Sharks4Kids Dutch Caribbean Shark Education Tour: Sint Eustatius

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Our Dutch Caribbean Sharks4Kids Shark Education Tour kicked off on the beautiful island of Sint Eustatius (Statia). Statia is rich in history and packs a lot of punch for a little island! We hit the ground running, presenting at the Caribbean Netherlands Science Institute Science Café. This is a monthly event, but they added a bonus presentation to coordinate with our visit. Duncan and I talked about the role of media and science in shark conservation. We had a much larger crowd than expected and thoroughly enjoyed the conversations that followed our presentation. It was clear from the minute we arrived; Statia has some shark lovers! Our hosts for this portion of our shark tour were Marine Park Manager Jessica Berkel and STENAPA (Sint Eustatius National Parks) education director Clair Blair. Both women went above and beyond to make the most of our short trip. 

Our next day started early, as we had a busy schedule of school visits organized by Clair, who escorted us to each and every place. Although she heard our talks a dozen times, not once did she seem uninterested. We really cannot thank her enough for her support! It is easy to see she absolutely loves working with the children and her enthusiasm is contagious, easily seen in the energy and excitement emanating students she works with.

The first morning we visited both Golden Rock Roman Catholic School and Bethel Methodist School speaking to students in grades 1-6. We were impressed with their knowledge of sharks and excitement to ask us questions. We discussed what makes a shark a shark, why they are important, how we learn about sharks, shark sanctuaries and how the students can continue to do even more to save these amazing animals. 

Naming Shark Species at the Golden Rock School

We are originally scheduled to visit the island during their “Shark Week,” in August, but hurricane Erika changed our plans. During the week the students participated in LOTS of sharky activities and events. A coloring contest was hosted and we were lucky enough to be there with Claire as she awarded the prizes. There were some really great coloring sheets and artwork created by the kids and we were excited to see Shark Stanley make an appearance! 

In the afternoon we visited the incredible Mega D Youth Foundation, an afterschool program developed by reggae star Mega D. This is an incredible program, which incorporates older students mentoring the younger kids. The students were eager to ask questions and we really enjoyed seeing all the opportunities this program is offering the kids of the island. 

 

Our luggage, containing our stuffed shark and Duncan’s shark suit arrived the next day, so the first schools missed out on Mr. Shark, but day 2 he was a crowd favorite. It makes my heart happy to see kids so excited about hi-fiving and saying hi to the shark! Not an action figure or celebrity, but he was definitely a super hero for the day. We had a busy morning visiting the 2 other primary schools on the island, Lynch Plantation Seventh Day Adventist School and Governor de Graaf School. The SDA school provided us with the most beautiful classroom we’ve ever been in; open air and a breathtaking view. Once again we were amazed by the excitement and the great questions! These students are doing their part to save sharks. 

Our final presentations were at the Governor de Graaf School and they really ended our trip on a high note. We definitely have some future marine biologists in the group and some shark divers! We loved the questions, the artwork, the hugs and the positive shark vibes. This was a great way to finish our brief, but amazing visit. 

As a person who lives on a rock (island), the culture and community on other rocks I visit always fascinate me and Statia definitely intrigued me. I cannot wait to return to this beautiful Caribbean gem.  Claire gave us a bit of a hi-speed tour while we ate sandwiches before heading to the airport to catch our flight back to Sint Maarten. 

Duncan and I at Fort Oranje

 

Duncan and I at Fort de Windt with St. Kitts in the distance

Special thanks to Claire and Jessica for all their work in coordinating the visit and to the wonderful students, teachers and people of Sint Eustatius! We will be back! Shark Week 2016!

 

Shark Week: Bimini Shark Tales

It’s Shark Week, which means people around the world are thinking about, talking about and watching shows featuring, you guessed it; sharks. Although Shark Week is notorious for sensationalism and “mockumentaries,” there arises a great opportunity to have a real conversation about sharks, shark conservation and the problems they are facing around the world. Here in Bimini pretty much every week is Shark Week. This tiny island chain in the northern Bahamas is home to the first Shark Free Marina in the world and is part of the Bahamas Shark Sanctuary. Some of the best shark research in the world has also happened right here at the Bimini Biological Field Station(Sharklab). Despite being small in size, Bimini is truly a world force in shark science and shark conservation.

My husband and I are both Sharklab alumni and have absolutely fallen in love with the island. We spend as much time here as possible and there is rarely a day we do not see sharks. Different species are here seasonally, along with a few regulars we see year round. We spend a lot of our time filming and photographing these amazing animals and occasionally get to assist the lab with research projects.  People travel from around the world to see these sharks, study them and dive with them and for us; we travel to our “backyard.”

Shark Selfie with a Bull Shark Off South Bimini!

My blog has been heavily neglected because all of my time has been devoted to our newest endeavor, Sharks4Kids. We created this non-profit as a means of spreading shark education to kids around the world through curriculum, activities, videos and classroom visits. Please check out the page and feel free to message me for more information. Okay, now back to the sharks.  Over the next few months I will be sharing information, images and videos highlight the sharks we see here in Bimini. I will include our adventures, facts about these animals and notes on shark research and conservation happening on the island. Sharks that will be featured include great hammerheads, nurse, lemons, bulls, Caribbean reef, smalltooth sawfish and the elusive pitbull shark!

The Rare and Elusive PITBULLSHARK!

I hope you enjoy these shark tales each week of the year, because sharks deserve more than a week of global attention! Please feel free to email me any questions you have!  You can also find me on twitter and Instagram @BiminiSharkGirl

FINS UP

Living the Shark Life

“Don’t Kill Sharks Because Children Want to See Them”

Kristen, a 4 year old from Fremantle, Western Australia has beautifully and simply expressed a sentiment we should all take a minute to consider.

 “Don’t Kill Sharks Because Children Want to See Them”

I connected with Kristen and her classmates via Skype in June of this year. We spoke about sharks, shark conservation and the cull happening in their backyard. The kids were excited to make posters and do their part to help sharks. One student had even been to an anti-cull protest on the beach. Despite being young, they are aware of what is happening and they want to save sharks. Mrs. Lewer sent me posters the kids made and it literally brought tears to my eyes. I have said this so many times, but the world of shark conservation can be frustrating and soul crushing on the best days. Posters like these remind me why I do this work and inspire me to keep fighting.

We are all global citizens and our actions have an impact far beyond our own house, yard, state or country. We are in this together and it is our responsibility to make sure kids like Kristen get to see an ocean filled with sharks and other marine life.

I am BACK!!!!!

Wow! My last blog was written on December 20th, 2013! I disappeared for a very good reason, I promise. On November 7, 2013 we officially launched Sharks4Kids. This has been a passion project nearly five years in the making and I am so thrilled it has become a reality. Thanks to my amazing husband Duncan and my best friend Derek, Sharks4Kids is a live and spreading shark education around the world. If you have not checked out the site please do and please share with friends, parents, teachers, students and educators.

Our goal is to bring shark education into the classroom as well as offering outreach and adventure experiences for educators, families and students. We have created curriculum for grades K-6 as well as graphics, image galleries, videos, activities and crafts for kids of all ages. We also offer classroom visits both in person and via Skype Classroom. Skype has changed the way the world connects and has allowed us to reach over 5000 students in 17 countries since last October!

Skype Chat with Orphans in Uganda With CHAT to the Future ( http://chattothefuture.org/)

We have collaborated with some amazing photographers, videographers and scientists to create a unique product we are very proud to share with the world. Thanks for all your support and for taking the time to check out Sharks4Kids! You can also find us on Facebook, Twitter and Instagram @Sharks4Kids.

Together we can make a difference and we can save sharks.

Meet Norman the Nurse Shark 

Sharklab Naturalist Course: Diving with Caribbean Reef Sharks

Kids Against the Shark Cull

Mr. Grabowski’s Grade 6 Class was my first visit as part of Skype Classroom’s month of Exploring Oceans.  As a diver himself, Mr. Grabowski has a passion for the ocean that he is sharing with his students.  We talked about my work as a shark diver and underwater videographer, but I also emphasized the importance of sharks in our ocean ecosystems.  The students had some great ideas when I asked them what they thought they could do to help sharks. Despite being landlocked, it is critical for them to know they have a voice and they can make a difference. No matter the topic of the lesson or talk, my goal is to inspire students and offer them tools to feel empowered. We are all connected and we have a very important job to help this planet.

Mr. Grabowski has brought numerous scientists, conservationists and ocean adventurers into his classroom through the month of Exploring Oceans, creating a classroom of global citizens.  When the recent news about the proposed shark cull in Western Australia went viral, his students decided to speak up and their voices have definitely been heard. I noticed "Her Deepness" Dr. Sylvia Earle even responded to their letter on Twitter!

The class drafted a letter to Premier Colin Barnett and they actually received a perfectly nondescript response in return. They did not get discouraged discouraged though, writing another very well informed and passionate response. They did not go off topic, ranting about finning or some other peripheral shark issues, often the kiss of death when drafting letters to government officials.  For example: NOAA-NMFS (National Marine Fisheries Service) proposed to open the 2014 Atlantic Shark Commercial Fishing Season throughout their Atlantic coastal range, beginning January 1, 2014 instead of the previous July 1 opening date. Lemon sharks aggregate off the coast of Jupiter, Florida and are a highly vulnerable, regionally specific shark population. They are protected in state waters, but not Federal waters, making them even more susceptible to overfishing during this critical aggregation time ranging from January to April.  During the open comment period, I saw several aggressive comments against shark finning. Yes, shark finning is terrible, but this was not the issue at hand.

Mr. Grabowski’s students are setting a strong example for not only for other students, but also for the general public and other conservationists. You can speak from the heart, but you also need to stay on topic and fact check.

“Human life is very important and when lives are lost through shark attacks it is very unfortunate. However, sharks have been in our oceans for 400 million years, we can’t fault them for that. How do you ‘mitigate’ animals in their own environment? Where are they supposed to go? How do you tell a shark that tourism dollars are more important and we’ll worry about environmental and biodiversity implications later? “

I look forward to continuing my collaboration with Mr. Grabowski and his incredible students. Thank you again for inviting me into your classroom.

FULL LETTER FROM MR. GRABOWSKI’S CLASS 

Exploring Shark Filled Oceans: Week 3

As I sit here and write this I am completely overwhelmed with the amazing week that has just passed. I did fifteen Skype Classroom visits from Northern France to California with students ranging in age from f1st grade to 7th. One teacher actually asked me to do a video message about why I do Skype visits. There are a lot of reasons why I love doing these visits, but I wanted to give her a concise answer. I have been visiting classrooms for about ten years, but physical visits are limited by time and location. Skype Classroom allows me to speak with students in France at 8:00 EST and then a school in Georgia at 9:00 EST and a school in California at 11:00 EST.

The current plight of sharks is devastating, but I honestly believe children offer hope not only for sharks, but also for our oceans and the planet. No matter where children live they need to understand that we are connected and their actions can make a difference around the world. I want them to feel empowered and able to speak up on behalf of the voiceless and I can only hope these talks inspire them to do so. Via Skype I was able to share my love of sharks and why they are so important with over 300 students this week alone. I was able to give them facts and tools to help spread the word for sharks!

I began the week with Mrs. Garland’s students in Boston, Massachusetts. This is by far one of the most incredible visits I have ever done. They had great questions and knew a lot about sharks already. Below is the note she sent me after the visit, which made me tear up. This is why I love my job. Connecting with people all around the world and sharing my passion with them.

“Thank you so much for Skyping with our class today. Not all students were visible to you (several chose to sit outside the viewing box). They have been waiting for this opportunity for weeks. These students have emotional and social needs that often get in the way of their abilities to function with a traditional class, but you touched them - I have NEVER seen them sit for such an extended period of time. Many thanks!”

I also visited with two great groups of 3^rd and 1^st graders. The 1^st graders in Illinois had a lot of questions and were really excited to know that things they were already doing (recycling) could help sharks.

The following day I started off in Georgia with some super excited 1^st and 2^nd graders followed by a group of 2^nd graders in California that were actually a little nervous about sharks. We talked a lot about how sharks are not monsters or man-eaters, but are actually in a lot of trouble and need our help. I could see the change as students looked at pictures and thought the sharks were cute.  It is amazing how just a short amount of time can change perceptions. It also shows how critical it is to educate children at a young age, so they do not carry those incorrect stereotypes into adulthood.

I finished off the day with Mrs. Thiessen’s students in Surrey, British Columbia and wow, they JAWSOME. They had a microphone and ipads going! It was such a fun visit! Absolutely blown away by the technology being used in the classroom. It has really changed education and opened up the world. Check out their Video Blog Here! 

FINS UP For Sharks: Group Photo 

The following day was another busy one with four visits to schools in Texas, North Carolina, New Mexico and Nebraska. I love visiting such a dynamic range of ages and locations in a single day because it really highlights the importance of ocean education for everyone. Just because students cannot be near the ocean does not mean they should not care. The fifth graders in Texas were really keen to help sharks and seem pleasantly surprised that some of the things they were already doing were in fact helping sharks and our oceans. 

Some feedback from that day :

From Mr. Horst in Nebraska on twitter:  This group of 80 students knew a lot about sharks even though they do not live near the ocean! 

“Want keep kids riveted for 45 minutes?  Have @SharkyJillian skype your school!  "

From Mrs. Pender:

“Thank you so much! My kiddos have done nothing but talked about this morning. They are so excited. In fact, they are even taking about how you said your husband dives, so now they want to Skype with him! Lol thank you so much! “   I think Duncan might have to make an appearance on the other side of the camera!

My final day start all the way in Northern France with Mrs. Silvert’s 7^th grade students. The students asked about La Reunion, a location recently made infamous by several shark attacks. I was impressed that they were concerned and wanted more information about the situation. We spoke a long time about efforts being made to protect beach goers and the sharks in the area. I was also thoroughly impressed with their English. My French is not even worth mentioning, save the content of this sentence.  Friday also took me to a group of very enthralled first graders in Canada followed up with some extremely well informed 4^th graders. They had each picked a shark to learn about and had some of the best questions a class has asked me.

This entire month of Exploring Oceans with Skype Classroom has been nothing short of remarkable. The smiles, laughs and excitement that each visit brings are priceless. I know these kids will make a difference. They will speak up and fight to save sharks. I know this in the way they listen, the questions they ask and follow up feedback I get from teachers and parents. I love the synchronized “WHOA,” I get when I show them an image of me filming a great hammerhead and the, “awww, it’s so cute,” reaction from an image of a baby nurse shark. They also seem to really understand the fact that sharks are in trouble and life for a shark can be pretty tough. I feel blessed and truly treasure these moments.

I even got a note from the principle this week! Luckily it was a good one! Thank you Mr. Schuyler for taking the time to send such a kind note.

“I want to thank Jillian for the great experience she provided our grade 1 students and teachers at Briardale School this morning.  They were very impressed and excited about the lesson.  The kids and teachers learned a lot!”

Thank you to Mrs. Brokaw, Mrs. Lachel, Mrs. Garland, Mrs. Harrison, Mrs. Smith, Mrs. Thiessen, Mr. Hernandez, Mrs. Mendoza, Mrs. Pender, Mr. Horst, Mrs. Brown, Mrs. Rios, Mme. Silvert, Mr. Hyman and Mme. Moccio for inviting me into your class and for sharing sharks with your students! 

Sharks in Ireland: A JAWSOME Visit with Mr. Russell's Grade 4 Boys

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 Due to filming commitments and travel, my Skype Classroom schedule this week was limited to 3 visits, but wow what a week.  I started off visiting with Mr. Russell’s grade 4 boys all the way in Ireland. The whole concept is so remarkable and breathes a new sense of energy and hope into the conservation and shark education movement.  

Mr. Russell’s class was JAWESOME! They were really enthusiastic and had some great questions including, “if baby birds get food from the mom, do shark babies also get food from their moms?” This seems very logical, but no, sharks do not get any maternal care. The world is tough for a baby shark. Most people think of sharks as these mighty predators ruling the ocean, but in reality life is pretty tough for sharks. When lemon sharks are born they are on their own immediately. 

LEMON SHARK BIRTH VIDEO

In Bimini, they must seek refuge in the mangroves for the first three to four years of their lives. Very few of the pups born each spring make it to see their first birthday.  Barracudas and other sharks, including larger lemon sharks, will happily make a meal out of a neonate or juvenile lemon shark. 

Other questions included who would win in a shark vs. piranha battle and shark vs. a moray eel battle. These cracked me up because boys will be boys.  I did my best to answer in a fun and logical way and the kids exchanged high fives.  The students took turns asking questions and also sharing shark facts they already knew. I get really excited when students already know some interesting and important information about sharks.  The lesson flew by and I look forward to connecting with the students again on a shark project they will work on in the spring.  

A student asking a question via Skype

After the lesson Mr. Russell hit Twitter and some wonderful things to say.

“We learned about underwater filming, looking after our oceans and all about different types of sharks. It was SO good we're calling it epic! “

He also emailed me this note a couple of days later.

 It was the highlight of the school year for our class. The boys were so excited coming in to school today having been looking forward to this lesson for weeks - and it didn't disappoint! You could have heard a pin drop in our room for 46 minutes today as Jillian us about underwater photography and filming, about the different kinds of sharks, how we can all help to save these magnificent creatures, care for the oceans and our planet, before then taking some (a lot in fact!) of questions about her work with sharks, the sharks themselves and much more.

You've such a wonderful way with the kids, it really comes across that you're so into your work and really got the best from the class - they were hooked on every word and so enthusiastic to get involved and ask questions - as I'm sure you noticed with the sheer volume of them!

I feel that if things don't go well people are very quick to send emails/make phone calls and highlight it. Today, I felt that I had to let you know about what a positive experience we had in our class.

Thanks for making it a memorable Monday in our 4th Class!

I'm working on the photos at the moment. I'll let you know later when I have them all done.

Best Wishes,

Trystan

I was absolutely floored with his kind words. I by no means do this for recognition, but it makes my heart so happy and hopeful when I know that I am really connecting with kids.

You can check out more images on Mr. Russell’s website and hear a podcast from his students HERE.

Thank you so much Mr. Russell. You are offering students and incredibly opportunity and encouraging them to be global citizens. I look forward to collaborating in the future. 

I also visited with Mrs. Crahen's second graders in New York and Mrs. Whyte's first graders in Canada. Both classes had great questions including, 

"What is my favorite shark?"

"What is the biggest shark?"

"How old was I when I saw my first shark?"

"When did I first go diving with sharks?"

"Why do I like sharks so much?"

I absolutely love answering the questions and hope the experience makes an impact. It is so critical to get students at this age excited about sharks and our oceans and really push the fact that they can make a difference. Hopefully there are a few more shark advocates out there in the world going home and telling their parents they want to swim with sharks!

 Thanks to Mrs. Whyte and Mrs. Crahen for encouraging your students to care about sharks and our oceans! Keep up the amazing work. 

A Month of Exploring Oceans: Week 1 Skype Classroom Visits

Inspired by Fabien Cousteau's record-breaking Mission 31 expedition, Skype Classroom is celebrating our oceans during the entire month of November. I am really excited to be participating in the Exploring Oceans program and kicked off the event with 9 classroom visits last week. This provides such an incredible experience for students around the world, whether they live near the coast or are completely landlocked. No matter where or what, we all need to know about our oceans and this is a great way to connect the world.

I started off visiting a third grade class in Texas, who were also Skyping with a class in South Africa. The technology is remarkable and really opens new doors for educators on a global scale. My next visit was with 5th graders in Connecticut followed up by 4th graders in New Hampshire. This class was a lot of fun because I was familiar with the area, being that my parents live about 90 minutes away.

A student asking my a question via Skype 

Lots of great sharky questions!

I started my next day of visits in North Carolina with a group of special needs students ranging in age from 16 to 22. I am really honored that I was asked to speak to such an incredible group and this was by far, one of my favorite lessons. Thanks Ms. Katie for reaching out! I always tell teachers they can email me additional questions if we run out of time or students think of new ones. Ms. Katie’s class asked if sharks speak English? I answered that I assume sharks speak, “shark,” whatever language they may be. We know they communicate, but there is not yet a full understanding of how this is done.

I then spoke with a group of 3rd graders from Indiana before heading back to North Carolina to finish of the day with another group of 3rd graders. My final day of visits included classes in North Carolina, Canada and Oklahoma. Blows my mind to think about my travels and how many more students I am able to reach through the Skype Classroom program. There is no way I could fly around and do all these visits in person, but through the computer we are connecting the world and creating an army of global citizens.

Speaking to Mrs. Davie's Students in Oklahoma

Hammerheads were pretty popular during the week with questions about their eyes, vision and head shape. Talking about hammerheads is always fun for me because great hammerheads are my favorite animal on the planet. I always get excited when students ask about them or want to see more images or videos. I try to include time for as many questions as possible because I think the interaction is the most important part of the lesson. I have a message about sharks I want to spread, but I also want to make sure students are feeling as though they are being heard and hopefully by answering their questions I am doing this.

Each visit is different and tailored to the age of the students and to their questions. Some classes just want to know more about sharks, while others want to know more about what I actually do. I love the diversity, as it keeps it excited and keeps me on my toes. Looking forward to nearly 30 visits during November, so stay tuned.

Thanks to Ms. Musa, Mrs. Jones, Mr. Ferguson, Mrs. Benevides, Ms. Katie, Ms. Jackson, Mrs. Weaver, Mrs. Moore and Mrs. Davies for such a JAWSOME week and for encouraging your classes to care about sharks and our oceans.

School is Back in Session: Skype Classroom Visits

I love spending time in the classroom speaking with kids about sharks, but work over the past few months has really limited my ability to do so. My audience is slightly limited because I live on a tiny island, but Skype Classroom has really changed the way the world learns and has opened a lot more doors for me. (Classroom doors that is) I remember having guest speakers as a child growing up in Maine, but it didn’t happen very often and they were always local. I am blown away at the ability to broaden horizons and expand a child’s sense of the world, through a small window on the computer.

I have done classroom sessions before via Skype, as well as interviews for various shark projects, but last week I did my first visit organized through the Skype Classroom program. I was nervous and excited as I waited to connect with Mr. Grabowski’s 6th grade class, located in Guelph, Ontario.

I spent forty minutes speaking about sharks, shark diving and underwater video. The kids had really great questions about why sharks are important and what they can do to help. The time flew by and I closed the connection feeling a renewed sense of inspiration. The world of shark conservation is full of ups and downs and these classroom visits are the peaks that renew my resolve and challenge me to do more.

I did two more visits this week, one with second graders from Connecticut and one with an 8-year-old home school student in Michigan. I wanted to do a few to start and see how the logistics would be before I dove in completely. I think the experience is amazing and I have seven visits booked next week. It really opens the doors for students who do not have access to the ocean or maybe have never even seen the ocean. We all need the ocean and every child needs to know how important our oceans are and how important sharks are. It is also essential that every child realize he or she has a voice and that they can make a difference. Think global, but act local. We need to create the next generation of global citizens by initiating a conversation about things every person can do each day or each week to make a change.

I highly recommend this program to teachers and parents alike. You can bring the world to your classroom or to your children and make connections that cannot be found in any textbook.


MY SKYPE CLASSROOM PROFILE

Wild Kids: Creating the Next Generation of Explorers and Environmental Advocates

When you are a kid everything is big; cars, buildings, people and the size of the world itself is unfathomable. Our curiosity, compassion and dreams are also massive and as adults we should hold onto those traits for as long as we can.

I cherish my time working with kids and teaching them about sharks and shark conservation. During their formidable years it is crucial to give them facts and the skills the ask questions about the world around them. They are bombarded with media each day either on the Internet or television and a lot of it provides incorrect information. Megalodon is not swimming around and sharks are not man-eating monsters. Just because you see it on TV does not mean it is real. Shame on companies who produce content, knowing full well people are susceptible to believing the hype and hysteria. That being said there is a still a lot of great programming out there and we need to encourage people, kids included, to steer their attention toward it.

We recently had to opportunity to work with the Kratt Brothers while they were filming an episode of their PBS morning show,Wild Kratts. Together Chris and Martin highlight the weird and wonderful creatures of the animal kingdom in real life and as their adventure loving cartoon alter egos. Watching the guys interact with the natural world was a great experience. They do not turn it “on” for the camera, but genuinely love nature and love sharing it with others. Their excitement is contagious and is something every child should be exposed to. Nature is cool. Animals are weird, interesting, gross and remarkable all on their own without CGI or a plot to take over mankind.

During most of my school visits I talk to students about media and the bad reputation sharks get. We talk about movies like, Sharknado or Shark Night 3D and what they think about them. I encourage them to ask questions and be good junior scientists. Just because they are young does not mean they have to believe everything they see or hear. Sharing factual shark information allows them to have a voice and to speak up when something doesn’t seem right. They are the hope for the future of our oceans and we need to arm them with facts and reality, not Hollywood monster myths.

The world of shark conservation can be brutally frustrating, but working with kids always breathes new inspiration into my fight to keep pushing onward, no matter how discouraging present obstacles may be.It always reminds me of Pandora's box. Terrible things were let into the world, but hope was there and children are the hope for the future of our oceans. I recently received this note from a high school friend whose son catalyzed me giving a shark talk at my elementary school Alma mater. To me this is hope, inspiration, drive, passion, compassion and a reason to fight for animals that do not have a voice. We are their voice.

So, cute little story I thought you would like. Dylan had to choose Story Land or the Boston Aquarium for his summer trip. He very quickly decided it was way cooler to visit his shark buddies, of course! We arrived to find that they have an area to touch baby sharks. Long story short they were resting all day then his magical moment came! They moved just enough that he could "pet" them! He tells me beaming ear-to-ear “I waited my WHOLE life for that! And he didn't bite me mom! But there are no such thing as shark attacks anyway, just shark accidents!” Thought you would like that he hopes to work with you one day. Maybe you can hire him on 10 years!

My heart was overflowing with happiness. I have been burning the candle at both ends getting ready to launch a new website and non-profit and this is just the caffeine for the soul I needed!

The very best thing we can do for children is to get them off the couch and outside to experience the incredible world around them. No matter where you live there are things to see and animals to observe. From ants to elephants, every creature has its place and offers something to get excited about. We must teach our children the importance of respecting and caring for the ecosystems of the world and all the magnificent creatures that inhabit them. And if the kids are on the couch we must make sure they are watching programs that encourage them to explore, observe and love the great outdoors.

Alyssa Says, " Kids CAN Save Sharks."

Just realized WAY too much time has passed since my last blog. 2013 is flying by and my time has been consumed with lots of exciting ventures. I have been writing a lot of articles and working on the biggest passion project of my life. Please stay tuned for the launch of my new website and non-profit. I have also been doing a lot of outreach and mentoring projects, one of which included an interview with 9-year-old Alyssa. She loves sharks and recently did a project for her school science fair about great white shark Mary Lee. Mary Lee was tagged by OCEARCH off the coast of Cape Cod Massachusetts and can be followed on their shark tracking website. Alyssa interviewed me via Skype and we talked about how the media portrays sharks as monsters.

I decided to interview Alyssa and this is some of the cool stuff she had to say about sharks. Despite only being 9, Alyssa is spreading the word for sharks and changing peoples’ perceptions about these misunderstood and amazing animals. Sharks are in deep trouble around the globe and Alyssa is a great ambassador showing kids they can be heard and they can make a difference on behalf of sharks and our oceans.

You can check out Alyssa’s BLOG for more on her love of sharks.

Interview:
Me: What is your favorite shark?
Alyssa: Hammerheads are my favorite shark because I love the way their head forms. (They are MY favorite too Alyssa!)
Me: What is the most interesting thing you learned while doing your project?
Alyssa: I really like the theory about how sharks sleep.
Me: What can kids do the help sharks?
Alyssa: Kids can tell other people that sharks are not bad. It might make people think differently about sharks.



Conversations with kids always leave my heart filled with hope for the future of our oceans and for sharks. I get frustrated when I read news about fisherman killing sharks for records and trophies, like this MAKO recently killed for a reality television show.

I try and take a deep breath and think about students like Alyssa who are making a difference and realize just how much influence kids can have. This recharges my resolve to share a positive message about sharks with as many people as I can. The world of shark conservation is filled with disappointment, heart break and debilitating frustration, but there is hope and I always find it wrapped around classroom visits and interactions with students.

Setting an Example for Future "Shark-Girls"

This video has been going around the Internet and I have had quite a few people email or message me about it.
As a woman in the shark conservation and shark diving industry, I want my reputation to be based on the media I create, the outreach I do and the message I spread. I am not trying to prove how, “tough,” or, “cool,” I am, in fact, I am a science geek who is utterly obsessed with sharks.

I believe this woman was actually sharing a positive message for sharks and I have no doubt that she loves these animals and wants to help protect them. I am not sure though, why grabbing or riding sharks, seems to be the current popular choice for spreading shark conservation. She has spent time in the water and has observed the behavior of these animals, but what about the yahoo that has not and decides this looks like fun? What happens when something goes wrong? It is NOT the shark’s fault, but the shark will get blamed and it will only add fuel to the fire built on stereotypes, fear mongering and media frenzies.

I do a lot of classroom visits and I am always thrilled when girls come up and say they want to be a marine biologist or dive with sharks. If I am so lucky as to be looked at as a role model, I want young girls to aspire to ask questions, be science geeks and love and respect the ocean. I don’t want them to feel as though they have to ride a shark wearing a bikini to make a difference. I know sex sells and it is used to sell everything from potato chips to automobiles, but I do not think we need more reasons in society for woman to only be valued for their body.

P.S In the words of my good friend Mike Neumann, “sharks are NOT underwater scooters.”

Marriage, a Mortgage and Mangroves: 2012 The Year in Review

2012 was a pretty epic year both personally and professionally. I started the year off on a crippled Sea Shepherd vessel, limping back to port in Australia. Duncan and I were the film team about the Brigitte Bardot for Animal Planet’s Whale Wars series. Our vessel was hit by a 30 ft rogue wave and we were 8 days getting back to port. I think this goes on record as the scariest thing I have been through, but being able to capture it and share the story was pretty
remarkable.

We made it back to port safely and wrapped the shoot towards the end of January. We headed to Bali for a little R & R before making the long journey back to the US. Did a couple of dives and was happy to share Bali with Duncan. February found us prepping for our impending April nuptials. We visited my family for a bit in New England as we gathered supplies and made plans for a wedding in Bimini, The Bahamas. Bimini kept drawing us back, so it was a natural decision to share the island with our family and friends as we said our vows.

It felt so good to get back to Bimini and back to the island life. We had just under a month to get things sorted for the wedding, but getting our gills wet was also a must. Got in some snorkeling and diving before the final wedding countdown began. We were not only planning a wedding, but also tons of activities for family and friends who were making a vacation out of the trip. This ended being a lot more work than expected and we were both pretty wiped out. Ten days before the wedding we flew back to Florida because I needed what ended up being an emergency root canal. We arrived back on island just in time for my mom to arrive. So it began. Duncan’s parents arrived the next day, as did my dad. Our parents had never met, so we threw them on a boat and headed out for adventure. We took them to one of our favorite spots on the planet to feed wild baby lemon sharks. It was a perfect day and a perfect way for our families to come together.

The week before the wedding was a blur of people arriving, boat trips, activities, meals and finalizing details. Things move a little slower in the Bahamas, so quite a few things were getting down to the wire. Our good friend Dougie offered his boat for a day at Honeymoon Harbor for all our guests. About thirty of us made our way south to the pristine harbor. It is here that you can hand feed stingrays and we got everyone in for a magical moment. We had a few sharks come in and everyone had a blast. We are so lucky to have such amazing people in our life.

The rehearsal dinner was held at our condo at the Bimini Sands. We hired Hotness, a local legend, to come cook Bahamian fare for everyone. The meal was incredible and we even managed to get through the rehearsal, but not without some of the bridal party mooning a passing boat.

April 14, 2012 around 4 pm I made a vow to spend my life with the most amazing man I have ever met. The sun broke through the clouds and lit up the ocean for us. We had a Junkanoo band and everyone had a blast. There really are no words to describe the moment, but it is one that I will hold in my heart forever. The sand, the sun and the sea, a perfect place to make this promise. I love you Duncan Brake. This was of course a sharktastic affair with sharks on the wedding cakes, in our wedding pictures and on our wedding chariot.

NOT A WEDDING VIDEO

No rest for the wicked. We gave Sharklab tours the day after the wedding and did a shoot the following day. Duncan joined the Sharklab to film some underwater sequences for Shark Week’s “How Jaws Changed the World.” We met Wendy Benchley, widow of famed author Peter Benchley, and the shoot went really well. We had a few guests for another week and by the time we said our last goodbyes we were both exhausted.

May was busy with two big shoots and a sawfish!!! We arrived at the lab to our friend Steve shouting, “get in the boat. Get in the boat.” We raced off in one of the skiffs not even sure where we were headed. Finally getting our bearings we pulled up alongside the other lab boats and got ready to slip in. As a moved towards the animal, I gasped. She was massive at about 14 feet and beautiful. I had never seen a sawfish in the wild and it was incredible. They look they belong with dinosaurs. We watched her and filmed a bit before saying goodbye. The lab tagged her and was able to track her through part of the night. This was such a rare and remarkable encounter.

Our first shoot was for a Discovery Channel show called Curiosity. The premise of the story was a woman whose father’s plane disappeared in the early 1980’s on his way from Eleuthera to Florida. The plane has never been found and Pam was hoping to find some answers. We joined some local guides and checked out a couple of unidentified plane wrecks. The shoot was pretty powerful as we all shared in Pam’s want for answers and some closure. Check out this VIDEO for a sneak peak. One of the planes was like something out of a movie set and was covered in life. Bimini is located in the Bermuda Triangle and there are dozens and dozens of plane and boat wrecks surrounding the island.



Our next shoot was for a British program called, “How to Survive a Disaster Movie.”
The show looked at scenes from various movies and reenacted them to see the lack of reality. We were a part of debunking events from the movie Jaws. The host was a British comedian names Eric Lampaert. He was hilarious and absolutely fell in love with the island and with the sharks. He actually asked if he could come back as our intern and do the safety briefing, which he surmised to be, “ don’t be a prick underwater.”

Sad to say goodbye to Bimini we headed to the States. I had a shoot with Symbio Studios as part of another education science video. In this project a group of teachers from St. Louise traveled to the Everglades to literally get their hands on science. We caught and tagged bull sharks, took an air boat tour to spot wildlife, kayaked, met some big snakes and snorkeled in the mangroves. They all agreed that this was not the white lab coat and old scientist experience they were expecting. It is important for teachers to have that first hand knowledge they can share with their students. Despite the intense heat, everyone loved the adventure.

Duncan and I had been saving our pennies and decided that we wanted to finally get a home. We had money from the wedding as well and after a thorough search we purchased a condo at the Bimini Sands. Bimini has always felt like home and it kept drawing us back in. It is where we needed to be. We travel so much for work, but Bimini is home. It is very exciting getting a house; so much to do and get sorted. We immediately grabbed a few cans of paint and started making the place our own. Amazing a fresh coat of paint can do. We also added a lot of sharky touches and installed energy and water efficient fixtures and light bulbs.

Shortly after becoming homeowners, Duncan was nominated for an Emmy as part of the Whale Wars Season 4 camera team. Such an honor and I am so proud of the work he did. Now having a season under my belt, I can understand how challenging and rewarding shooting this show is. Fingers were crossed that we could make it to Los Angeles and that the team would take home a win!

The second annual Lionfish bash was held in Bimini in July and we were asked to shoot the photos and do a video. The bash is hosted by the Bimini Sands and sponsored by numerous vendors throughout the Bahamas and Florida. The proceeds go to The Woody Foundation, a charity to help people with spinal cord injuries. James “ Woody” Beckham loved diving in Bimini before a freak rugby accident left him paralyzed in 2011. The event brings people together for sport, charity and the planet. Lionfish are an invasive species in the Atlantic and they are decimating coral reefs without any natural predators.



August is a beautiful month in the Bahamas and in the water is where you want to be. We organized a conservation photo and video week aboard a local wild dolphin boat and lucked out with some amazing encounters. Duncan missed part of the week because he was filming a magic show at the Atlantic Resort in Nassau. We played with stingrays, sharks and dolphins, even enjoyed being a bit of a tourist in Bimini. Hurricane Isaac changed our planned August Tiger Beach trip, but we enjoyed some time with friends in Miami instead.

Headed north to visit several schools in Maine during the month of September. I think I did thirteen presentations from age Kindergarten to 6th grade. I always find so much inspiration from the kids. I really love visiting schools and hope that in 2013 I will be able to do even more. The young kids are wide eyed and just love seeing the pictures while the older kids have really great questions and are learning and how they can make a difference. Very empowering and always reminds me there is hope for our oceans. I was also asked to appear on the Maine news show 207 to talk about sharks. This was a fun experience and hopefully reached a few people who might otherwise not know a lot about why sharks are so important.

Headed back to warmer climates and right to Grand Bahamas for a visit to the West End Primary School

. I have spent a lot of time at the West End and at Tiger Beach and I wanted to share the importance of the sharks with the students. They have an amazing underwater world in their back yard and I want them to know it is something they can all visit and should visit. Everyone can learn to snorkel and dive and it is crucial for these kids to realize this includes them. The Bahamas established a Shark Sanctuary in 2011 and these kids should be very proud to be Bahamian and be part of such an amazing effort to conserve the oceans. The kids were beautiful and this was by far one of the most meaningful school visits I have done. I look forward to getting back there in the New Year.


We headed back to Bimini to start a shoot about us! Yes, roles reversed, us on camera, but still filming while someone was filming us. A German producer wanted to do a thirty-minute documentary about our life as a couple traveling the world filming sharks and trying to save them. Unfortunately Hurricane Sandy had other plans and we were more or less skunked on everything we tried to make happen. Ulf left Bimini with plans to return again in a month.



We scooted north again for me to do doctor, dentist and more school visits. My mom’s house is also a quiet place for us to put our heads down and edit or work on other projects. On our way back to Bimini we stopped off in Fort Lauderdale to do a shark talk to my mom’s godson’s class. He is in first grade and we had a great visit. Again, I get so much inspiration from these visits. The kids always surprise me with how much they know and how much they care. I emphasize how much they can do to help sharks even though they are young. Gives them a sense of importance to feel like they are a part of something.

Back to Bimini and back at it. Ulf arrived a day and half after we did and we wasted no time getting into. The shoot was an amazing success with gorgeous weather and some beautiful moments. It will be interesting to hear what we sound like in German! We took a group of high school students into the mangroves to feed the wild baby lemon sharks. Always incredible to see humans and sharks make a connection. We also visited the Louise MacDonald High School to speak with the students about the role Bimini is playing in shark conservation and how they can help. Such a rewarding experience and one I hope we get to do again soon. Duncan and I will be returning to the school for a few more visits early in the New Year.

On December 17th, our little

came home with us. She is a mostly pit bull puppy that we got from the north island. We knew we were going to be on island for three to four months, so it seemed to perfect time to get a puppy! We had both wanted one for a while, but we needed to wait for the right time when we would be home. She is amazing on boats and in the golf cart. We took her to Honeymoon Harbor to spend Christmas Day with our friends Katie and Grant. She curled up and slept most of the boat ride and loved the beach. She was not really interested in the stingrays. Katie wrapped her in a blanket and she slept the whole ride home. She has probably seen more parts of Bimini and the surrounding areas than many people that visit.

The bulls

are back in town in Bimini and were able to help Lauran from the Sharklab, catch and tag a 2.46cm female on December 29th. Duncan was picking up our friends who were arriving for a shoot, but he managed to get them onsite in time for a group photo with this big beauty. Lusca even got to see here first bull shark. Lusca has seen nurse sharks, black tip sharks, a bull shark, stingrays and a Bimini Boa; not too bad for only being ten weeks old.

Our friends Dony and Michelle arrived to shoot an education video about the world’s coolest forests for a charity organization called Trees for Life. The mangroves are an incredible forest and they are in trouble in Bimini as well as many other places on the planet. Mangroves provide shelter, food and protection for not only numerous species of animals both above and below the surface but also for people and the island itself. We visited lemon shark in the mangroves, snorkeled with a seahorse, learned about bonefishing and why the mangroves are so important for the island of Bimini. We met some amazing people and had an incredible team. Katie and Grant, activities directors at the Bimini Sands and the Bimini Sands Resort were integral in making this amazing project happen. It is projected that 100,000 students in Ontario will see this video and hopefully it will end up in the Bahamian schools as well. We finished the shoot by planting mangrove propagules with some of the local kids.

All in all, 2012 was an incredible year and I look forward to the upcoming adventures in 2013.

Best Fishes,

Sharkyjillian