At Adventure Antigua, we have been thinking about making changes to our Eco Tour video for some time as we felt that the day the footage was taken wasn't sunny enough and also we didn't really have enough footage to make the tour look as cool as it acutally is. This has been one of Antigua's most talked about tours for ten years and it has been featured in all kinds of magazine articles and TV presentations. Anyway, Acquafilms recently did some more footage and managed to sneak in a small amount of helicopter footage with Caribbean Helicopters. The stuff they got was amazing and hopefully we will have our new movie soon. It will be replacing this one which is still a great version of our famous tour:
Wednesday, October 26, 2011
Tuesday, October 18, 2011
Adventure Antigua goes to Panama's Whale Watching Conference.
Adventure Antigua goes to Panama's Whale Watching Conference, but with a slight change of plans. As mentioned a few weeks ago in this blog, I was nominated to attend a special United Nations Environment Program (UNEP). Anyway, my ticket was sent and I booked to go until yesterday, when I had some news that prevents me from leaving Antigua. Sadly I will miss the trip, but missing it for something even more important here makes it easier not to attend.
I knew that this was a very important meeting for tour operators and more importantly for environmentalists. Adventure Antigua prides itself on being both.
When I made the decision to cancel my flight yesterday I knew I had to get someone else to attend, and the first person who came to mind was our main Eco Tour guide Nicola Nash. Read a little about her here.
I think it's funny that the title on that blog from back in January was Adventure Antigua's Other Eco Ambassador. Since writing that piece she has taken a very active roll in the Antigua Sea Turtle Project which is managed by my wife and is always willing and eager to be involved with anything eco. Of course she loves seeing whales and dolphins and whenever she sees them she tells everyone. As you would expect, my ticket was non refundable and non transferable so Adventure Antigua had to pay for the ticket last night. WOW going last minute from Antigua to Panama City isn't cheap!! Worth it I am sure though. As someone who has studied marine biology, she was and is the perfect replacement for me at this conference which as their first emails explains will help us (and whales) here in Antigua and the Caribbean:
......is a first attempt to bring together marine resource operators and managers from the Wider Caribbean Region (WCR). It will include 4 days of hands-on training and discussions in order to:
Discuss the formulation of an overarching code of conduct for observing marine mammals in the WCR;
Assess the extent of problems and needs, and identify opportunities for improvement of existing marine mammal watching operations; Identify new areas that might support marine mammal watching activities; Document existing marine mammal educational materials; and
Standardize data collection forms used by operators.
and ....... to facilitate the conservation of marine mammals and contribute to the Action Plan for the Conservation of Marine Mammals in the Wider Caribbean.
I hope to be in close contact with Nicola and will make sure that the media and other tour operators get a very good briefing once she returns. We are lucky here in Antigua and Barbuda to have beautiful humpback whales passing through between January and May. In the past year while out boating we have also seen many other marine mammals including Bottlenose Dolphins, a Blainvilles Beaked Whale, Spinner Dolphins, Pilot Whales, and others that were not close enough to ID. I am happy that we can learn more from this important event and hopefully we will be able to enlighten many here on the island too.
Sunday, October 16, 2011
"Red Skies in the Morning"
Here is a bit of fiction that expresses what many of the caribbean's fishermen experience and remember when they are older and can no longer go to sea.
The nocternal syphony performed by crickets, and tree frogs slowly comes to an end before dawn when a few feathered singers join in. This is the time of morning that fishermen are up getting ready to set off.
This morning is special though as the only noise to be heard is song provided by the birds, crickets and frogs. The beautiful melody provided by the trade wind as it rustles through the coconut tree branches isn't around today and neither do I hear the quiet lullaby of the waves against the shore. This is one of those special mornings where the night's cool from the land is stronger than the warmth of the sea. There is no breeze at all and I am always happiest when we have these still conditions on a fishing day. The funny thing is that most fishermen that i know hate it when the seas are as still as this, saying that fish don't bite when it's so calm. That's a matter for them.
As I leave the house with my foul weather gear and cooler a shiver runs through me. I don't know if it's the cold or the nervous anticipation that i often get on perfect mornings like this one. The stars are slowly disappearing into a purple background which changes colours to violet and then pink as fast as it swallows the constellations.
By the time i get to the boat the sky is a brilliant orange and I take a moment to look around smiling even though we are the last boat to leave port.
It's going to be a special day..... I know it.
The nocternal syphony performed by crickets, and tree frogs slowly comes to an end before dawn when a few feathered singers join in. This is the time of morning that fishermen are up getting ready to set off.
This morning is special though as the only noise to be heard is song provided by the birds, crickets and frogs. The beautiful melody provided by the trade wind as it rustles through the coconut tree branches isn't around today and neither do I hear the quiet lullaby of the waves against the shore. This is one of those special mornings where the night's cool from the land is stronger than the warmth of the sea. There is no breeze at all and I am always happiest when we have these still conditions on a fishing day. The funny thing is that most fishermen that i know hate it when the seas are as still as this, saying that fish don't bite when it's so calm. That's a matter for them.
It's going to be a special day..... I know it.
www.adventureantigua.com
Thursday, October 13, 2011
An Antigua slide show that will make you book the holiday.
I have posted this here before but this past week someone said they saw it for the first time and was convinced than if someone sitting in an office somewhere in a big city saw this they would stop what they were doing and book their holiday. These photos were taken by me and all have something to do with my job at Adventure Antigua. Enjoy!
Thursday, October 06, 2011
Adventure Antigua will be on Canadian TV
Earlier this year we were luck enough to be involved with a Canadian TV production that was done for National Geographic Kids. The Program is Called "Are We There Yet?" and is a travel adventure series for kids and their parents. It's a fantastic show and hopefully we can get it here too. Anyway, the trailer for this years season recently came out and in it you catch a glimpse of us sailing with the kids. We are seen in minute 3:32 below. When i find out when the episode featuring Antigua and Adventure Antigua is going to be shown i will let everyone know. Enjoy the show's season preview here:
Tuesday, October 04, 2011
Adventure Antigua set to attend whale watching workshop in Panama
"Dear Mr. Fuller,
03 October 2011
Re: Workshop on Marine Mammal Watching in the Wider Caribbean Region Panama City, Panama 19-22 October 2011
The United Nations Environment Programme-Caribbean Environment Programme (UNEP-CEP), through its Protocol on Specially Protected Areas and Wildlife in the Wider Caribbean Region (SPAW) sub-programme, and with the support of the National Environmental Authority of the Government of the Republic of Panama (ANAM) would like to invite you to attend a Workshop on Marine Mammal Watching in the Wider Caribbean Region. The Workshop, which is being funded by the National Fish and Wildlife Foundation, U.S. Marine Mammal Commission, the French Marine Protected Area Agency, UNEP-CEP, the SPAW Regional Activity Centre, Humane Society International, International Fund for Animal Welfare, the World Society for the Protection of Animals and the Pacific Whale Foundation will take place at the Radisson Summit Hotel and Golf in Panama City, Panama, 19 – 22 October 2011.
The Workshop is a first attempt to bring together marine resource operators and managers from the Wider Caribbean Region (WCR) and you have been selected to attend because of your work as a tour operator. The Workshop will include 4 days of hands-on training and discussions in order to:
Discuss the formulation of an overarching code of conduct for observing marine mammals in the WCR;
Assess the extent of problems and needs, and identify opportunities for improvement of existing marine mammal watching operations; Identify new areas that might support marine mammal watching activities; Document existing marine mammal educational materials; and
Standardize data collection forms used by operators.
..........
We look forward to your participation in this workshop to facilitate the conservation of marine mammals and contribute to the Action Plan for the Conservation of Marine Mammals in the Wider Caribbean. We have also attached a copy of the Workshop’s draft agenda for you to review."
03 October 2011
Re: Workshop on Marine Mammal Watching in the Wider Caribbean Region Panama City, Panama 19-22 October 2011
The United Nations Environment Programme-Caribbean Environment Programme (UNEP-CEP), through its Protocol on Specially Protected Areas and Wildlife in the Wider Caribbean Region (SPAW) sub-programme, and with the support of the National Environmental Authority of the Government of the Republic of Panama (ANAM) would like to invite you to attend a Workshop on Marine Mammal Watching in the Wider Caribbean Region. The Workshop, which is being funded by the National Fish and Wildlife Foundation, U.S. Marine Mammal Commission, the French Marine Protected Area Agency, UNEP-CEP, the SPAW Regional Activity Centre, Humane Society International, International Fund for Animal Welfare, the World Society for the Protection of Animals and the Pacific Whale Foundation will take place at the Radisson Summit Hotel and Golf in Panama City, Panama, 19 – 22 October 2011.
The Workshop is a first attempt to bring together marine resource operators and managers from the Wider Caribbean Region (WCR) and you have been selected to attend because of your work as a tour operator. The Workshop will include 4 days of hands-on training and discussions in order to:
Discuss the formulation of an overarching code of conduct for observing marine mammals in the WCR;
Assess the extent of problems and needs, and identify opportunities for improvement of existing marine mammal watching operations; Identify new areas that might support marine mammal watching activities; Document existing marine mammal educational materials; and
Standardize data collection forms used by operators.
..........
We look forward to your participation in this workshop to facilitate the conservation of marine mammals and contribute to the Action Plan for the Conservation of Marine Mammals in the Wider Caribbean. We have also attached a copy of the Workshop’s draft agenda for you to review."
So this is great news for Adventure Antigua and for all tour operators here in Antigua. As many of my readers know, I think that Antigua's governmental support for Japanese whaling is totally flawed in so many ways. They are not representing the interest of Antigua and Barbuda.
For more on some of the things i have written about whales and our Japanese designed fisheries policy check this: http://antiguaisland.blogspot.com/search?q=japan
For more on some of the things i have written about whales and our Japanese designed fisheries policy check this: http://antiguaisland.blogspot.com/search?q=japan
I'll come back and share what i have learned with other tour operators and the people of Antigua and Barbuda.
A few of my videos where we had fun with whales and dolphins:
A fun Antigua video
This video shows a selection of interesting places and things to do in Antigua. They didn't speak with my company when they came out, so Adventure Antigua wasn't featured. I guess we are still a hidden secret within a hidden secret. lol
Anyway, enjoy the video:
www.adventureantigua.com
Anyway, enjoy the video:
www.adventureantigua.com