More than 20 baby Kemp’s ridley sea turtles were found inside a 50-pound Dorado caught in the Houston Big Game Tournament.
More from Galveston County Daily News: http://bit.ly/19oKe9w
Thursday, August 15, 2013
Interesting Article in the Texas Newspaper this week....
More than 20 baby Kemp’s ridley sea turtles were found inside a 50-pound Dorado caught in the Houston Big Game Tournament.
More from Galveston County Daily News: http://bit.ly/19oKe9w
Wednesday, August 14, 2013
Wiildlife unique to Barbados
GREEN MONKEYS
Green
monkeys originated in Africa and were first introduced to Barbados by slaves
who brought over this fascinating breed of monkey as a pet. After 75 generations of adaptation, the Green
Monkey currently found in Barbados is home to Barbados alone as it has grown
apart from its counterpart found in modern day Africa.
Not
unlike other breeds of monkeys, the Green monkey has sometimes been described
as mischievous as it wonders about in its seemingly sporadic ways. It is said that the Barbados Wildlife Reserve
was originally created to protect the existence of this species of monkey, but
it escaped captivity and became naturalized.
Shortly afterwards, accusations were made of a green monkey causing an
eight hour black out in Barbados on Halloween in 2006 after one allegedly
climbed an electricity poll and tripped high voltage lines. There was no direct evidence to support this
accusation.
A
stronger argument places monkeys to be amongst the most curious form of
wildlife in the world. A number of
studies have shown this curiosity to be an innate characteristic of monkeys due
to increased gray matter density in the precuneus part of the brain. This curiosity to learn, and explore, is
sometimes mistaken for mischievousness, as monkeys wonder around, picking
people’s belongings and swinging from the trees in exploration, without any
intention of causing harm.
Do
not fall victim to false accusations made against such a gorgeous creature,
wonder out or visit the Barbados Wildlife Reserve to have an encounter of your
own and decide for yourself. You just
might get lost in the moment as you play with or observe these curious and friendly monkeys.
BLACKBELLY SHEEP
The
original Blackbelly sheep were first introduced to Barbados by the early
European settlers and continue to be raised primarily for their lean, mild
flavored meat. Today, this breed of
sheep, has grown apart from its surviving form found elsewhere and is unique to
Barbados. The blackbelly sheep found in
modern day Barbados, has adapted to tolerate the hot weather and has more
stamina than most other breeds of sheep.
Due to their ability to survive in hot temperatures, the blackbelly
sheep differentiates itself from most other breeds of sheep in that their hair
is course and cannot be used as wool and they breed all year round.
Blackbelly
sheep, are widely farmed in Barbados and are not
Green
monkeys originated in Africa and were first introduced to Barbados by slaves
who brought over this fascinating breed of monkey as a pet. After 75 generations of adaptation, the Green
Monkey currently found in Barbados is home to Barbados alone as it has grown
apart from its counterpart found in modern day Africa. 
Not
unlike other breeds of monkeys, the Green monkey has sometimes been described
as mischievous as it wonders about in its seemingly sporadic ways. It is said that the Barbados Wildlife Reserve
was originally created to protect the existence of this species of monkey, but
it escaped captivity and became naturalized.
Shortly afterwards, accusations were made of a green monkey causing an
eight hour black out in Barbados on Halloween in 2006 after one allegedly
climbed an electricity poll and tripped high voltage lines. There was no direct evidence to support this
accusation.
A
stronger argument places monkeys to be amongst the most curious form of
wildlife in the world. A number of
studies have shown this curiosity to be an innate characteristic of monkeys due
to increased gray matter density in the precuneus part of the brain. This curiosity to learn, and explore, is
sometimes mistaken for mischievousness, as monkeys wonder around, picking
people’s belongings and swinging from the trees in exploration, without any
intention of causing harm. 
Do
not fall victim to false accusations made against such a gorgeous creature,
wonder out or visit the Barbados Wildlife Reserve to have an encounter of your
own and decide for yourself. You just
might get lost in the moment as you play with or observe these curious and friendly monkeys.BLACKBELLY SHEEP
The
original Blackbelly sheep were first introduced to Barbados by the early
European settlers and continue to be raised primarily for their lean, mild
flavored meat. Today, this breed of
sheep, has grown apart from its surviving form found elsewhere and is unique to
Barbados. The blackbelly sheep found in
modern day Barbados, has adapted to tolerate the hot weather and has more
stamina than most other breeds of sheep.
Due to their ability to survive in hot temperatures, the blackbelly
sheep differentiates itself from most other breeds of sheep in that their hair
is course and cannot be used as wool and they breed all year round. 
Blackbelly
sheep, are widely farmed in Barbados and are not
difficult to spot. Wonder about, cross some fields or drive any
major road and you will be sure to cross the path of a blackbelly
sheep. You will know you have spotted one when you
see a goat like creature with a brown colored fur covered body and black
colored fur around the snout, eyes, ear and legs. They are harmless, so feel free to pet or
stop to take a picture. It will be a
picture you can only take in Barbados.
Tuesday, August 13, 2013
Crop Over
Crop Over is a festival which began as far back as 1780, and continued on until 1940. In 1975 it was reborn and continues to be celebrated for a month every July in Barbados. Originally this festival began as a celebration of the end of the crops, back when Barbados was one of the largest exporters of sugar cane. Today, it is a national celebration celebrated with musical competitions, dancing and arts. The festival has become so big, even Rihanna returns home to make an appearance among the crowd.
I attended three events for this festival, the pan on the sand, the foreday morning (my favorite) and the kadoonment parade.
The pan on the sand was performed in a beautiful location right along Brandon's Beach, where by-standards could stand within the stage area, or only a few meters away on the beach as they listened to the Barbadian pan music for several hours. Much like all events I went to for this festival, the rum was flowing, the crowd was alive and dancing and the talented performers provided ample entertainment to keep the audience going all night.
Foreday morning began at midnight, or at least that is the time it is set to start. Even events in Barbados often begin several hours after the start time. It continues on until sunrise, with Bajans dancing in the streets covering each other in paint and mud as bands march in between keeping the music alive. This year it was marked the largest crop over event, with 46 bands and 21,000 participants.
Feeling old, and well aware of the fact that there would be no shortage of rum at the event, I drank 2 cups of coffee to prepare for this event, instead of pre-drinking...I have been going to bed relatively early for several weeks now, in order to wake up early for diving, and I wasn't sure if I would be able to stay up!
However, the concern was not at all warranted. Shortly after arriving I became wide awake, thriving off of the energy of the crowd as we danced down the street listening to a part of the Mosaic and Mojito bands play as they marched along side. I became so caught up in the festivities that when the sun rose, I couldn't believe it was already nearly 6 in the morning. I would most definitely recommend attending this event if you are lucky enough to be in Barbados during CropOver. Be sure to wear old clothes as you will end up covered in paint and don't worry about the time, there is so much energy in the crowd, you will not even notice what time it is until the sky begins to brighten again.
Kadoonment was probably my least favorite, but one of the largest events. It marks the end of CropOver and begins with a march around a stadium to have the costumes judged before taking to the long walk through the streets which carries on late into the afternoon. While many of these costumes were remarkably well done, others were nonexistent, with some contenders literally painting on their costume, in hopes that it did not rain. While it was something to see, perhaps Foreday morning set the bar too high for this parade to compete.
If you are traveling through Barbaodos in July, be sure to consult the Crop Over calender and attend an event!
For more detailed information on the events, please see my friend Alex's blog at:
http://caribbeanwave.blogspot.com/
I attended three events for this festival, the pan on the sand, the foreday morning (my favorite) and the kadoonment parade.
The pan on the sand was performed in a beautiful location right along Brandon's Beach, where by-standards could stand within the stage area, or only a few meters away on the beach as they listened to the Barbadian pan music for several hours. Much like all events I went to for this festival, the rum was flowing, the crowd was alive and dancing and the talented performers provided ample entertainment to keep the audience going all night.
Foreday morning began at midnight, or at least that is the time it is set to start. Even events in Barbados often begin several hours after the start time. It continues on until sunrise, with Bajans dancing in the streets covering each other in paint and mud as bands march in between keeping the music alive. This year it was marked the largest crop over event, with 46 bands and 21,000 participants.
Feeling old, and well aware of the fact that there would be no shortage of rum at the event, I drank 2 cups of coffee to prepare for this event, instead of pre-drinking...I have been going to bed relatively early for several weeks now, in order to wake up early for diving, and I wasn't sure if I would be able to stay up!
However, the concern was not at all warranted. Shortly after arriving I became wide awake, thriving off of the energy of the crowd as we danced down the street listening to a part of the Mosaic and Mojito bands play as they marched along side. I became so caught up in the festivities that when the sun rose, I couldn't believe it was already nearly 6 in the morning. I would most definitely recommend attending this event if you are lucky enough to be in Barbados during CropOver. Be sure to wear old clothes as you will end up covered in paint and don't worry about the time, there is so much energy in the crowd, you will not even notice what time it is until the sky begins to brighten again.
Kadoonment was probably my least favorite, but one of the largest events. It marks the end of CropOver and begins with a march around a stadium to have the costumes judged before taking to the long walk through the streets which carries on late into the afternoon. While many of these costumes were remarkably well done, others were nonexistent, with some contenders literally painting on their costume, in hopes that it did not rain. While it was something to see, perhaps Foreday morning set the bar too high for this parade to compete.
If you are traveling through Barbaodos in July, be sure to consult the Crop Over calender and attend an event!
For more detailed information on the events, please see my friend Alex's blog at:
http://caribbeanwave.blogspot.com/
Dolphin Rescue
Last Thursday in between dives, a pod of dolphins tried to beach themselves. At first I was out swimming with them, unaware of what was about to happen, but as they got closer in and in shallower water, the scene changed. I took what little footage I could of the event while helping to pull the dolphins out and directing them deeper. Oddly enough, I felt guilty for filming what I did as it meant I was not helping while doing so, however the video spread quickly and is being used by a number of dolphin rescue teams from America, Antigua and here in Barbados. It has helped the experts to identify the type of dolphin and witness the behavior in theorizing, what might have caused such an event. As a result, I have been kept in the loop of emails and able to learn quite a bit about dolphins throughout the process. Apparently this is a concern because it has been happening a lot in the States this year, the most since 1978 when a virus broke out among them. Here are a few links to the articles I have been sent:
Here is the video I made:
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=Y5nEdl8ddbM
With over 17,000 views, the video has also been on the news in 8 American States and viewed by many people here on the island. The other day I was chatting with this little boy who sells things along the beach and he asked if I was the one who took the dolphin video. I told him I had and he replied - You got us on American news! with a big smile. I find it ironic that I put so many hours into my other videos and literally threw this one together within 10 minutes and it has more viewers than any of my other videos combined. An irony of life I guess.
Here is a clip from the news, Right this Minute:
Anyways, I have been asked to write an account of what happened so many times, I have taken to copying and pasting the following story
This happened in Carlisle Bay, which is a south/west beach in Barbados. We had just come in from a dive only moments before they were noticed and they were no where to be seen prior to, so they came close in quite quickly just after 11 am. They were swimming among the boats, which drew the attention of many along the beach, including, a number of boats. The Carlisle Marine Park is only about 50 meters away from where this happened, so a number of tourist boats (sail boats, snorkeling) came over. I would estimate that there were close to 30 dolphins. One had a torn dorsal fin, and another was bleeding. There were many small dolphins (maybe 7-8).
At first, I grabbed my snorkeling equipment to go and snorkel with them because I had no idea they were going to head for the beach. I am not sure anyone thought they would. I was snorkeling with them for about 5 minutes when it became apparent that they were heading into shallower water. Again, I did not think they would go for the beach, I guess maybe because I have never experienced this before. I would say, I was swimming with them for approximately 10 minutes when it became apparent that they were heading straight for the beach. Swimmers closer to shore started to react, and that was when we (myself and others from The Dive Shop Ltd.) went in. Being divers, we were lucky that the staff, as well as the customers we were with, were all good swimmers.
We went in and it was great to see how everyone was working together. A local lifeguard was directing everyone to grab their tales and pull them back out. I pulled out a number of dolphins, but they kept heading back for the beach. At one point I pulled a baby dolphin out quite far and when I let go it didn't move and I was really worried. I remember staring at it and hollering out to a fellow diver, but it did eventually come to and headed further out. It seemed to be alright after that and had no obvious injuries.
We were on the beach for at least 5 minutes, with I would estimate 15 bystanders and approximately 10 of us pulling, pushing and carrying the dolphins out. When they were in a few feet of water, the local lifeguard began to yell at another dive boat to move out, so that we could clear the way and for all those in the water to form a line to keep them moving outwards. It went back and forth. First they seemed to move with little effort, and you can see in the video that we were laughing, relieved and enjoying the experience, but then they turned back and we had to regroup. They didn't get back to the beach, but they did seem adamant about doing so. Finally, we had them back on path and we directed as far as we could.
One of our Dive Masters David Hutson, swam with them ensuring that they were all out of harms way and not returning before accepting a ride back from a kayaker. I asked him how far he would estimate he swam (with about 5 others), and he replied, "as far as we could. Well past the boats"
We returned to the beach and kept an eye out from the shop for several hours to ensure they didn't come back in. Approximately 4 hours later we heard from a coast guard that the pod had been sighted 3 miles off the coast, moving deeper. Without any reports on tonight's news, I am pretty sure they did not return to another beach.
No one seemed to know why this happened, beyond a prediction that one was hurt and the others followed. It was a mixed bag of emotions, excitement, worry and then relief. Reflecting back, it was a beautiful display of how so many came together and helped. I can recall hearing at least 3 different European accents, I was out there with a Scotish Dive Master, a St. Lucian and a local. Myself being Canadian. So it was nice to see how we all came together and helped these confused little dolphins. That being said, I think we were all very relieved to see them so far out when they returned to the sea.
In the video, John Moore, from The Dive Shop, was pulling out the dolphin from the beach. From start to finish. I would estimate I was back on the beach within 45 minutes of first leaving the shop (after they were back out deep). Time on the beach pulling them off seemed quite long, but it was probably just longer than 5 minutes.
A rare and exciting experience after they were all back out. It is never a dull moment at the dive shop. Turtle hatching two weeks ago, dolphin rescue last week. With one more week in Barbados, I wonder what will be next!
Thursday, August 8, 2013
Monday, August 5, 2013
One in One Thousand - Why the Boardwalk in Barbados is not lit up
Last night, while sharing drinks with my friend Dave along the beach, we noticed an oddly shaped rock further up. Walking over to investigate we saw that it was a large 50 year or older turtle, laying her eggs! In Barbados the turtles lay their eggs year round with the most eggs laid between April and October. The female turtle will lay eggs every 2-3 years until 80 years of age with each nest containing approximately 150 eggs.
While the length of time between laying the eggs and the eggs hatching varies by breed, the hawksbill turtle eggs remain buried for 2 months before they hatch and the 100 or so surviving turtles crawl from their nest in the sand. They have 7 days to reach the open ocean (outer reef) where they are much safer and can find proper nutrient to live. One in one-thousand survive.
The South coast of Barbados is a common nesting ground where the turtles bury their eggs. These baby turtles will venture out for the first 5 years before returning back to the where they were born. After swimming around this area for another 10 years or so, they will return to the beach where they first crawled to lay eggs of their own.
A lit up board walk so close to the ocean, would act as light pollution or as a distraction to the new born who began crawling towards the light before eventually falling prey to their many predators. For the safety of the turtles, Barbados removed all lights along the board walk, increasing the rate of success.
http://www.widecast.org/Resources/Docs/Eckert_and_Horrocks_2002_Beachfront_Lighting_Workshop.pdf
This assistance aside, eggs still hatch in daylight hours, leaving the baby turtles little chance for survival. Because of this there is the Barbados Sea Turtle Project, which is run by volunteers. They collect these hatch-lings, keep them in safety for the day and release them during the night. If they are found in time, they update their facebook page indicating the time and beach for all of those who would like to witness this incredible procedure. While I had been regularly checking this page since meeting many of the volunteers diving, there had not been a release in over a week after two back to back releases ten days prior.
Filled with excitement after finding our first turtle, Dave and I decided to wonder down the boardwalk to see if we might find more. We were in luck!! Only one beach over, another was laying her eggs! A volunteer from the turtle project was present, taking down information and tagging the turtle whose age was determined by the size of her shell. This particular hawksbill turtle was approximately 40 years old and had a shell of approximately 2.5 feet wide. As if we hadn't already experienced a substantial amount of luck - in her hand, the volunteer held a large plastic bucket with 100 baby turtles! Prior to finding this turtle she had been by their lab to pick up these hatchings found only a few hours earlier to release them safely. While the most dangerous part for a baby turtle is getting to the open sea, turtles must be released on the beach in order to 'set their GPS', or be able to return to lay eggs of their own.
After the turtle was done depositing her eggs and covering her nest, she was ocean bound and finished her work. The mother turtle does not return to the nesting ground and provides no further care for the baby turtles.
We were just about to be able to release the baby turtles when the volunteers radio went off. There was a reporting of a third turtle laying eggs only one beach down! Joining her for the adventure we watched another turtle lay and bury her eggs before bringing the babies to a safe point for a release. As the bucket was tipped, 100 baby turtles scrambled for the ocean, trying their best to push themselves along the sand with their new fins. These little babies were so cute, I wished I could take one home :)
Standing along the water and shinning a light while shooing away crabs, the volunteer ensured each baby made it into the ocean. This is all we can do to help. With a survival rate of 1 in 1000, and the hawksbill and green turtle being endangered, I am hopeful it is enough!
Planning an extended stay in Barbados? Anyone can volunteer to save the lives of these baby turtles. Look up Barbados Sea Turtle Project on facebook or for their website to apply. A minimum of six weeks commitment is requested.
Sunday, August 4, 2013
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