Serenading Sylvia

So far, the weather is warm and the scenery is spectacular!  Mission Blue guests continue to roll in and the energy is ramping up.
The other night after dinner,  a small group of guests wanting to linger came upstairs to the lounge on-board. Out came a couple of guitars from our film and local boat crews.

Daryl Hannah, Damien Drake & Fischer Stevens all kicked off  a little Latin jam session that was so much fun!. Serenades both humorous and heart-felt were dedicated to Sylvia.  It was so apparent that her positive spirit touches everyone around her.  She is respected, adored and carries the message of hope for the ocean so powerfully.

Written by Laura Cassiani…

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Day 1 — Mission Blue Voyage

National Geographic Endeavour
Credit: Sven-Olof Lindblad

The first wave of Mission Blue guests arrived in Ecuador late last week.  We were met by our gracious Lindblad guides, transported to the National Geographic Endeavor and in the water for the first dive of the day by 1 pm.
Our divers sighted hammerhead sharks, sea turtles, loads of fish and sea lions—some with pups.  Later that evening, Sylvia hosted a welcome dinner at Angermeyer Point restaurant in Puerto Ayora, which is owned by her dear friend and Galápagos native, Fiddy Angermeyer.

Dr. Sylvia Earle toasts the crew and early arrivals TED / James Duncan Davidson

Sylvia noted that when she first met Fiddy in 1966, the Galápagos Islands had less than 1000 residents; today there are almost 30,000.…

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Blue Hole & Lighthouse Caye

Lighthouse Reef

Our Belizean adventures continued today with an hour-and-a-half boat ride further east, to Lighthouse Caye and the famous Blue Hole; a dive site popularized by marine explorer Jacques Cousteau. The Blue Hole and Lighthouse Caye are designated as World Heritage sites, both established and run by the Audubon Society of Belize. This conservation effort is largely due to the abundant population of Red-Footed Boobies and Frigate birds nesting on the island.

The Blue Hole Stalactites

We had the pleasure of sharing the turquoise water once again with Dr. Sylvia Earle as we descended into the Blue Hole. This dive site is just that, a circle of blue water measuring ~2.4 km (~1.5 miles) across at the surface, placed in the center of a submerged atoll, maxing out at 125 m (410 ft) in depth. …

Posted in Belize, deep search, Frigate Birds, Lighthouse Caye, marine conservation, oceanic society, Red Footed Booby, sylvia earle |

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Turneffe Atoll with Her Deepness

The changing of the guard went smoothly with the arrival of Sadie and the departure of John. Needless to say we were sorry to see John go. In the last 48 hours Kip and Sadie have been busy with interviews, capturing the hustle and bust of life in Belize City, and exploring the diverse critters of Turneffe Atoll.

On Saturday afternoon Sylvia Earle, Kip and Sadie headed out to Turneffe Atoll, about 45min east of Belize City by boat. We were accompanied by a group of divers visiting the Oceanic Society and Blackbird Caye Resort; all masterminded by Birgit Winning, the Oceanic Society’s fearless leader, president and one of Turneffe’s biggest advocates. Through the Oceanic Society, guests are invited to spend their vacation learning about Turneffe Atoll and assisting with current research projects.…

Posted in Belize, deep search, marine conservation, oceanic society, sylvia earle, Turneffe Atoll |

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Belmopan Adventure

Leaving Ambergris Caye on Wednesday, we hung up our dive gear for a few days and dedicated Thursday and Friday to meeting with the people here who set policy, do the science and ultimately will decide the fate of Belize’s natural areas. Our first order of business, though, was to pick up our fearless leader, Dr. Sylvia Earle, who had just flown in from Paris and the premiere of the new film by renowned filmmaker Jacques Perrin, Ocean.

We were ably hosted by the Nature Conservancy’s Alejandro Martinez, who drove us to the landlocked capitol of Belmopan for the launch of the University of Belize’s new Environmental Research Institute (ERI). Dr. Earle joined Deputy Prime Minister Gaspar Vega and ERI’s dynamic duo—Institute Science Directors Dr.…

Posted in Belize, Marine Protection, nature conservancy, oceanic society, sylvia earle, university of belize |

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Hol Chan Habitats

Today was dedicated to the habitats of Hol Chan Marine Reserve. We began with an early dive among the mangrove forests that provide a nursery to most of the fish and invertebrate species that make up the barrier reef ecosystem. Snorkeling silently through a shallow mangrove creek, we spied snappers, angelfish, grunts, shrimps and a solitary batfish, whose pectoral fins act like tiny arms as he scoots along the nutrient-rich muddy bottom.

Mangroves are extremely important to the health of tropical ecosystems, serving many critical functions. In addition to their role as a breeding ground for reef species, they provide shelter to juveniles of many species, protect shorelines from storm surge and erosion, and filter sediments and nutrients from the land that would otherwise harm the reef.…

Posted in Belize, coral, deep search, diving, dolphins, groupers, hol chan, Marine Protection, sylvia earle, turtles |

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Reef Splendors

A full and fascinating day of diving at three distinctly different sites here on the fringing barrier reef of Belize’s Ambergris Caye.
Our first dive was to Esmeralda, a reef cut in the outer barrier reef that drops precipitously to over 30 meters (100 ft). We worked our way across a colorful, healthy reef and followed deep sand channels at 25 meters (80 ft), encountering curious nurse sharks and fearless black groupers.
On our next dive we descended into the San Pedro Canyons, sharp fissures in the reef that drop away ever deeper—to 50 meters or more (165 ft). There, we spotted an inquisitive Green Moray eel and were surrounded by more nurse sharks and big groupers (at one point, we counted 12).…

Posted in ambergris caye, conservation, deep search, hol chan, Marine Protection, mission blue, MPA, sylvia earle |

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Turtle Races

Saturday was dedicated to conservation in Belize, both land and sea. The day began with an early morning interview with Anna Hoare, Belize Audubon Society’s dedicated executive director. Her passion for Belize’s natural wonders was inspiring, and as she talked, we learned that the conservation movement here faces many challenges and has scored some impressive successes.
For example, Anna informed us that Belize has thus far protected ‘only 14%’ of its marine areas—still far from its goal of 20%. Only 14%? If the rest of the world were as conscientious as Belize, our life-giving ocean would be 1400% better protected! Belize Audubon is one of those NGOs that are quietly making a difference, and we hope everyone who reads this will check them out and consider a gift of support: http://www.belizeaudubon.org/…

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