Showing posts with label travel. Show all posts
Showing posts with label travel. Show all posts

Monday

Diving In Camiguin Island, Philippines

From Site:


HD Video, Scuba Diving in Camiguin Island, Philippines
from ScubaMagazine.net on Vimeo.

Join us on another Philippines High Def Adventure to "Camiguin, The Island Born of Fire".

Like most Philippines destinations, at Camiguin Island you'll find the finest macro photography & marine critter diving to be had in the heart of The Coral Triangle, along with stunning nature scenes and animal encounter opportunities.

You might only have 1 or 2 weeks in a year to vacation, so why not make it the most exotic, spectacular nature experience as possible at the 3rd largest English speaking Country in the world, in "A Place Called Paradise", all for less cost than the Carribean and safer for tourists than any major U.S. city! 

To put the Philippines marine bio-diversity & bio-density in perspective, the Philippines has 6 times more fish species and almost 10 times more species of hard & soft corals than the Caribbean! 

The Philippines marine biosphere exceeds all of the Caribbean, Hawaii, Micronesia & Palau and even the Great Barrier Reef pales in comparison to the Philippines!

Even while boasting guaranteed whale shark encounter diving in places like Leyte and large pelagic diving with the likes of thresher sharks in places like Malapascua, the Philippines truly is "The macro critter capital of the world" where Countrywide you'll encounter World Class Diving that we call "Macro Without the Muck™"

[via: http://vimeo.com/]
[via: http://www.scubamagazine.net/]




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Thursday

MarineBio Expeditions

Amplify’d from marinebio.org
MarineBio conducts and joins expeditions to worldwide centers of marine biodiversity for the purpose of collecting data, photographs and video concerning the conditions of marine ecosystems and the associated marine life. We also often contact local conservation groups, talk with locals about marine life and how things have been changing. MarineBio also uses expeditions to assist with the planning that has begun to open a network of various marine conservation labs in various hotspots to help monitor and conduct research concerning marine conservation science.

What we're finding, like so many others, is that even in the best places to see marine wildlife, the ocean's ecosystems and marine life are at risk and are declining throughout the world. We also hope that by showing what does remain at these top destinations that more people will visit them as well and see for themselves what's at stake if we continue to abuse the ocean as we have been doing for so long.
Irukandji (Carukia barnesi)

Wetpixel Expeditions external link

We're also hoping to join Eric external link in the near furture on at least one of his top-notch expeditions to shoot video and photos for MarineBio... check them out external link and contact us (David@marinebio.org or +1 (713) 248-2576 PST) if you're interested or would like to find out more. We can't wait!

If you're a MarineBio Conservation Society member and would like to join us on an expedition, contact David Campbell (MarineBio Expeditions Leader) at David@marinebio.org or +1 (713) 248-2576 PST.

Planned Expeditions

The following are expedition destinations we need to visit as soon as possible. If you would like to help arrange an expedition to any of the following, let us know.
  1. USA: Southern Florida (Dry Tortugas*), Channel Islands off California, Hawaii (far NW islands)
  2. Bahamas* - Tiger shark diving with Sharkdiver.com external link
  3. Belize: Turneffe and Glover's Atolls (2011 - dates to be determined, 2 weeks, at least 3 dives per day)
  4. Guadalupe Islands* - Great white shark diving with Sharkdiver.com external link
  5. Mexico (Sea of Cortez) - Humboldt squid diving with Sharkdiver.com external link
  6. Costa Rica: Cocos Island*
  7. Colombia: Malpelo Island external link
  8. Tahiti (Rangiroa)
  9. Fiji
  10. Phoenix Islands Protected Area (PIPA) external link
  11. Australia: Great Barrier Reef outer reefs and Coral Sea islands
  12. Micronesia: Palau*, Yap*, Chuuk (Truk Lagoon)
  13. Solomon Islands/Papua New Guinea
  14. Indonesia: Togean Islands, Banda Islands/Irian Jaya, Komodo Island, Bali
  15. Malaysia: Sipadan, Mabul, Layang Layang
  16. Thailand: Puket, Similan Islands
  17. Maldives
  18. Seychelles - Aldabra lagoon external link:
  19. View Larger Map external link
  20. Mozambique: Bazaruto Archipelago
  21. Red Sea: Brother's Islands, Sharm el-Sheikh, Ras Mohammed, Dahab, etc.
One of our goals is to also document the condition of the reefs in the above areas to compare to historical records and to serve as a snapshot for the future. And time is of the essence, climate change is in progress and many of the above will become worthless destinations for marine life if things continue as they are.

Expedition Recommendations

The following is recommended for all MarineBio team members on expeditions:
  • 18 years of age or older
  • Advanced scuba certification (Rescue diving certification is highly recommended, many locations are very remote)
  • At least some traveling experience (overseas preferred)
  • Skills involving photography, videography, writing, research and/or computers, critter spotting/identification
  • Relaxed demeanor, easy to get along with
  • Willingness to work as a team toward the expedition's goals
  • All team members pay their own way though we often work together to find the best deals...
If you're interested in joining one of our upcoming expeditions, send David an email and let him know.

Expeditions Log

MarineBio Indonesia Expedition, Lembeh Strait, Indonesia (9:20) | MarineBio's YouTube Channel » external link

Lembeh Strait/Bunaken Marine Park, Sulawesi, Indonesia. 33 dives (~32 hours underwater) at 30 dive locations (23.5 m average max depth, water temp. 25-29°C). ~6 hrs video (video housing flooded on first dive on Bunaken due to faulty o-ring on wide angle lens) + ~2,000 photos.... Visit the photo gallery and report or the video gallery.
Honduras Expedition (August 27-September 10, 2005 - see gallery and report)
lorida Expedition (February 9-21, 2005 - see gallery)
~ 1,200 underwater photos taken on 20 nitrox drift dives out of Boynton Beach and Key Largo, Florida, US...
Bonaire Expedition (August 6-22, 2004 - see gallery)
~1,400 underwater photos taken on 38 nitrox dives at 27 dive locations in Bonaire...
Galapagos Expedition (November 8-17, 2002 - see video gallery)
Darwin Island Arch, Galapagos
Nine days on liveaboard M/Y Reina Silvia, 8 hours underwater video of octopus, fishes, sharks, dolphins, sea lions, marine iguanas, boobies, etc.
Read more at marinebio.org

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Monday

A giant concrete dome filled with radioactive dirt, smack dab in the Pacific Ocean

Amplify’d from io9.com
A giant concrete dome filled with radioactive dirt, smack dab in the Pacific Ocean
In 1958, the United States tested the 18-kiloton "Cactus" nuclear device on Runit Island in the Pacific. 20 years later, Cactus' 350-foot-wide crater was filled with radioactive soil and covered with a 100,000-square-foot concrete dome. Worst vacation ever?

The $239 million Cactus Dome, which is on Runit in the Enewetak Atoll, holds 111,000 cubic yards of radioactive soil and detritus from nuclear testing on the Bikini and Rongelap atolls. The dome was constructed between 1977 and 1980 and is made of 1.5-foot-thick concrete. I suppose you could still drop by, but I can't imagine the idea of standing on top of a radioactive landfill holds much appeal. There's no gift shop, for one.
A giant concrete dome filled with radioactive dirt, smack dab in the Pacific Ocean
[Via Atlas Obscura and Radiochemistry. Top photo: Defense Special Weapons Agency.]
Read more at io9.com

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Tuesday

Tornado Tourists

Category F5 tornado (upgraded from initial est...Image via Wikipedia
Now that would be an interesting and fun vacation!

Amplify’d from munews.missouri.edu
COLUMBIA, Mo. ­­­– Instead of heading to the coast for vacation, people are traveling to Tornado Alley. The number of people registering to get a closer look at tornadoes is growing as vacationers trade in their beach towels for a ride with storm chasers.  Labeled “Tornado Tourists” by a University of Missouri research team, these travelers are searching for an experience beyond just thrills.
Carla Barbieri and Sonja Wilhelm Stanis, assistant professors in the School of Natural Resources Department of Parks, Recreation and Tourism in the MU College of Agriculture, Food and Natural Resources, found that most of these travelers aren’t just looking for risk; rather, they are seeking a unique and unconventional opportunity to enjoy and learn about nature’s power and beauty.
“With the help of movies like Twister, storm-chasing has become an international phenomenon,” Barbieri said. “While more than half of the surveyed travelers lived in North America, 11 percent came from Australia and nearly a third traveled from Europe to get a close encounter with a tornado.”
Handling three to 10 tours per season, experienced meteorologists and trained storm chasers are serving as tour guides using sophisticated equipment to track the severe weather on the road. Typically costing between $3,000 and $5,000, not including food and hotels, the tours last one to two weeks as tour guides drive among tornado watch areas in a van.
The study found that most of the amateur storm chasers were happy with their experiences. One-third of the tourists experienced a tornado, while 50 percent spotted funnel clouds and more than 95 percent reported seeing a significant atmospheric event. Most respondents were so satisfied, they said they would take another tour and recommended tornado chasing to their friends.
“Tornado tourists were found to be primarily middle-aged, single, highly educated and wealthy,” Babieri said.
Read more at munews.missouri.edu
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Wednesday

Underwater River in Mexico

From Site:
If you are a professional diver you should visit Cenote Angelita, Mexico.
There's some kind of cave. When you go deeper than 30 meters the water is fresh, deeper than 60 - it's salty.
And then you see a river underneath, with trees and leaves.
But of course, it's not a real river.
It's just a layer of hydrogen sulphide.
But it looks amazing.






[via: http://acidcow.com]
[via: http://www.tecdive.ru/]

*One of those would love to dive surreal places for me!*

Purty 360` Panorama


Amedee Coral Reef New Caledonia in New Caledonia

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Sunday

Underwater World

From Site:
Southeast Asia has some of the most magical diving in the world - and at a real bargain

The Philippines, often skipped over by tourists too focused on Thailand and Vietnam, has several world-class dive destinations with fantastic deals on packages that include accommodations, diving and even certification. This country is a bargain hunter's dream where you can easily find cute air-con rooms on the beach for $35 a night and a delicious Filipino chicken adobo dinner for less than $2.

In Puerto Galera, a five-hour bus and ferry trek from Manila, the narrow strip of beach is lined with dive resorts and operators. The PADI Open Water course plus five nights hotel starts at less than $400. More than two dozen dive sites are within a 20-minute boat ride.
[via: http://www.canada.com]

Saturday

Working Holidays

From Site:
"Voluntourism": See the World--And Help Conserve It
Lately a new subset of this boom has emerged. “Voluntourism” ramps the ecological impulse up a notch, providing ways for vacationers to help save the world’s sustainable resources. The trend has been described as a kind of mini version of the Peace Corps. Depending on your interests, you could find yourself repairing trails leading to Old Faithful, tracking sharks in the Atlantic, or mixing cement for housing in the Andes. Voluntourism is becoming a significant growth sector of the travel industry. Online trip planner Travelocity, for example, now partners with tour operators such as GlobeAware, Cross-Cultural Solutions and Take Pride in America, which specialize in launching voluntourists on service-oriented vacations.
Slide Show: Exotic "Voluntourism" locales

Thursday

For Those That Are Shriveling Up... or not

From Site:
WELCOME TO THE VIRTUAL UNDERWATER WORLD!

With eDiving You can:
- practice SCUBA diving ONLINE
- virtually explore real marine locations
- share your underwater stories, images and videos
- plan your next underwater explorations
- find buddies that share Your dreams
[via: http://www.ediving.us]

*havn't tried it yet since you need windows :(
let me know if you did and how it was!

Friday

Camiguin Island: Tropical Paradise in the Philippines

The Sunken Cemetery

From Site:
Probably unique in the world, the cross shown by the image above marks the location of a sunken cemetery in the town of Bonbon. Seeing this large and imposing cross against the background of a crimson sunset ends up one contemplating things divine. Now seemingly the world of swimming souls is a cemetery of the village that sunk during the 1871 volcanic chaos. Today, diving through an array of cold and lonely grave stones embedded unto the once dry ground more than a hundreds years ago is a wonderment and fascination to many.
[via: http://www.trifter.com]

Wednesday

The Explorers Club: Travel’s Most Secret Society Revealed

The Explorers Club: Travel’s Most Secret Society Revealed
From Site:
Many of the 20th century’s most interesting and influential adventurers were members of this secretive society.

What’s been to both poles, the top of Mt. Everest and the surface of the moon?

The official flag of the Explorer’s Club, that’s what.

So why has hardly anyone actually heard of the Explorer’s Club if they’ve had such a big role in so many important expeditions? A loose organization of intrepid individuals founded in 1904, the club doesn’t talk much about what goes on behind closed doors।

[via: http://www.bravenewtraveler.com]

Sunday

Invasion of the Bodysnatchers

Invasion of the Bodysnatchers

From Site:
When Tanya Andrews returned from a recent family holiday in Costa Rica, she had no idea she had brought back a gruesome souvenir.
A month later she developed an extremely painful lump on her head.At first, she thought she had an abscess, but then it wriggled....
[via: http://news.bbc.co.uk]

I have only one thing to say to this....EWWWW!!!