This film, through humor, simplicity, and scientific theory, describes our predicament with a drastically declining shark population worldwide, and offers a new perspective on how to view the most feared fish on our planet. Through stop motion, we tell the story of our ocean’s greatest predators by focusing on the vital role they play in our economies, ecosystems, and cultures. It is the story of our decision between an ocean with, or without, them. It is the story of how we only have one logical choice left. It is the story of sharks.
Author: SJ
Conservation International’s (CI) video about their work in the Abrolhos Seascape. Field Chronicles is a series where each episode showcases successful CI programs. This episode presents CI’s work in expanding marine protected areas in Abrolhos, Brazil, home of the greatest concentration of marine life in the South Atlantic. The focus is on the extreme challenges CI’s marine team faced, and how they overcame them through community involvement and amplification. This episode also is a good example of CI’s new mission in action as promoting green economies is key to the CI team’s strategy. Also featured is the discovery of the largest rhodolith beds in the world- an area the size of El Salvador!
As part of the National Geographic Photo Competition, this image entitled David and Goliath was taken diving with a large group of Bigeye travellies at Cabo Pulmo National Park, Mexico. More information about the National Geographic Photo Contest can be found at the link and Octavio Aburto’s Facebook page.
Image Credits
Octavio Aburto National Geographic Website. Image reproduced for educational use only.
Nollaig Shona Daoibh!
Dia daoibh! Just though I would test my Irish a bit- Merry Christmas!!
Tá me ag staidéar sa grinneall na farraige in Cuan na Gaillimhe agus an dríodar muirí. Rinne rialtas na hÉireann mapáil bataiméadrach na hAtlantach. Déanann mé mapa gnathóg. Is féidir linn ag staidéar gealaíocht mhuiri agus sa beantós. Chuaigh mé go dti domhainfharraige in aistear mara anuraidh. Chruinnigh coiréalach agus ag staidéar geomorfeolaíocht. Iniaíonn staidéar ar cgóstaí ag foghlaim cén chaoi múnlaigh tonn sa Trá an Doilín in An Cheathrú Rua agus ag staidéar aigéaneolaiocht na chuain le linn stoirmeacha. Tá me ag staidéar an Dioplóma sa Ghaeilga go páirtaimseartha agus is maith liom an cúrsa. Foghlaimím go leor frásaí nua gach seachtain sa rang Gaeilge agus níl bréag ar bith ansin tá se doiciúil. Caithim a lán ama ag obair gach lá. Bíonn muid an-ghnóthach gach seachtain agus táimid faoi bhrú ach is brea liom é!
Translation from the Irish: An cúpla focal– A couple of words
Tá me ag staidéar sa grinneall na farraige in Cuan na Gaillimhe agus an dríodar muirí.
I am studying the seabed of Galway Bay and the marine sediments.
Rinne rialtas na hÉireann mapáil bataiméadrach na hAtlantach.
The Irish government have done bathymetric mapping of the Atlantic.
Déanann mé mapa gnathóg.
I make habitat maps.
Is féidir linn ag staidéar gealaíocht mhuiri agus sa beantós.
We are able to study marine geology and the benthos.
Chuaigh mé go dti domhainfharraige in aistear mara anuraidh.
I went to the deep sea in a sea voyage last year.
Chruinnigh coiréalach agus ag staidéar geomorfeolaíocht.
We collected coral and studied geomorphology.
Iniaíonn staidéar ar cgóstaí ag foghlaim cén chaoi múnlaigh tonn sa Trá an Doilín in An Cheathrú Rua agus ag staidéar aigéaneolaiocht na chuain le linn stoirmeacha.
I study coastal science learning how waves shape the Trá an Doilín beach at Carraroe and study the oceanography of the bay during a storm(?)
Tá me ag staidéar an Dioplóma sa Ghaeilga go páirtaimseartha agus is maith liom an cúrsa.
I study for the Diploma in Irish on a part-time basis and I like the course.
Foghlaimím go leor frásaí nua gach seachtain sa rang Gaeilge agus níl bréag ar bith ansin tá se doiciúil.
We learn lots of new phrases each week in the Irish class and it is no lie that it is difficult.
Bíonn muid an-ghnóthach gach seachtain agus táimid faoi bhrú ach is brea liom é!
We are very busy all week and we are under pressure but I love it!
Waveriders is the previously untold story of the unlikely Irish roots of the worldwide surfing phenomenon and today’s pioneers of Irish big wave surfing. The story unfolds through the inspirational and ultimately tragic history of Irish/Hawaiian legendary waterman, George Freeth. Freeth, son of an Irishman, was responsible for the rebirth of this sport of Hawaiian kings in the early twentieth century. With its distinguished cast of world-renowned Irish, British and Irish/American surfers WAVERIDERS journeys full-circle from Hawaii to California and back to Irish shores following Freeth’s wave of influence. This journey reaches a spectacular climax when the surfers conquer the biggest swell ever to have been ridden in Ireland catching monster waves of over fifty feet.
Waveriders is a wonderful film which gives a tour of the history of surfing and the story of big wave surfing in Ireland. This scene (the full version which is in the film!) has got to be my absolute favorite surfing scene of all time. The footage of the waves together with the storyline and the music just bring such amazement. See also the article “Wonder wave – Infamous Aileen woos surfers” for further information about the Aileens big wave underneath the cliffs of Moher.