jcvdude

Tuesday, December 28, 2010

Did you know - Cruise ships use Caribbean Sea as a solid waste dump??

Under the current Caribbean regulations, ships can begin dumping garbage, including metal, glass and paper, three miles (five kilometres) from shore as long as it is ground to less than an inch. Almost anything but plastic can be dumped beyond 25 miles (40 kilometres).

Miles from shore in the open Caribbean Sea, cruise ships are dumping ground-up glass, rags and cardboard packaging. But vessels in other waters such as the Baltic and North seas are prohibited from throwing any solid waste overboard other than food scraps.

The difference?

Many countries with coastlines on the world's most fragile seas abide by a United Nations dumping ban that requires them to treat ship-generated garbage on land. Caribbean islands, however, have yet to adopt the ban, saying they simply don't have the capacity to treat ship garbage on shore. They also fear the ban could push ships to dock in less regulated ports of call.

The islands scattered across the Caribbean have struggled to establish a common policy because when it comes to the cruise industry, they see themselves as competitors. Cruise ship arrivals are major economic events, with passengers spending roughly $1.5 billion annually in Caribbean ports. Governments are wary of driving away ships that might find fewer requirements or lower fees elsewhere.

In one notorious example, Carnival Cruise Line withdrew from Grenada in 1999 amid a dispute over $1.50-a-head tax to pay for a new landfill. "Countries haven't forgotten that," said Christopher Corbin, a Jamaica-based officer with the United Nations Environmental Programme. " They are worried that they will get played off against each other."

Plastic bottles, all kinds of shoes and flip-flops litter the coast. We have seen this kind of litter throughout the Caribbean from Dominican Republic to Jamaica. My suspicion is that it comes from cruise ships, especially the footwear, accidentally lost overboard. Plastic bottles and bags should be banned world wide.

JCVdude

Joe Vass

Freelance Videographer/Citizen Journalist

( No.1 Most Viewed Video in Canada)

(18th Most Viewed All Time in Canada)
http://www.youtube.com/JCVdude

http://twitter.com/JCVdude

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Sunday, December 26, 2010

Howler Monkeys in Mexico!

Howler Monkeys are native to South and Central American Forests, with 9 recognized species. Like other animals, they are threated by human predation, habitat destructions and being captured for captivity.

Howler Monkeys range in size from 56 to 92 cm, excluding their tail which can be equally as long. They typically live in groups of 10-15 animals having 1-3 adult males in the group.

Howler Monkeys are considered to be the loudest land animal as a result of an enlarged hyoid bone (lingual bone) a horseshoe-shaped bone in their neck. The main vocals consist of loud, deep guttural growls or 'howls' which can be heard throughout the day. As Guinness Book of World Records notes, their vocalizations can be heard clearly for 3 miles (4.8 km).

These Howlers were living in the trees in Playcar, Mexico - moving through the tree tops between the Sandos Resort to the Iberostar Tucan Quetsel Resort. They eat the leaves and the fruit. The resorts discourage human contact other that photographing and filming. However, there is one Resort Friend who has gained the trust of one of the males in this group.

JCVdude

Joe Vass

Freelance Videographer/Citizen Journalist

( No.1 Most Viewed Video in Canada)

(18th Most Viewed All Time in Canada)http://www.youtube.com/JCVdude

http://twitter.com/JCVdude

Posted via email from JCVdude's posterous

Wednesday, November 24, 2010

Swimming with Sea Turtles - Akumal Bay in the Riviera Maya Mexico

Mexico has the largest number of sea turtle species worldwide. Seven of the eight species known at the world nest on Mexican beaches in the Pacific, the Gulf of Mexico and in the Caribbean.One of the most amazing experiences we've had in visiting Mexico is taking the Akumal Bay Snorkeling Tour to see/swim with the Green Sea Turtles.

The Green Turtle is a vegetarian species when adult and loves the sea grass in the Akumal Bay. They will also consume algae and invetebrates. We have also filmed these majestic animals in the bay of the Barcelo Palace Resort.

On this day, at Akumal Bay, we enjoyed 7 different turtles. Hope you enjoy!

JCVdude

Joe Vass

Freelance Videographer/Citizen Journalist

( No.1 Most Viewed Video in Canada)

(18th Most Viewed All Time in Canada)http://www.youtube.com/JCVdude

http://twitter.com/JCVdude

Posted via email from JCVdude's posterous

Tuesday, October 5, 2010

YOLO - Google - YouTube and now 3 years later

Three years has flown by and our passion for travel, YouTube and videos just keeps growing. A few weeks ago Cindy flew in an air show with the Fraser Blue formation flying team and I filmed model 3D planes in Vernon, float planes in Salmon Arm and RC jets in Princeton.
Salmon and kokanee, black bears, beaver, mule deer bucks and a variety of birds, changing fall colors and fall fair with miniature horse chuck-wagon races, First Nation dancers and drumming, rodeos and the World famous
Omak Suicide Race. Then there was 3 weeks in Jamaica, BC ski resort and Mexico - just in the past year.
Many more things coming - first up 3 weeks in the Riviera Maya and then....

Live life with a goal a passion and live it full...YOLO You Only Live Once....

JCVdude

Joe Vass

Freelance Videographer/Citizen Journalist

( No.1 Most Viewed Video in Canada)

(18th Most Viewed All Time in Canada)http://www.youtube.com/JCVdude

http://twitter.com/JCVdude

Posted via email from JCVdude's posterous

Both California and Rocky Mountain Bighorns are considered vulnerable and “at risk” . . .

The oldest Bighorn Sheep fossils found in North America are about 100,000 years old. The race or subspecies known as the California Bighorn (Ovis canadensis californiana) inhabits the southwest interior of British Columbia and extends southward on the east side of the Coast and Cascade ranges into northern California. At one time, there were 1.2 - 2 million Big Horn Sheep in North America. During the late 1800s, overhunting decimated many Bighorn Sheep herds in British Columbia. It is estimated that there are 18,000 in BC, AB and Montana. BC's population is estimated at 3,300 to 3,625 in 1998 when the last count occurred.

The bighorn’s name comes from the adult ram’s massive, brown, spiralled horns that curl back and down close to the head, with tips that project forward and outward just below the eyes. The horns continue to grow throughout the sheep’s life, but growth slows down in winter. This causes check lines, or annuli, whose number shows the ram’s age. Ram horns can be as long as 127 cm around the curve and as thick as 40 cm around the base. Rams often wear away (or broom) the first year or two's growth by fighting with other rams or rubbing their horns against rocks. Ewes have slightly curved horns about 30 cm long. Their annuli are too close together to tell their age beyond five or six years

Both California and Rocky Mountain Bighorns are considered vulnerable and “at risk” in British Columbia, which means that without further protection, they are likely to become either threatened or endangered. Today, the Province of British Columbia allows the 'harvesting' of these beautiful and disappearing animals. For $29,500 plus TAX one is provided a 13-14 day trip to kill a Ram.
No wonder BC doesn't want to have legislature to protect the wildlife.