Ronda Rousey - Mental Midgetry?

Shark conservation messaging, or whatever, by fucking Shark GENIUS PdG - source.

And I cite,

It is a good, well constructed show with professional and scientific insight 

Right.

That was good old Riley who STILL desperately wants to be somebody in Sharks, or whatever, and STILL just does not get it and STILL publicly pals with human garbage.

Anyway, along with many reputable presenters, experts and shooters, we did obviously turn it down as we will categorically not host any shoot for Shark Week as long as they continue to air those horrible exploitative programs, and showcase those pathetic self promoting media whores and their pathetic feats.

Back then I called it mental midgetry. 

But I was wrong. It is so much worse than that.

Watch.

See what I mean?

No blame goes to poor naive Rousey and husband  who have been obviously conned into believing that any of that is in any way an accomplishment. 

But seeing how all that fabricated gratuitous and misleading hype by those fucking self important morons is portraying sweet old Blunt, Gillette, Crook and Granma as lethal killer machines really gets my blood boiling. How dare they!
And no you fucking hypocrite: it is not epic, it is fucking pathetic!

And the bloody operator?

Need I really point out the idiocy of publicly allowing a total beginner to feed your Sharks on your dive - and of allowing another total amateur and untrained ignoramus to pose as a feeding expert? 

Is this maybe the reason why Aqua Trek have shortly thereafter fired Brandon their fucking GENIUS Shark whisperer, and this apparently with cause? Hardly - but here's to that, and good riddance; and here's to the guys down the road using this as an opportunity for some fucking reflection, and to them and others (...) stopping to enable all those revolting Shark porn media that are ultimately harming Fiji's reputation as a Shark ecotourism destination!

Anyway.

Like an old broken record, let me repeat - over and over and over again.

Here are my own questions to fellow Shark diving operators and conservationists.

• Are we gonna continue to pretend this (read!) is not happening?

• Are we gonna continue to watch that shit?

• Are we the operators gonna continue to enable it?

• Are we gonna continue to give our business to operators who do?

• Are we gonna continue to admire and to associate with those people?

Questions questions!

PS - Comments: please post them here & not on Facebook. Thanks!

Philippe!

It's a wrap.

We've just hosted a small shoot.

It's for an educational travel series called Awesome Planet that focuses on earth science topics, is geared towards the 13-19 year old audience, and is hosted by Philippe Cousteau. The show is in production for the 5th season  and averages around 700,000 viewers a week nationwide (with an additional 20,000 / month on Amazon Prime).

And now that I've met him, I must say that I really like the dude.

Highly knowledgeable and undoubtedly passionate, world renown and yet refreshingly humble and funny, he is the real deal, and it has been a true delight and also an honor working with him.

This is exactly what we like to facilitate.

Like the episodes of Einstein, this is something respectful and educational that doesn't want to exploit the Sharks and focuses on what we actually do as opposed to some contrived story line featuring the usual assortment of self-enamored media whores.

Which brings me straight to that shit with Ronda Rousey.

No it was certainly not us - along with many other reputable people ranging from potential hosts to researchers to shooters we decided to turn it down as we ultimately want nothing to do with all that gratuitous hype and mental midgetry that are this show in particular and Shark Week in general. 

But of course there will always be some desperate operator enabling that horrible exploitative crap; and of course one can always count on the usual pathetic assortment of self-promoting hypocrites like the king of Shark porn and the Tweedledum and Tweedledee of pseudo-conservation who will always be all-too-happy to come clowning around in front of the camera and molest some poor unsuspecting Shark. 

Case in point - yes that would be conservation messaging, or whatever, and I can certainly leave it at that!

But I'm digressing as usual.

What I really wanted to say is, merci beaucoup, ça a été un vrai plaisir - and a big shout out to Jason of Silver Shark Media for having organized and managed the shoot impeccably!

À la prochaine!
 

The Shark Whisperer: Terrifying Pictures!

This is a Great Hammerhead.

Depicted here by the incomparable Wolfgang Leander, it is majestic, enigmatic and unbelievably elegant, a true marvel, joy and privilege to behold.

It is also threatened with extinction.

Endangered is the second-worst category of the IUCN and I invite you to read about the many plights affecting this particular species, from the widespread deliberate targeting for the Shark fin trade to its devastating mortality when caught as bycatch to its continued persecution by trophy-hunting anglers right here on the IUCN Red List. 

Thankfully, the Hammerheads are now starting to be protected locally and internationally - but the effects of that protection are so far unknown and may well be severely curtailed by its extremely high post-release mortality, and international Shark conservationists remain gravely concerned.

Very shy and now also rare, it can only be reliably encountered in a very few select locations like e.g. Rangiroa where they aggregate during the Eagle Ray mating season.

And then, there is Bimini.

So far, nobody appears to know why the Hammers aggregate there in spring, but Doc's Sharklab is, respectfully, working on finding answers. And of course, as of late, the Sharks have been a boon for the local Shark diving industry that is desperately trying to preserve its precious asset, and the integrity of local Shark diving, by politely asking that visitors adhere to a set of common-sense rules.

And now have a look at this pathetic shit.

So this is Bill and Joe's take on Shark conservation messaging - and I'm revolted. 

I ask, could anything be more disrespectful than this repugnant sequence of grotesquely distorted toothy caricatures and depictions of human dominance - and stupid, exploitative, narcissistic and hypocritical to boot?

But worry not - I'm not gonna dwell. Tho I could!

Whereas responsible Shark diving operators are trying to elevate the industry to more sustainable levels, a subset of adrenaline seeking self-promoting yahoos are pushing Shark encounters to ever new lows. I call it Troglodyte Shark Diving, and its requirement for ever bigger and more inane thrills is progressively thrashing Shark diving sites from Florida to the Bahamas to Guadalupe and recently even Fiji. Despite of all the bullshit about wanting to change perceptions, yada yada, it is zero about conservation and all about some macho wannabee heroes wanting to flaunt their cojones, or whatever, by taking stupid risks, or manhandling and dominating the animals.

And about money and perceived fame.

Or as my wise friend once stated, way back then.

It stopped actually being "about sharks" a long time ago. 
It's about the individual and what the sharks as a vehicle to notoriety can do for them.

And this rant?

It will achieve nothing except for establishing yet another pathetic feud. But I'm happy that I've finally got it off my chest because I've been watching those folks and biting my tongue for way too long!

Joe - Great Hammerhead!

Still my favorite pic - check out the link!

Nice!

This is one of my very favorite Sharks.
Thanks Joe!

Enjoy!

Legacy!

Source.

Very nice!

Legacy: The Words of Peter Benchley presents the shark conservation message of Peter Benchley, the author of Jaws – in his own words. 

Legacy combines Benchley's eloquent words with the stunning imagery of white sharks filmed by the immensely talented underwater filmmaker, Joe Romeiro. 

Over a third of other pelagic sharks are also threatened with extinction, and shark populations throughout the world have been decimated by unsustainable demand for their fins. And yet, sharks are essential to the healthy balance of the oceans. 

The message of Benchley, and of Legacy, is that we need to protect these important and magnificent animals.

From Shark Savers and 333 Productions. 

 Enjoy!

A whole lotta Bull - Video!

As I said, big but not that big!
Great job by Dan Crowell and great to see Joe - and may we be witnessing the birth of yet another Shark Man here?
Oh and note Neil's Bistro Mario Batali Edition Crocs - always the fashionista! :)

Bravo Joe!

Great pic by, I think, Lawrence!

Joe Romeiro has once again posted a stellar video.
It is about Cal Ripfin aka Shredder, one of the stars of Guadalupe.
Great footage, editing, music - and great guy!

Enjoy!



Tip'o hat (and HNY!): The Dorsal Fin!

A Tribute to Jacques Cousteau!

333 Productions: Joe and Bill (with Jean-Michel Cousteau)

Nice hommage to JacquesCousteau by 333 Productions.
Enjoy!