Join the Plastic Pollution Coalition

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

"KOI"

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Video of the Brinicle on BBC Frozen Plant

Listen to Stones Throw artist Koushik!

"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

"tres amigos"

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Can you fathom it?

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.

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

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!

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

"Sun is Shining"

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Howard T. Odum Florida Springs Institute

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/

Listen to The Mix Up!

New Album "Hot Sauce Committee Part Two" Out NOW!
PURCHASE BEASTIE GEAR

Listen to Garage A Trois!

“Garage A Trois skew grittier and more psychedelic with the current lineup, combining heavy-riff distortion with a rough-and-tumble funk delirium.”
 – The New York Times
"A transformative, punkalectic, pornographic seizure of sight and sound."
 – John Margaretten (photographer)

featuring Stanton Moore, Mike Dillon, Marco Benevento, Skerik

Purchase the Album on CD or 12" vinyl 

Royalpotatofamily.com

Remaining Tour Dates for 2011

December 1 | UCSD The Loft | San Diego, CA (Advance Tickets)
December 2 | The Mint | Los Angeles, CA (Advance Tickets)
December 3 | Party at The Compound | Oakland, CA
December 4 | The Independent | San Francisco, CA (Advance Tickets)
December 7 | HumBrews | Arcata, CA (Advance Tickets)
December 8 | Sam Bonds | Eugene, OR
December 9 | Doug Fir Lounge | Portland, OR (Advance Tickets)
December 10 | Nectar Lounge | Seattle, WA (Advance Tickets)

Join the Visual Petition Today!

The Visual Petition is a powerful statement to the world declaring that surfers, as a global culture, will no longer stand by and let our ocean kin be murdered. Whales and Dolphins are revered by surfers and ocean lovers all over the world, though a minority of humans are intent on wiping out these masters of the ocean. Up to 26,000 Dolphins are killed every year in Japan, along with thousands of Whales killed by Norway, Japan and Iceland despite an international ban on commercial whaling.

No matter who you are, we have a unique affinity with the ocean and it's inhabitants. As the Earth is 70% water, so are we as human beings. We are the stewards of our coastlines and the protectors of the lifeblood of the world. This petition simply illustrates our collective power to act on those feelings of conservation, ensuring the next generation experiences the joy of Dolphins and Whales.

Join Dave Rastovich, Kelly Slater, Andy Irons, Ben Harper, Jack Johnson, Paul Watson, Ash Grunwald, Mick Fanning, Hayden Panettiere, Taj Burrows, Joel Parkinson, Ric OBarry, Xavier Rudd, Wolfmother, Missy Higgens and many more by signing up with them on the Visual Petition website today!

www.visualpetition.com

Photo of the Day

"Silhouette"

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TED talks with National Geographic photojournalist Brian Skerry

Watch Brian Skerry reveal ocean's glory -- and horror courtesy of TED.com

Wake Up Florida! What will we do when the springs run dry?

When the springs run dry

Florida’s leaders spent up to $24 million to keep the Florida Springs Initiative running throughout its ten-year existence. Comparatively, Florida has at least 900 artesian springs, known for their clarity and vibrant color, which contribute more than $300 million to the state economy each year through recreation and eco-tourism. 

“We need to reduce the amount of water we’re pumping out of the aquifer. Water management districts are beginning to recognize this, but they’re still giving out permits for additional groundwater withdrawals. They’re handing them out like candy.” - Bob Knight Director of the Florida Springs Institute.

Oceans Soul: Photographs by Brian Skerry

Brian Skerry is a photojournalist who captures images that not only celebrate the mystery and beauty of the sea but also bring attention to the pressing issues which endanger our oceans. His project Ocean's Soul is currently featured in Washington DC, which is based on the book under the same title. 

"For decades I have tried to peel back the layers of mystery surrounding many marine creatures, though most have held tightly to their secrets. One animal that keeps me pondering is the shark. Spellbound by these enigmatic animals since I first encountered them in New England, I never tire of watching their special blend of power and grace. Despite much observation, we know so little about their lives. I have photographed sharks in waters around the globe, and I always want more and yearn to peer deeper into their world. To feed my passion and to raise awareness, I developed a story about sharks for National Geographic magazine. Although there are great places in the world to see specific species, the Bahamas was a place where I could photograph many species in a variety of habitats that would provide a broader view of these animals. The Bahamas has mangrove nurseries, coral reefs, shallow sea grass beds, and deep oceanic trenches—all perfect ecosystems for sharks. Photographing multiple shark species in exquisite water was the assignment I had dreamed about from the start."
"My goal was to make intimate pictures of sharks, but I didn’t want to perpetuate the myth of sharks as monsters. Rather, I wanted to portray them as an elegant and important part of each ecosystem in which they lived. The pictures needed to be respectful, so that old beliefs would fade and a new view might take hold. Early in this project I made a photograph that helped set the tone. Kneeling on the sea bottom in a place known as Tiger Beach, I watched a 12-foot- long female tiger shark cruise over the turtle grass with three silver bar jacks swimming in front of her nose. The shark ascended toward the surface, so I did the same, hoping to fill the frame with this regal animal but unsure of what might actually happen. As I drew near, I released the shutter just as the tiger shark turned. The result was an image that offers a gentle view of this apex predator, one in which shadows of tiny fish are painted on her face and her appearance is anything but threatening."
                                     -Excerpt from Brian Skerry's Ocean's Soul

Photo of the Day

"The Devil's Eye"

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Using Sustainable Water to Plan for the Next Billion

Water: It's everywhere...or is it? From the clothes we wear, to the energy we use, to the goods and services we consume daily, water is the hidden resource we constantly depend on to maintain and enhance our lives. We are currently consuming too much water, too quickly for this natural resource to continue to adequately supply our needs. Americans use more than 400 billion gallons of water in a single day, that's more than our total oil consumption in a year. We need to introduce new ideas and technological innovations to teach the next generation how to curb and better manage our water consumption. We need to move beyond conserving and start reusing our water. Think about it, "Is the storm water, rainwater and sanitary water that leaves our homes, office buildings or campuses a waste or an untapped resource?"

The BlueHouse offers an innovative solution to reduce our water demand. The BlueHouse can intercept what is today considered a waste and use what tomorrow will be considered a valuable resource. The BlueHouse treats water through a natural process for onsite reuse in boilers and cooling towers, machining and industrial processes, irrigation and even toilet flushing. Treating and reusing water with a system that is co-located on-site, significantly reduces the amount of time and cost compared to adding massive infrastructure to existing municipal systems to complete the same function. The BlueHouse's innovative design features an odorless, lush, greenhouse that uses the world's first systematic application of reactor-based, complex adaptive ecosystems. This breakthrough technology has enabled Sustainable Water to change the look and feel of water treatment and reuse altogether. Our patented design allows for turn-key installations in less than 4 months, allowing for the rapid realization of the benefits of reclamation and reuse. As an aesthetically-pleasing greenhouse the BlueHouse can be sited in nearly any environment: urban or rural without adding any modification to the current plumbing and storm water infrastructure.

While, the BlueHouse was initially designed for municipal and industrial applications, our modular design can also be universally applied at nearly any college or university, airport, resort, military base or any place where large volumes of water can be safely and reliably reclaimed and reused. The applicability options of our facility are virtually endless, allowing for you to continue living your life the way you have been, while reducing your water footprint. By reusing water, you will lower your water intake and output, reduce your overall water costs, lower the stress on our current water infrastructure and minimize the amount of harmful discharge the may be re-entering our environment.

Population growth and climate change are altering the planet at a faster rate than expected. Water is the most important substance for life, so it is imperative that we begin taking action. The BlueHouse is not a lifestyle change, but it is a change in how we use water. By taking the demand off of potable water supplies, we can create a reliable resource; minimize our stress on the natural environment and lower costs at the same time.

Photo of the Day

"Source of Life"

Click on the photo to view in high resolution

Free entry to Florida State Parks 11/11/11

Friday, November 11, in honor of Veterans Day

Entry to many of Florida's State Parks will be free, excludes only the Skyway Fishing Pier State Park. Check out to the FL State Parks Map to find just the right place to spend the holiday

Tubers on the Itchetuckenee

Association Internationale pour le Développement de l'Apnée (AIDA)

The International Association for Development of Apnea

AIDA  

is the Worldwide Federation for breath-hold diving. An assembly for freedivers; competiton, education, and community.

The AIDA non profit organization has defined several disciplines in freediving over the years. Founded in 1992 they authenticate world records achieved in competitive events such as NLT (No Limit Apnea), and CWT (Constant Weight Apnea). AIDA aims to set standards for safety, comparability of Official World Record attempts, and freedive education.

Learn more about free-diving and the AIDA organization at:
http://www.aidainternational.org/freediving

Listen to Toubab Krewe

Asheville, NC based band Toubab Krewe harmoniously fuses Mali music with American music styles. They do so by playing some unique instruments such as the kora a 21-string harp-lute, the kamelengoni 12-string harp-lute, and the soku Malian horsehair fiddle.

One of my favorites from TK 

Gotta love that bluesy sound from the cigar-box guitar

Listen to their entire set from Rothbury 2009 right here courtesy of archive.org

*Track 5 they blend in a tribute to Micheal Jackson's "bille jean" with "Hang Tan" from their self-titled album
New Album Tk2 out now!
Support the Artists

Photo of the Day

"Rainbow River Rocks"

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30 second clip of free diving in caves

Filmed at Ginnie Springs 

Photo of the Day

"Hana Hou!"

Waikiki, Oahu

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Aquatic Preserve Act

Aquatic preserves protect the living waters of Florida to ensure that they will always be home for bird rookeries and fish nurseries ... freshwater springs and salt marshes ... seagrass meadows and mangrove forests. In 1975, with growing appreciation for their environmental diversity and alluring beauty, Florida enacted the Aquatic Preserve Act. This ensured that aquatic preserves' natural condition ... "their aesthetic, biological, and scientific values may endure for the enjoyment of future generations." Encompassing almost two million acres all but four of these "submerged lands of exceptional beauty" are located along Florida's 8,400 miles of coastline in the shallow waters of marshes and estuaries. These waters are ours to enjoy and ours to protect."

Oklawaha Aquatic Preserve

Follow the link FL Aquatic Preserves to learn more about Florida's 41 aquatic preserves.

Listen to Thom Yorke (Radiohead) DJ on BBC 6 MIX

Follow the link to soundcloud.com to download/listen

Thom-Yorke-bbc-6-mix-10-16-11

Photo of the Day

"Carry me away"

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Flying Lotus

    Listen to Flying Lotus on soundcloud.com 

Thundercat - $200 TB prod.Flying Lotus ft. Austin Peralta by Flyinglotus
Flying Lotus // Massive Attack// vibeangel mix1 by Flyinglotus

FlyLo Cosmogramma

Voted #1 album of the year at the Gilles Peterson World Wide Awards 2011

Indeed, Cosmogramma is an intricate, challenging record that fuses-- jazz, hip-hop, videogame sounds, IDM-- into something unique. It's an album in the truest sense. Warp Records had this to say about Cosomogramma "...an entirely new range of sounds been unlocked by our intrepid astral traveler, but every genre touchstone associated with his name has been merged into a self-described “space opera”. Seamless in execution and too wide in scope to properly describe, it is the authentic embodiment of his unique musical heritage. The spirit of his famed aunt, Alice Coltrane permeates the record, notably in the powerful collaborations with relative Ravi Coltrane, bass virtuoso Thundercat and the brilliant harp prodigy, Rebekah Raff."

"I'm finally getting to the point where I can make the kind of records... that I wanted to make when I was younger, things that I dreamed about making," - Steven Ellison, AKA Flying Lotus

A tribute to surfers taken by the sea from Panda Bear

Happy Halloween!

Panda Bear is Noah Lennox

founding member of Animal Collective

His newest single "Surfer's Hymn" from the album Tomboy is a tribute to surfers taken by the sea. The single is available on limited 7" vinyl via kompakt.fm 

"Surfer's Hymn" Directed by Sam Fleischner

PANDA BEAR "Surfer's Hymn" from m ss ng p eces on Vimeo.
*Featuring Zoo York Skate Team*

A Sea Dirge

Full fathom five thy father lies:

Of his bones are coral made;

Those are pearls that were his eyes:

Nothing of him that doth fade

But doth suffer a sea-change

Into something rich and strange.

Sea-nymphs hourly ring his knell:

Hark! now I hear them,—

Ding-dong, bell.

-W. Shakespeare

Photo of the Day

"Shady Road"

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Watch September Sessions

The September Sessions surf documentary came about, when world champion surfer Kelly Slater asked director Jack Johnson to film him in action. The setting for this beautiful 16mm film is the coast of Sumatra, where the Army works hard to be able to provide the viewer an exciting expedition of its kind. The September Sessions is not just fantastic waves, the soundtrack is also breathtaking, it captures the true essence of surfing and power gliding over the waves.

Get The September Sessions on DVD at Amazon.com

DOOM X RADIOHEAD

MF DOOM has teamed up with Radiohead's Thom Yorke and Jonny Greenwood for an as-yet-untitled track to appear on the Lex Records compilation called Complex. It'll be made available digitally on a week-by-week, track-by track basis until mid-January, at which point the whole set will be released on picture disc vinyl. 

DOOM will head out on a UK tour in November, teaming up with Ghostface Killah and Jneiro Jarel for a show in London. Dates are below. Get tickets here

11-02 Madrid, Spain - Matadero
11-03 Glasgow, Scotland - The Arches
11-04 Manchester, England - HMV Ritz
11-05 London, England - Roundhouse #^
11-07 Leeds, England - O2 Academy
11-10 Oxford, England - O2 Academy
11-11 Hatfield, England - The Forum
11-15 Bristol, England - Motion
11-16 Birmingham, England - O2 Academy
11-18 Brighton, England - Concorde 2
http://www.stonesthrow.com

Photos from the Itchetucknee

Join the Friends of Florida State Parks

Photo of the Day

"Surfar las olas"

October 19th, 2011

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National Geographic's Global Action Atlas

Click here to view an Interactive Map of the World's Freshwater.

Check out the Fresh Water Initiative

The National Geographic Society’s freshwater initiative is a multi-year global effort to inspire and empower individuals and communities to conserve freshwater and preserve the extraordinary diversity of life that rivers, lakes, and wetlands sustain.

North Central Florida Residents:

The St. Johns river needs our help!

  The Trust for Public Land’s St. Johns River Initiative is focused on preserving the character of the 310-mile-long St. Johns River – and people’s access to it. 

Found out how you can help at actionatlas.org

Watch Melali: The Drifter Sessions

 Drifting Productions presents a Taylor Steele/Rob Machado film

While wandering through Indonesia filming the award winning surf movie The Drifter. Rob Machado met up with various friends for surf sessions on the best waves the islands had to offer.

 

 Surfers: Dane Reynolds, Kelly Slater, Kalani Robb, Shane Dorian, 

Dan Malloy, Mike Losness, Marlon Gerber, and Rizal Tanjung.

 Directed by Rob Machado and Ian O’Roarty

Download Here

Melali The Drifter Session
OR
Buy the DVD Here
Kickerfilms.com

Photo of the Day

"Ray of Light"

Click on photo to view in Full Res

Listen to the norman rockwell beat tape

             

Download
LA rapper producer Johnson Barnes AKA godlee barnes AKA blu
myspace.com/herfavcolor
Support the artist

Free State of Mind

Music by Damu the Fudgemunk 

2 minute short from 10/19/11

Shot entirely on Go Pro HD Hero

Crescent Beach, FL

Photo of the Day

"Wunderbar"

Crescent Beach FL 10/19/11

Official Music Video for Lotus - Blacklight Sunflare

Written directed and edited by Jacob Landis-Eigsti

Produced by Reimagine Cinema

Starring 

Sam and Vanessa Jones

Special thanks to Jordan Weaver, Anita and Randy Landis-Eigsti, Jared Zook, Jim Brenneman, Jerry Peters, Ref Fransen and Vonda Litweiler, Bob Toews.

"Blacklight Sunflare" off the self-titled album by Lotus (Released 2011-09-23 on SCI Fidelty Records). More info visit: http://www.lotusvibes.com

Photo of the Day

"L'amour est bleu"

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RHCP Live in Brazil

Watch Red Hot Chili Peppers 

Live from Rock in Rio Festival 9/24/2011

Setlist

1- Monarchy of Roses
2- Can´t stop
3- Charlie
4- Otherside
5- Look around
6- Dani California
7- Under the bridge
8- Factory of Faith
9- Throw away Your Television
10- Maggie
11- Me and my friends
12- Did I let you know
13- Higher ground
14- Californication
15- By the way
16- Around the world
17- Blood sugar sex magic
18- Give it away

The Red hot chili peppers are

Michael "Flea" Balzary bass, trumpet, piano, keyboards

Anthony Kiedis lead vocals

Chad Smith drums

Josh Klinghoffer guitar

Click here to see RHCP at Rock in Rio 2001 with then guitarist John Frusciante

Photo of the Day

"Mon Monde Est Bleu"

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Watch my short film "Free Dive Florida"

 

This is my most recent short film shot september 2011 at Ginnie Springs highlighting the Devil's spring system. Click Here to see this film in HD

Young flounder near Main Ginnie

Short clip shot Friday 9/26/11 with Go PRO HD HERO featuring a snippet of BBNG's Goblin Medley. Listen to their new album here for free via bandcamp



Also check out this article in exclaim mag about the guys of BBNG and their debut performance in Toronto.

Itchetucknee short film

"The Itcheetuckne Springs State Park is one of my favorite places of outdoor recreation. It's spectactular clear blue water is teeming with fish & bird wildlife. I love the wide river bends & natural florida landscape throughout. The park itself is a wonderful facility that accommodates a high volume of Florida residents & visitors from around the world."

Click Here to download my short film from Itcheetucknee Springs State Park & Blue Hole Spring. Featuring music by The Beatles, Buff1, 40 Winks

The footage used in this movie was shot on Sony Cybershot HD & Go Pro HD Cameras throughout October 2010. I do not claim the right of ownership to the music used in this film it is intended for promotional use only. Support the Artists Buff1 & 40 Winks

Ocean of Doubt

A short film by Alexandra Cousteau, granddaughter of famous French explorer and filmmaker Jacques-Yves Cousteau. Ocean of Doubt was filmed 4 months after the Deep Horizion oil spill on location in some the areas hurt most by the tragedy.



A true inspiration

A dedicated environmentalist, Cousteau advocates the importance of conservation, restoration and sustainable management of water resources for a healthy planet and productive societies. In 2008, she established the Blue Legacy organization to continue her family's work in protecting the oceans. Since its inception, Blue Legacy has been on a mission to explore crucial water issues across the globe. Blue Legacy's mission takes form in three ventures; Expedition: Blue Planet, Blue Action Dialogues and Alexandra's upcoming book, This Blue Planet.

Photo of the Day from National Geographic

Blue Hole and Diver

Photo courtesy of Wes Skiles 

"A column of sunlight illuminates a diver in the diamond-clear waters of Blue Hole in North Florida’s Ichetucknee Springs State Park. Conservationists worry that Ichetucknee, one of the crown jewels of Florida's parks system, could become polluted by runoff far from the park's center."
Buy a print of this photo

Rock Running Explained

Simply put, this is an underwater breath training exercise for free diving. The weight, in this case, is an 80lb limestone rock. The persons feet are firmly on the ground, the weight counteracts your body's natural buoyancy underwater. This allows the person to train holding in more of their air for longer while on the bottom. The amount of energy it takes to run with the rock combined with the breath hold makes for a great workout. For obvious reasons it is important to only attempt this with a partner and to never try alone.