Underwater Thoughts

Photo of the Day

2012-04-10T09:47:00.000-07:00

"Free-diving Devils"

Taken March 2012 at Ginnie Springs in High Springs, FL

Click on the Photo to view in full resolution

Shark Love

2012-04-10T08:45:00.000-07:00

"Sharklove was founded in 2002 with a simple sticker designed for the Northern California surf community. It was a sticker that told the world, "I recreate in waters inhabited by Great White sharks so I am sending them good vibes. Because though they could easily swallow me whole, they are not monsters. They are awesome. And it's an honor to play in their backyard." But we soon learned that Sharklove should, and could, mean so much more. So today, Sharklove.com is a home and resource for shark lovers - a place where we can learn, share and rally. So whether you use it to get a free sticker, post a recent sighting or help stop what is arguably the greatest threat to our planet, as long as you're using it, we'll be stoked. And we think the sharks will be too."

sharklove.com

SAS. Surfers Against Sewage, & The WAR Report

2012-03-07T12:22:00.000-08:00

SAS RELEASE THE WAR REPORT (WAVES ARE RESOURCES)

"The UK is blessed with some world-class waves on all of our coasts. The very best waves in the UK, which could almost be considered freaks of Nature, are the result of a combination of offshore bathymetry, unique coastal geology and prevailing wind and swell patterns found almost nowhere else in the world. It is easy to see that these ‘world-class’ waves, just like other unique natural feature of this planet, should be protected. However, quality is just one factor that is considered in the WAR Report analysis. Consistency, location, number of surfers affected as well as personal preference are all investigated in the report.

There’s a myriad of threats that constantly jeopardize our finite surfing resource, our waves. Last year SAS launched the new Protect Our Waves (POW) campaign that focuses on protecting waves from overzealous on and near shore development, environmental impacts and waverider’s rights of access.

SAS’s WAR Report gives a detailed account of both the intrinsic and economic values of waves to surfers. For the first time, SAS also explains the value of waves to non-surfers. For people who don’t use the sea, the value of waves can be measured financially. Surfers travel to surf waves, eat, need accommodation and other supplies, and even settle in communities where there are waves. In doing so, surfers and their friends and family who may join them, will all spend money in return for these goods and services whilst chasing the next surf session. The WAR report comprehensively details how the entire community around quality surf spots benefit from the waves.The WAR Report was written by SAS Director Dr Tony Butt PhD. Dr Butt is one of the world’s most highly respected authorities on the science of waves and how they interact with the coastal environment. The WAR Report was written for planners and waveriders alike. Copies of the WAR Report will be given out free by SAS campaigners from the tanks and at the SAS tent on site at the Boardmasters all day.

SAS will ensure that all relevant planning bodies in the UK have a hard copy of the WAR Report and will expect the WAR Report to be referenced alongside SAS’s other reports when coastal developments schemes are in the planning process. Download a copy of the SAS WAR Report here on Pdf

SAS Protect Our Waves Project Officer Dom Ferris says: ”The WAR Report is an important document for all UK surfers and waveriders. We’re not calling for a Ministry of Surf Defense, but we need to ensure waves are framed in the planning process as valuable resources for the entire community, not just surfers. Waves Are Resources and as such need protecting for this and future generations.”

For more information on this story please contact Andy Cummins on 01872 555 950 or 07711 767 548 or email andy@sas.org.uk

Check out Hundred Waters Debut Self-titled Album

2012-03-07T12:12:00.000-08:00

Hundred Waters from Tiny Waves on Vimeo.
Tiny Waves had the great pleasure of hanging out at the Hundred Waters house to talk about their collaborative writing process, and the trials and tribulations the band went through to ready their songs for the stage. Buy the CD

Tour Dates

3/7: Brooklyn, NY @ Shea Stadium w/ Emily Reo and Cuddle Formation (previously known as Phillip Seymour Hoffman)

3/8: NY, NY @ Piano's w/ Conveyor + ILLMNTR + Floating

3/9: Athens, GA @ 424 King Ave at The Johnson House AKA Babe City w/ Vestibules + Nuclear Spring

3/10: Orlando, FL @ Orange You Glad Festival |

3/11: Gainesville, FL @ The Church of Holy Colors w/ Secret Mountains + Saskatchewan + Hear Hums
3/12 - 3/18: HUNDRED WATERS @ SXSW !!

Tiny-Waves.com
ElestialSound.com

Check out my new short film

2012-03-06T12:43:00.002-08:00

Click here to watch it in HD

Amazing sustainable wildlife havens combat urban pollution

2012-02-18T07:47:00.000-08:00

The idea is young, but the vision is real. The sea tree will provide a sustainable habitat for a diverse populous of wildlife. The potential uses of this design are great in cities devastated by urban pollution and poor planning. Wildlife havens may prove be essential to the preservation of certain species endangered by modern urban society. Koen Olthuis came up with the concept because it is so difficult to add extra park zones to a city on land. Open space such as rivers, seas, lakes and harbours should instead be utilised, he believes. He proposes using offshore technology similar to oil rigs to construct the Sea Trees and has even suggested that oil companies donate them to cities to show 'their concern for a better city environment.' You can learn more about his design at: waterstudio.nl

Urban future: The Sea Tree offshore nature park will be a haven for wildlife and will address the rise in pollution

Anchored: The water-based park will provide valuable living areas for birds, bees, bats and other small animals, bringing positive green effects to urban environments. It will also provide a habitat for aquatic creatures

Eco-friendly: Designed for use in cities with large waterways, such as London and New York, the Sea Trek will not be accessible to humans

Positive effect: The Sea Tree will allow all sorts of wildlife to thrive in areas of cities

where it previously was unable to do so

Are you a waterkeeper?

2012-02-03T09:55:00.000-08:00

PSA paying tribute to the 40th Anniversary of the Clean Water Act.

Join the Water Keepers Alliance in their campaigns:

"Pure Farm, Pure Waters"

"Defending Clean Water"

"Save Our Gulf"

ACT NOW

Don't throw away that old filter! RECYCLE.

2012-01-27T12:30:00.000-08:00

Brita and Preserve teamed up to create a take-back recycling program for Brita pitcher filter cartridges. You can drop off filters at number of participating locations, or mail them in. Unfortunately, since the faucet mount filters are made from a different type of plastic from the pitcher filters, they are not part of the program at this time. However, Brita and Preserve are continuing to explore options to recycle faucet mount filters and hope to have a solution in the near future.

Preserve is a U.S. company manufacturing household products from recycled plastic, will recycle 100% of the plastic casing. And the filter material will be regenerated or converted to energy.

For more information check out takebackthefilter.org/

Right Time for Right Whales

2012-01-27T11:57:00.000-08:00

Photo courtesy of NOAA

Right Time for Right Whale Off Florida's Northeastern Coast

There are only about 300 northern right whales left in the world! The right whale was hunted to near-extinction. In the last century, when whale products like baleen and blubber were in demand, right whales were a favorite. Hunters named them the right whale; simply because it was the "right" whale to hunt. Right whales move slowly and travel close to shore. When they die, their high blubber content makes them float. An international accord stopped the hunting of right whales in 1935. Scientists believe the right whale population slowly recovered after that, and has been after being placed on the Endangered Species List in 1973. These days, ship strikes are a major problem for the whales. Many right whales die from ship strikes, which account for 30% to 50% of right whale deaths. Considering their endangered population, this percentage is staggering.

You are... what you eat.

2012-01-25T11:42:00.000-08:00

Join the Food & Water Watch! Stop the Franken Fish!

2012-01-09T21:19:00.000-08:00

Genetically Engineered Salmon

If approved by the FDA, GE Salmon would be the first transgenic species allowed into our food supply. At least 30 House members and 14 senators have written the Obama administration either expressing serious concerns about the manner in which the FDA conducted its review of Aquabounty’s GE salmon, or calling for the outright prohibition of its approval for human consumption. So why isn’t the FDA listening?
Below the Surface: The Dangers of Genetically Engineered Salmon
Protect food and water in your community by joining the Food & Water Watch.
www.foodandwaterwatch.org

Check out Cynthia Hawkins Photography

2012-01-08T10:35:00.000-08:00

http://www.cynthiahankins.com/

"Cynthia is passionate about the underwater world and her goal is to share that with you. She is a scuba instructor, underwater guide, and biologist. Most importantly she is an insightful photographer who gets the shots due to her observing and studying the underwater world everyday."

Bubble Ring at Main Ginnie

2012-01-02T21:27:00.000-08:00

Happy New Year!

2012-01-01T15:45:00.000-08:00

New Year = New Posts

Underwater Thoughts continues into new the year with new posts. Expect new photos & short films featuring new locations around the state of Florida. For now enjoy this potential groundbreaking research into water's strange ways, a preposterous idea that water has memory.

"Water -- just a liquid or much more? Many researchers are convinced that water is capable of "memory" by storing information and retrieving it. The possible applications are innumerable: limitless retention and storage capacity and the key to discovering the origins of life on our planet. Research into water is just beginning."

Join the Plastic Pollution Coalition

2011-11-30T12:53:00.000-08:00

Plastic Pollution Coalition is a global alliance of individuals, organizations and businesses working together to stop plastic pollution and its toxic impacts on humans, animals and the environment. With its work, Plastic Pollution seeks to put plastic pollution at the forefront of global social, environmental and political discourse.

plasticpollutioncoalition.org/

Photo of the Day

2011-11-30T12:35:00.001-08:00

"KOI"

Click on the photo to view full screen

Video of the Brinicle on BBC Frozen Plant

2011-11-30T12:35:00.000-08:00

Listen to Stones Throw artist Koushik!

2011-11-30T12:33:00.000-08:00

"Koushik specializes in making that hazy, hip-hop-based downbeat sh*t that you could easily compare to contemporaries such as Four Tet (who released Koushik's first single on his Text label), RJD2, and DJ Shadow. What sets Koushik apart from the others is a beautiful '60s psych-pop element that tends to pervade throughout. It shows itself in the spacious panned strings, acoustic guitars, and harpsichords that fall in and out of each other; and the beats have a harder regimented classic true school hip-hop sound, that Fourtet and Prefuse tend to stray away from. But what I truly love about this record is Koushik's voice. His singing is soft and mixed way down in the center of the track, sounding like the voice choirs you'd hear on one of those old Percy Faith or 101 Guitars from the late-'60s. If you're a fan of any of the aforementioned artists, you need this record." – OTHER MUSIC, NYC

Buy Koushik Out My Window on Vinyl, CD, or MP3

Photo of the Day

2011-11-27T12:49:00.000-08:00

"tres amigos"

Click on the photo to view full screen

Can you fathom it?

2011-11-27T12:43:00.000-08:00

Sharks are in trouble - they are at enormous risk of extinction due to overfishing, habitat degradation and the shark fin trade. It is estimated that over 200,000 sharks are killed each day, an unsustainable rate that has decreased some populations of shark by nearly 90%. This elimination of sharks is caused entirely by human activities, the consequences of which are broad ecosystem degradation. The lack of meaningful management and conservation plans have allowed this destruction to continue and grow as the worlds population puts more demand on shark products.

3 Fathoms, a 501c3 non-profit organization, has recognized this dearth and seeks to pursue the research necessary to fill in the gaps.

Mission:

To promote and conduct innovative research of sharks and their habitats in order to provide relevant and comprehensive data toward sustainable management plans

Vision:

To create a reproducible model of least-invasive methodology that sets a new standard of ethics and resource use in shark research and that further adds to the limited knowledge of shark life histories and their value inspiring sustainable and meaningful conservation action.

DONATE

www.canyoufathomit.org/

A bizarre underwater "icicle of death" filmed by a BBC crew.

2011-11-25T18:16:00.000-08:00

Hugh had little room to position himself and the cameras under the ice

"With timelapse cameras, specialists recorded salt water being excluded from the sea ice and sinking. The temperature of this sinking brine, which was well below 0C, caused the water to freeze in an icy sheath around it. Where the so-called brinicle met the sea bed, a web of ice formed that froze everything it touched, including sea urchins and starfish. The unusual phenomenon was filmed for the first time by cameramen Hugh Miller and Doug Anderson for the BBC One series Frozen Planet."

Link to "Brinicle" article on BBC

Shark Attack Experiment Live

2011-11-24T21:09:00.000-08:00

Are sharks out to get you? That’s the driving question behind this high-adrenaline, two-hour live event on Nat Geo WILD. Shark Attack Experiment: LIVE will beam from some of the world’s most shark-infested waters off the coast of South Africa. Here, a team of free-divers and conservationists put their safety on the line to separate shark attack myths from realities. Also, on location will be shark attack victims to tell their stories and enter the water for the first time since their traumatic encounters. This is no stunt; the goal is to dispel negative myths about sharks and raise public awareness that some shark species are being driven to extinction by overfishing. Shark Attack Experiment: LIVE caps Nat Geo WILD’s “Sharkathon”—nine hours of blue chip shark programs shot in locations around the world. Airs 11/25/11 on Nat Geo WILD at 9pm EST.

Save The Wacissa!

2011-11-23T08:24:00.000-08:00

Nestle Leaves Wacissa!

On July 27th, 2011 Nestle Waters announced that they will not pursue commercial water extraction from the Wacissa River springs group. Friends of the Wacissa, a grassroots regional coalition, worked for the past 13 months mounting a public awareness campaign to bring attention to the corporate practices of Nestle Waters along with the long term impact of commercial water bottling. Residents of Wacissa strongly opposed a satellite spring pumping facility in their small rural community. No new jobs were anticipated with the bulk transfer station.

According to Jeff Granger, Wacissa resident, “the community really came together to protect our river.” Granger and coalition members organized community meetings, social networking sites, and letter writing campaigns as part of the broad scale awareness campaign.

Additionally, Friends of the Wacissa worked with national organizations Corporate Accountability International and Food and Water Watch to bring greater awareness to commercial water bottling practices. Georgia Ackerman summarized, “The more we learned about the negative impact of bottled water and the challenges to the health of Florida’s springs, the stronger our conviction to protect Wacissa springs grew.” Friends of the Wacissa will continue advocating for the protection of Florida’s springs and aquifer.

GET INVOLVED!

savethewacissa.com

Support the Friends of the Wacissa

Tell everyone, get involved and stop buying bottled water!

Donate

*Checks can be mailed to Friends of the Wacissa Inc,
at P.O. Box 12832, Tallahassee, Fl 32317.

Photo of the Day

2011-11-23T07:47:00.000-08:00

"Sun is Shining"

Click on the photo to view in high resolution

Howard T. Odum Florida Springs Institute

2011-11-23T07:42:00.000-08:00

On June 1, 2011 the Florida Department of Environmental Protection announced the end of ten years of focused state funding for springs science and protection. The Florida Springs Initiative was first funded in 2002 with about $2.6 million dollars by the Florida legislature. The Springs Initiative was a program recommended by the Florida Springs Task Force to increase information about the plight of Florida’s threatened springs and to provide a technical basis for restoring these priceless natural resources. The Florida Springs Initiative supported dozens of projects that highlighted the impacts that springs have experienced due to Florida’s development and increasing human population and helped to educate thousands of concerned citizens about the steps necessary to restore and protect springs. Sadly, the funding for the Springs Initiative has been declining for the past three years to $0.5 million for the fiscal year ending June 30, 2011, and was totally eliminated by the current legislature and governor.

The Howard T. Odum Florida Springs Institute was founded one year ago to augment the efforts of the Florida Springs Initiative. With the demise of the state’s springs program, the Florida Springs Institute is now more important than ever. The Florida Springs Institute is the only organization focused on springs monitoring, research, education, restoration, and protection in Florida. The Springs Institute is reaching out to environmental organizations, universities, local governments, and the water management districts to collaborate on springs restoration and protection. The Florida Springs Institute provides a rallying point for citizens who want to halt the continuing worsening condition of our springs and to restore the best of those springs to some semblance of their historic glory.

The Florida Springs Institute is a non-profit organization that is funded solely by grants and donations. If you wish to make a difference for springs, you may want to make a charitable contribution or educate your neighbors about the importance of and need to protect our springs and our groundwater.

floridaspringsinstitute.org/