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Join Hello Ocean on a Scientific Odyssey

News from our partners at Hello Ocean: Filmmakers Teresa and Ben Carey invite you to join a scientific odyssey to document ocean acidification and map ocean noise pollution.

Award winning sailors and filmmakers, Teresa and Ben Carey, are taking the lead in an exciting new cooperative venture between the sailing and scientific communities. They are partnering with The Ocean Foundation, Dr. Nina Bednarsek and Swift Engineering to create a citizen science project in which ocean going vessels can take part collecting vital data that will help document the state of the world’s oceans. Their project, called Hello Ocean, launches this summer.
Ocean acidification was recently cited among the top five research interests of ocean scientists worldwide. Ocean acidification is the continuous decrease in the pH of the ocean, caused by carbon dioxide from the atmosphere.…

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Dive Virtually with Sylvia Earle!

Can’t throw on a scuba tank and go diving on a tropical coral reef with Sylvia Earle this week? No problem! Infinite Scuba® offers a realistic scuba diving experience from the comfort of your home, and not only can you dive with Dr. Earle, you can be her! Cascade Game Foundry just released two exciting additions to its Infinite Scuba video game: a Sylvia Earle avatar and a new Belize dive site.
“Mission Blue is delighted to partner with Cascade Game Foundry on Infinite Scuba,” says Dr. Earle. “Experiencing the beauty, mystery and fragility of the ocean in such a hands-on way will inspire the people who play the game to protect our planet’s blue heart.”

Kathie Flood, Managing Director and Co-Founder of Cascade Game Foundry (CGF) says, “It is a true honor to include Dr.…

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A Shimmering Hope Spot in the Caribbean

Hope Spots are scientifically-identified marine areas of critical importance to our ocean’s health. Working together, we can protect and conserve these areas as Marine Protected Areas to preserve the seeds of tomorrow’s healthy ocean. Today, let’s take a look at the dazzling Mesoamerican Reef, one of the 18 official Mission Blue Hope Spots.
The Mesoamerican Reef region lies within the Caribbean, extending from Isla Contoy on the north of the Yucatan Peninsula to the Bay Islands of Honduras. It is the second longest barrier reef and is home to over 350 species of mollusk and 500 species of fish, including the whale shark — the largest fish in the world.

The reef system is packed with protected areas and parks such as the Belize Barrier Reef, Arrecifes de Cozumel National Park, Hol Chan Marine Reserve(Belize), Sian Ka’an biosphere reserve, and the Cayos Cochinos Marine Park.…

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Photo of the Day ~ Belize Reef, Mesoamerican Reef Hope Spot

Facebook follower Tony Rath sent us this vision of paradise from a Belize Reef, part of Dr. Sylvia Earle’s Mesoamerican Hope Spot.
“Sometimes I come across a photo that makes me look twice. At first I thought ‘this looks like a heck of a low tide, all that coral is exposed.’ But looking closer, I noticed a slight break of waves over the top of some of the coral heads.”
“In fact, the water is so clear, that it is an illusion that the coral heads are above water. This photo provides a clear view of what our barrier reef in Belize is – not rubble and dead coral skeletons – but a living, growing, healthy organism.”
Credit: Tony Rath Photography / http://www.facebook.com/belizephotography…

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Belize – Mesoamerican Reef

In the winter of 2010, the Sealliance team made a 10-day trip to Belize to highlight research being conducted by scientists studying coral reefs, mangrove forest, and sea turtles.  We traveled to Belize City, Ambergris Caye, Lighthouse Reef Atoll, and Turneffe Atoll.  We were on a mission to show the difference between areas under protection and areas outside of protection.  The difference was staggering in some locations.
We interviewed scientists, filmed sea turtle research, tagging programs, and documented several coral reefs areas, both in and out of reserves.
Home to earth’s second longest barrier reef—the Mesoamerican Reef system—this country of only 300,000 already plays an important role in protecting the blue heart of the planet. While there we aimed to film and research the natural habitats of this unique Central American nation, as well as to meet a number of Belizeans who are working hard to preserve its vital, fragile environment.…

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Photo of the Day ~ Belize Dolphins

A pod of dolphins swim and play in Belize, in their natural habitat. Instead of leaving photographer Justin Lewis behind, the dolphins circled backed and played with him as he free dove thrity feet below the surface.

Photo (c) Justin Lewis Photography…

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