Bimini Bull Run Trip Report April 2013

“This is by far the best hotel in Bimini unless you want cookie cutter places. Must do: Shark Tank!! Please remember you are on”

We did the Living Social Deal that offered the Baleria shuttle leaving Miami Friday morning staying at BBC and returning Sunday evening.

The boat ride over was the “vomit comet”. North winds made it so rough it was horrible! Many, many people got sick. Finally arrived and it took another 40 minutes to get our bags and get off the boat.

Arrived at the Big Game Club and was met with cool AC, friendly staff, and complementary punch. Once we got our room (101) which was clean, big, and the patio was right off the pool and tiki bar.

Be aware of the restaurant. Patience is needed (all around the island). We call it Bimini Time. The portions are HUGE. You can easily share a meal (I had the seafood sampler $19 and it was good) and there is 18% ALWAYS added on food and drinks.

A MUST:::: The Shark Tank was FANTASTIC!! Words cannot describe this. We had 6 sharks inches from our faces. Amazing smaller fish, a barracuda, and a big stingray (briefly) were also there.

I will be back here for sure!! Staff was friendly, helpful, and honest. Rooms were big, clean, and welcoming. The pool was clean and well kept and there were a few hammocks in the shade.

About Shark Diver. As a global leader in commercial shark diving and conservation initiatives Shark Diver has spent the past decade engaged for sharks around the world. Our blog highlights all aspects of both of these dynamic and shifting worlds. You can reach us directly at sharkcrew@gmail.com.

The Cretin’s Guide to Commercially Killing Sharks

Don’t get me wrong I am all for shark research. Having personally sponsored at least one ground breaking shark project for a number of years at Isla Guadalupe anyone who knows me knows I love fresh shark data.But when does widely available shark data …

Blackfish?

We heard about this one two years ago when the underground film buzz said there was something “unique and balanced” in the works about Tilikum the Killer Whale.The result is Blackfish. For all intents this film hits all the marks. Kudos.Go see it befor…

Rumble in the Research Jungle – Domeier vs Fischer

They say a picture is worth a thousand words. If so this picture says everything about Fischer Productions and their brand of shark research

(We had some prescient words about this image back in 2009.)

Fischer’s program series is so lofty that it has ensnared almost every known asset in the shark community and created seismic fault lines everywhere it has gone. And it has gone everywhere.

You are either for Chris Fischer or against him, and many of those who have joined his merry band of televised shark rock stars have the scars to prove it. 

Many of the sharks this program has featured also bare scars of their own as well.

For the record while many in the commercial shark diving community were running to Fischer to supply him with everything from whale meat to shark cages my direct response to his request for a shark cage in 2010 was –“Go Fuck Yourself Chris”. 

I rather enjoyed that phone call.

I have never been one to mince words with folks I find disagreeable – it’s one of my better traits. I find many who would put their public declarations for sharks by the wayside for a few minutes of televised fame even more disagreeable. But that is the nature of film and tv these days.

I once thought (call it an evolution) that science and tv could be married together to deliver the best and brightest to waiting audiences. Then the major cable players started cutting doco budgets, slashing and burning them in an almost Visigothic manner until a 60 minute show was left with a budget of $150,000 and that included post production.

What do you get for $150,000 or less?

You get Gurney Productions and sharks. There will always be someone who is willing to drop their pants and chain wrap a Tiger shark, and film it, (yes ABC that’s you buddy) for a few film credits and the chance to film the next piece of shit that comes down the chute.

But I digress. Sorry about that, Emma is fine now, her chain scars are healed, and the low rent cabal who enjoy swimming in effluent are on to other shows. God bless them, someone has to do it.

This post is about another evolution I am having and that is of Dr. Michael Domeier.

This week the whole Fischer Shark Men thing blew up on Mike Da Sharks Blog and for the first time I read an in depth response from Dr.D to what happened out there in 2008 at Isla Guadalupe and the Farallones.

If Dr.D has been reticent about posting, he should do more, not less of it.

It takes a lot of cojones to get up and set records straight. I am of the mind if those who are trying to take you down are beneath you or they pose little threat over the long term because they eventually destroy themselves, you sit and watch. It’s amusing to watch, trust me.

But, in the case of Fischer, and the research career that has been sidelined by bombast, self aggrandizement, a PT Barnum lust for the media that overshadows everything?

Oh no, no no no, you have to get up and Rumble in The Jungle and set a record, otherwise it gets set for you, and kudos to Dr.D for setting that record this week.

I am beginning to actually like the good doctor once again and that’s another evolution. There’s an Act Two here that Dr.D is about to realize having been through the crucible of out of control productions and Titanus Egoist, he may well become a spokesperson for film and tv, or something that fits both worlds.

The fact is production budgets will never come back, so someone has to create the actual research that can be done for the few paltry production shekels being offered. Science on the cheap can be done, and it can be educational, but it requires a PhD to pull it off.

Something to think about.

I am if nothing an optimist who fervently believes that change can happen and good things can come if people think out of the box. Dr.D is good man who got cashiered by a true used car salesman, you could see that train wreck a mile away, but his voice, now the ooze is off the rose, could lead to great things.

More please, and kudos to Mike for stirring that pot.

Oh, I know the industry HATES us bloggers, always poking into things best left alone and our multi syllabic ways of getting points across.

But if there is any good to be had of Shark Men it is Act Two for Dr.D and I have a feeling that his Act Two will be a good one…I have a way of prognosticating these things, and they tend to come to pass, so we’ll see you on another blog post in two years.

Go get ’em Dr.D.

PS1: Shark Alley  has some words…and as per usual they made me laugh.

“The most challenging experience one will face during a career in white shark research is being suckered into working with someone that is a dick.  Like a one-night stand, they/their projects may look attractive and say all the right things, but then you wake up and realize that you’re some wrinkly married man’s mid-life crisis.”

Cheers,

Patric Douglas
Founder
Shark Diver
Currently enjoying semi-retirement

About Shark Diver. As a global leader in commercial shark diving and conservation initiatives (yeah we built a few) Shark Diver has spent the past decade engaged for sharks around the world. Our blog highlights all aspects of both of these dynamic and shifting worlds. You can reach us directly at sharkcrew@gmail.com.

Video: Shark Named “Compy” – Tip Dorsal Fin Blog

Video Transcript:Whoa!….Holy Shit!….Oh My God….Woooo!…Ho!…Ohoho!…Woo!….Hahaha!About Shark Diver. As a global leader in commercial shark diving and conservation initiatives Shark Diver has spent the past decade engaged for sharks around …

Guy Harvey Leads Isla Mujeres Expedition To Deploy Satellite SPOT Tags to Study Mako Shark Migrations

FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE                        Contact:          John Bell

                                                                                               prseitz@bellsouth.net
                                                                                                954-766-2794
Guy Harvey Leads Isla Mujeres Expedition To Deploy Satellite SPOT Tags to Study Mako Shark Migrations
           
DAVIE, FL— APRIL 9, 2013— The tagging and tracking of shortfin mako sharks in late March off the coast of Isla Mujeres, Mexico is expected to provide scientists with remarkable and previously unknown details about the timing and long-distance migratory movements of this vulnerable species in the Atlantic Ocean.
An expedition headed by the Guy Harvey Research Institute (GHRI) at Nova Southeastern University, tagged mako sharks with the satellite reporting SPOT tags. Unlike the more commonly used pop-up satellite PAT tags, SPOT tags should provide multiple and more accurate daily detections, providing scientists with a high resolution view of the migration patterns of this animal.
For a visual snapshot of the expedition, go to https://vimeo.com/63367194
Given the high fishing pressure on makos for their fins and meat, this species is showing declining population trends in parts of its range, which has resulted in the species being listed as “Vulnerable” on the IUCN Red List of threatened species.
Last year a shortfin mako shark dubbed “Carol” in New Zealand was tagged with a SPOT tag and is showing an amazing journey that has covered nearly 9,500 miles over ten months, averaging 60 miles per day during some parts of her migration.  GHRI collaborated with the New Zealand National Institute of Water an Atmospheric Research (NIWA) on the tagging of “Carol” and three other mako sharks off New Zealand.
Internationally known marine artist, scientist and conservationist, Dr. Guy Harvey, who returned to Isla Mujeres for the second consecutive year, described the most recent expedition in his online blog, which can be found at http://www.GuyHarvey.com/guys-journal.
Shark biologist Dr. Brad Wetherbee with GHRI and the University of Rhode Island, angler and WTVJ NBC 6 weather anchor Jennifer Reeves and Emmy Award winning producer/cameraman George Schellenger accompanied Dr. Harvey. The team worked with Captain Anthony Mendillo of Keen M International.
Dr. Mahmood Shivji, Director of the GHRI at Nova Southeastern, said the newly tagged shark, named “Jen” for Jennifer Reeves (who caught the shark), can soon be followed on a new website combining all tracking projects into one integrated portal.
 “The public interest in GHRI’s shark movement research has been amazingly strong,” said Dr. Shivji, who reported that the New Zealand online mako satellite-tracking site has received nearly 73,000 unique visitors over the last seven months, equating to an average of over 10,000 unique visitors per month.
“We hope to replicate the tremendous success of our New Zealand research in the Atlantic,” said Dr. Harvey. ”Now we have a new group of Atlantic makos to follow which should reveal much new information on their seasonal movements in our part of the world, including the route that they take and distances traveled.”
About the Guy Harvey Research Institute at NSU:
Established in 1999, the Guy Harvey Research Institute (GHRI) at NSU is collaboration between the renowned marine artist, scientist and explorer, Dr. Guy Harvey, and Nova Southeastern University’s Oceanographic Center. The mission of the GHRI is to provide the scientific information necessary to understand, conserve, and effectively manage the world’s marine fishes and their ecosystems. The GHRI is one of only a handful of private organizations dedicated exclusively to the science-based conservation of marine fish populations and biodiversity. The research, education and outreach activities of the GHRI are supported by the Guy Harvey Ocean Foundation, AFTCO Inc., extramural research grants, philanthropic donations by private businesses and individuals, and NSU. http://www.nova.edu/ocean/ghri/index.html
About Guy Harvey Ocean Foundation: 
The Guy Harvey Ocean Foundation is a leader in international efforts to protect our oceans and marine environments. The GHOF advocates for sustainable fishing practices, funds inspired scientific research and supports innovative educational programs. Our principle objective is to help ensure that future generations will enjoy and benefit from a naturally balanced ocean ecosystem where fish and other marine wildlife flourish. GHOF has led or assisted include the establishment of a shark sanctuary in Bahamian federal waters, the addition of five species of sharks to Florida’s protected list and the enactment of the U.S. Billfish Conservation Act. In the fall of 2012, the GHOF led a petition drive in support of the National Conservation Law in the Cayman Islands. The GHOF also assisted the launch of the first catch-and-release fishing tournament in Venezuela.

About Shark Diver. As a global leader in commercial shark diving and conservation initiatives Shark Diver has spent the past decade engaged for sharks around the world. Our blog highlights all aspects of both of these dynamic and shifting worlds. You can reach us directly at sharkcrew@gmail.com.

To Save Everything…Click Here

With the success of CITES this year and the listing of several new ocean species the next step for conservation is enforcement.Regional fishermen and fishing interests are slow to adopt CITES agreements, and set aside areas are often plundered for quic…

Bimini Shark Video from CJ Brooks – Awesome!

It’s unique shark videos like these that reveal the absolute best of the island of Bimini, Bahamas.Kudos to CJ Brooks for this amazing look at a genuine shark wonderland.  Sharks of Bimini from CJ Crooks on Vimeo.About Shark Diver. As a global l…

Bimini Bahamas Hammerhead Diving – Epic!

About Shark Diver. As a global leader in commercial shark diving and conservation initiatives Shark Diver has spent the past decade engaged for sharks around the world. Our blog highlights all aspects of both of these dynamic and shifting worlds. You…

Paul Watson ‘enclosure’ plans in Japan ‘flawed and misguided’

By Andrew Tafferty, Staff Writer, The Age 

A Japanese underwater cameraman’s plans to capture eco fugitive Paul Watson so tourists can throw rotten butter at him in Japan has infuriated conservationists, who said claims the scheme would create peace and harmony around the world “do not add up”.

Daito Suzuki, a camera  operator for Ninkei One, wants to build a 20,000 square foot enclosure in Taiji, Japan that includes an exact replica of the Steve Irwin for Watson to inhabit.

Visitors would pay £65 each to gain access, and an additional £65 to throw rotten butter at Watson just like his television series Whale Wars. The money would be used to fund real conservation organizations like PEW Trusts.

But a group of conservationists and wildlife charities, including Save Captain Crunch in Britain, called Mr Suzuki’s plans “flawed and deeply misguided” and have urged authorities in Japan to halt it.

The scheme’s opponents deny Mr Suzuki’s claims that Paul Watson is an insufferable media loon who would best be kept in long term enclosures like the one being proposed in Taiji, where his daily rantings and crazy antics could be watched by paying clients for their amusement.

“The conservation arguments for this project do not add up,” said David Ottley, Japans coordinator for Sea Shepherd.

“You cannot tell me that Paul Watson who is known to enjoy lavish Hollywood fund raising parties with $75.00 sustainable appetizers, can be happily confined to a 20,000 foot enclosure with an exact replica of the Steve Irwin, with no possible escape from tourist stress, no ability to feed naturally, nor seek out the natural conditions that suit him at different times of the year, nor have Internet access.”

The enclosure, south of Higashimuro District, Wakayama, Japan and close to popular tourist beaches, would double as a marine rescue and rehabilitation centre, Mr Suzki said.

“This is not some hoodlum misthought project, my opponents are misinformed,” he told The Age.

“We have been working on this for more than ten years, since Paul Watson first started to try and shut down Japan’s scientific whaling, it’s a million-dollar investment and we have the support of some of Japans leading conservationists and the JWA.”

Some proceeds from the profits of money earned from tourists would also pay for displaced Sea Shepherd crews to process cashew nut shells into oil at factories in Japan.

Mr Suzuki is waiting for final approvals from  Japans National Environmental Management Authority, which is expected to decide whether the project should go ahead next week.

About Shark Diver. As a global leader in commercial shark diving and conservation initiatives Shark Diver has spent the past decade engaged for sharks around the world. Our blog highlights all aspects of both of these dynamic and shifting worlds. You can reach us directly at sharkcrew@gmail.com.