O.K., so typically, movies that involve diving are more about the romantic adventure of diving,than the technical accuracy of the sport. Having said that, these are my top five picks. Lets just say that these movies are more of a guilty pleasure!
5.Into the Blue(2005); Jessica Alba,Paul Walker. A group of divers discover a crashed plane containing drugs. Well, some of these movies really are just eye candy.
4.Fool's Gold(2008);Kate Hudson,Matthew McConaughey,Treasure,romantic adventure on the high seas, and diving. A bit zany,at times, but good for the pure escapism of it all.
3.After the Sunset(2004);Pierce Brosnan, Selma Hyak, Woody Harrleson. More of a comedy about retired jewel thieves. Nice scenery, and of course,diving.
2.The Deep(1977); Jacqueline Bissett. Kind of a tie between this and Thunderball, for me! This one was shot on the RMS Rhone,so, brownie points for authenticity.
1. Thunderball(1965);Sean Connery as James Bond. One of the best. The dive scenes are pretty improbable,what with the knife fights,and all. Still, just good fun. And you can actually dive some of these sights,in Nassau!
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These were just the movies that came instantly to mind, when the subject came up. I am guessing that you can come up with a few more!
Sunday, May 2, 2010
Saturday, April 24, 2010
Earth Day
When I woke up yesterday morning,I didn't really plan on doing anything for Earth Day. Not that I don't think it is a great idea, I do. We should all try a little harder to do good things to help the Earth. Other than planting seeds in the garden with my children when they were small, I can't say that I have every really thought about doing anything. As there had been patchy frost over night, I knew that I would not be doing any seed planting.
So, I went about my day,starting with my usual trip to the Mega Grocery store near my home. As I rounded the corner of the aisle across from the sea food case, I noticed 4 men in suits, with clip boards. They, along with the store manager were inspecting the cases and taking notes. Ahh,the Big Wigs,from headquarters. Suddenly, a light bulb went off in my head! I remembered that I had put a copy of the safe seafood list from the Monterrey Bay Aquarium in my purse. I walked up to the nearest man and said "I see from your signs around the store,that you are interested in being more organic and green,yes?" He was polite ,and replied that he was very interested in any suggestions to help the store in this area. I put the list in his hand,and, he did look a little puzzled,at first. I explained that the columns on the page represented fish to choose,and fish to avoid. He said,"That's great, but I am not sure what to do with it?" I suggested that he take the list and give it to the fish buyers back at HQ. That way, they can make better informed choices.too He asked to keep the list,so maybe that is a sign that he will actually do something about it.
I do know that it made me feel like I had actually done something for Earth Day! It seems like a pretty simple thing to make more informed choices. Especially with the internet. Information is only a click away. And let's face it, as divers, we have a front row seat to all the beauty in the oceans. Making informed decisions is one thing that we can all do,everyday!
http://www.montereybayaquarium.org/cr/cr_seafoodwatch/download.aspx
So, I went about my day,starting with my usual trip to the Mega Grocery store near my home. As I rounded the corner of the aisle across from the sea food case, I noticed 4 men in suits, with clip boards. They, along with the store manager were inspecting the cases and taking notes. Ahh,the Big Wigs,from headquarters. Suddenly, a light bulb went off in my head! I remembered that I had put a copy of the safe seafood list from the Monterrey Bay Aquarium in my purse. I walked up to the nearest man and said "I see from your signs around the store,that you are interested in being more organic and green,yes?" He was polite ,and replied that he was very interested in any suggestions to help the store in this area. I put the list in his hand,and, he did look a little puzzled,at first. I explained that the columns on the page represented fish to choose,and fish to avoid. He said,"That's great, but I am not sure what to do with it?" I suggested that he take the list and give it to the fish buyers back at HQ. That way, they can make better informed choices.too He asked to keep the list,so maybe that is a sign that he will actually do something about it.
I do know that it made me feel like I had actually done something for Earth Day! It seems like a pretty simple thing to make more informed choices. Especially with the internet. Information is only a click away. And let's face it, as divers, we have a front row seat to all the beauty in the oceans. Making informed decisions is one thing that we can all do,everyday!
http://www.montereybayaquarium.org/cr/cr_seafoodwatch/download.aspx
One of my pet peeves
This has been a pet peeve of mine for quite some time. Plastic bags. Yes, plastic grocery bags. How many divers have seen them on a dive? Caught up in a reef, half buried in the sand, or floating free, like a jelly fish? Maybe the correct question is, how many haven't seen them?
Here, in the north, when the snow thaws, they are everywhere. Blowing across fields, caught up in trees, in ditches, flowing in streams on their way to lakes, then oceans. They are the single most visible form of litter everywhere.
This isn't a plea for all of us to start bringing re-usable bags with us to the store(although, that is a great idea). From what I see, many people are starting to do that on a regular basis. What I am wondering is if we could get the stores to stop carrying them completely. No more plastic grocery bags, ever!
I am just thinking out loud here, but can a bag be manufactured out of something bio-degradable? Some of the carry-out containers are now being made from bio-degradable products.
Maybe, it isn't as serious of a problem as I think. I just envision future archeologists digging up whole layers of earth that contain nothing but plastic bags. I wonder what they will think of us?
Here, in the north, when the snow thaws, they are everywhere. Blowing across fields, caught up in trees, in ditches, flowing in streams on their way to lakes, then oceans. They are the single most visible form of litter everywhere.
This isn't a plea for all of us to start bringing re-usable bags with us to the store(although, that is a great idea). From what I see, many people are starting to do that on a regular basis. What I am wondering is if we could get the stores to stop carrying them completely. No more plastic grocery bags, ever!
I am just thinking out loud here, but can a bag be manufactured out of something bio-degradable? Some of the carry-out containers are now being made from bio-degradable products.
Maybe, it isn't as serious of a problem as I think. I just envision future archeologists digging up whole layers of earth that contain nothing but plastic bags. I wonder what they will think of us?
Wednesday, November 19, 2008
Art Stuff
I did not realize that I had not blogged here in such a long time. Just a quick up-date. Over the Summer, I participated in an "Art Battle". This is a competition of ,in this case, twenty artists. We were to finish a piece of work in just three hours. It was quite a challenge for me, as I have not ever finished a piece in such a short amount of time. The good news is , I finished! The not so good news, I did not win. I will say that any of the people who were involved with the challenge could have easily won. Very talented people,including, my son. The weather was no help either. We were out-doors, in a tent. It was at least 85 degrees. Then it started to pour rain. Then we had thunder and lightning. Then torrential rain, leaking tent, running paint. My Husband arrived halfway through the challenge to point out that I was standing in a river of rain, and my roll of paper toweling was soaked! I guess that you could say that when I paint, I kind of have blinders on. I had not even noticed! I will say that it was a wonderful opportunity to meet many new people, all with an interest in Art.
As a result of being involved in this event, I will be having a new showing of my work. I will be participating in the First Thursday Art Walk in Bay City. The date is December 4th. I will be at "Dive and Glide". It is located at 707 Washington. I will be there between the hours of 5:00 and 8:00. This business is a perfect match for me. Not only because I enjoy painting marine life, but also because the owner was my instructor for scuba! So I hope that you will come out and see me. I will have some of my works there for sale. Maybe you could get some early Holiday shopping done. Bay City has experienced a revival in recent years. It should be quite nice, all decked out for Christmas. See you there!
As a result of being involved in this event, I will be having a new showing of my work. I will be participating in the First Thursday Art Walk in Bay City. The date is December 4th. I will be at "Dive and Glide". It is located at 707 Washington. I will be there between the hours of 5:00 and 8:00. This business is a perfect match for me. Not only because I enjoy painting marine life, but also because the owner was my instructor for scuba! So I hope that you will come out and see me. I will have some of my works there for sale. Maybe you could get some early Holiday shopping done. Bay City has experienced a revival in recent years. It should be quite nice, all decked out for Christmas. See you there!
Tuesday, August 26, 2008
Stone Cottage
I am torn between telling you about Stone Cottage and not. After all, there are only 52 weeks of the year to rent it. I am tempted to keep it to myself!
Guess that I will let you in on the secret. Stone Cottage is a gorgeous little villa on the cool North side of St. Thomas. It is small, only enough room for two people. Sherri and Jeff, the owners, have done a beautiful job of building and decorating it. The cottage is set into the side of a hill, with lush tropical trees and flowering shrubs all around. There is a wrap around balcony that provides you with a stunning view of Inner Brass and Outer Brass Islands. A nice plunge pool and lounge chairs make for a lovely, private area to enjoy cocktails. If you choose to cook, there is a kitchen, complete with stove, fridge, and many pots, utensils, even herbs and spices. The decor is Island cool, with rattan furniture and refreshing citrus colors.
As this was our second time visiting Stone Cottage, Sherri and Jeff made us feel like we were returning home. Sherri met us at the airport and escorted us(in our rental car) to the cottage. She gave us a beautiful welcome basket, complete with goodies and snacks. We chatted for quite awhile. If there is anything that you need while you are there, from a masseuse to a nice bottle of wine, Sherri can hook you up.
If you enjoy just relaxing by the pool, walking to the beach, reading a book, and cooking your own meals, a car is not absolutely necessary. I highly recommend renting a car, though. Driving is on the left here, which can be a challenge(that is why I always let my Husband drive). The vistas and views are absolutely stunning! Shopping at Havensite is world-class. St. Thomas is a destination that provides so many things to do,and also the best of relaxing on the beach. We only ate out a few times,but every meal was excellent.
One night, Sherri and Jeff called us to invite us out to dinner, what a delightful surprise! We went to Tickles, a restaurant at Crown Marina. Tickles is a nice little restaurant with very good food. The atmosphere is friendly, with equal share of locals and "Yatchies". We had a wonderful time with Sherri and Jeff. They told us more about themselves, great stories about St. Thomas when Jeff was growing up there, and Sherri's stories of arriving there as a young woman from upstate New York. The evening flew by quickly,and it was so nice to feel like one of the "locals". Sherri and Jeff are a fantastic couple,very down to earth and funny! We could not ask for a better end to the most excellent vacation that we have had in a very long time!
Sunday, June 22, 2008
Hull Bay Photo
This is a Photo of Hull Bay. In the backround are Inner Brass and Outer Brass Islands. This is one of my favorite(non-fish) things to paint!
Tuesday, June 10, 2008
St.Thomas
My vacation in St. Thomas was so excellent that I will have to break it into several blogs. St. Thomas is not known for its' diving, I realize that. I feel as if that reputation is undeserved. I saw many healthy corals, and thousands of juvenile fish. I love that macro stuff, and there was much of it. I saw several fish that I had not seen before,including a Redlipped Blenny and a Juvenile Dusky Damselfish. The Damselfish couldn't have been more that an inch long, but it was a little orange and indigo gem. I am starting a painting of him today, hope to have it available on my web shop soon.
The only wreck dive that my Husband and I went on was to visit the wreck of the Cartanzar. The Cartanzar was a derelict freighter that was moved from Amalie Harbor and set by Buck Island Cove. It was then broke into three parts by Hurricane Hugo. It was an interesting wreck as an illustration of the force of a hurricane(even under water). We saw a moray eel,and a cleaner shrimp. The dive master held the shimp up to pose for the camera, pictures were taken. I guess that little guy is famous in someone's photo album! Although it was a nice dive, the boat was just packed. If you've been in this situation, you know how it goes. Everyone mobs the divemaster with their cameras each time she discovers something new. I know that it can't be helped, but we made certain that our next dive was a shore dive!
Hull Bay is very close to Stone Cottage, the place that we stay when we go to St. Thomas. I can't wait to tell you about it and it's owners, Sherri and Jeff( but I will). Hull Bay is a very small cove, with a few boats moored right in the bay. We started our dive from the boat ramp, which made it very easy to unload our tanks. Most of the interesting stuff is to your right as you face the water. It is a very shallow dive,less than 12ft. This means we had a least an hour bottom time. This is my favorite thing! Lots of time to explore all the little nooks and crannies. So many baby fish! Shoals of Silversides and really healthy coral. We were told that there is a drop to about 40ft. at the outside of the reef, but we never made it that far because we were so interested in everything that we were seeing at the shallow depths. One word of caution: the boat ramp is slippery with algae( found this out the hard way). Hull Bay Hideaway, the bar at the beach does a decent bar-burger. The Locals tell me that I was lucky to have such a calm day, many people enjoy Hull Bay for Board Sports because there is quite often a chop on the water. Either way, I will always look back on this trip as the one where I fell in love with shore diving!
The only wreck dive that my Husband and I went on was to visit the wreck of the Cartanzar. The Cartanzar was a derelict freighter that was moved from Amalie Harbor and set by Buck Island Cove. It was then broke into three parts by Hurricane Hugo. It was an interesting wreck as an illustration of the force of a hurricane(even under water). We saw a moray eel,and a cleaner shrimp. The dive master held the shimp up to pose for the camera, pictures were taken. I guess that little guy is famous in someone's photo album! Although it was a nice dive, the boat was just packed. If you've been in this situation, you know how it goes. Everyone mobs the divemaster with their cameras each time she discovers something new. I know that it can't be helped, but we made certain that our next dive was a shore dive!
Hull Bay is very close to Stone Cottage, the place that we stay when we go to St. Thomas. I can't wait to tell you about it and it's owners, Sherri and Jeff( but I will). Hull Bay is a very small cove, with a few boats moored right in the bay. We started our dive from the boat ramp, which made it very easy to unload our tanks. Most of the interesting stuff is to your right as you face the water. It is a very shallow dive,less than 12ft. This means we had a least an hour bottom time. This is my favorite thing! Lots of time to explore all the little nooks and crannies. So many baby fish! Shoals of Silversides and really healthy coral. We were told that there is a drop to about 40ft. at the outside of the reef, but we never made it that far because we were so interested in everything that we were seeing at the shallow depths. One word of caution: the boat ramp is slippery with algae( found this out the hard way). Hull Bay Hideaway, the bar at the beach does a decent bar-burger. The Locals tell me that I was lucky to have such a calm day, many people enjoy Hull Bay for Board Sports because there is quite often a chop on the water. Either way, I will always look back on this trip as the one where I fell in love with shore diving!
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