Marine Megafauna Archives | TRAVELS WITH TAM

Diving Komodo with Ray of Hope was a Powerful Experience!

August 18, 2016 By Tam Warner 14 Comments

Last month, July 2016, I traveled to Bali Indonesia to board The Arenui for a Ray of Hope Expedition with Marine Megafauna director Dr Andrea Marshall. The trip was nothing short of amazing. My dives with The Arenui and Ray of Hope Expeditions were so fabulous…I saw so many animals I’d never seen before, and I want to see them again (well, not the Komodo Dragons! Once is enough). I have posted so many dive photographs, and photos of the formidable Komodo Dragons, but not the life of the boat or the people who populated it, neither have I posted many photos of the incredible islands of Komodo National Park. Dive boats are a special experience because the bonding that takes place on board, even if only for the trip itself, is unusual. Just a day after boarding you have met everyone, and personalities emerge immediately. Divers get right to it, they don’t need to have a persona, or a social mask. We are all so excited to be on a dive boat, ready to go, that we start sharing information and experiences immediately. This trip was somewhat atypical for me because it had so many Americans on board. Usually it is the League of Nations, with several different nationalities and ethnicities. There was a lovely Australian couple on board, and they were hilarious and wonderful and fabulous divers. The cruise directors were Mexican and British, the crew was Indonesian. Hopefully this photo post will give you an idea of the trip overall! The Arenui is absolutely luxurious! I’m ready to do it again!

Komodo, scuba, cruise, liveaboard — Komodo National Park and Indonesia are beautiful.

One of my favorite aspects of a Ray of Hope Expedition! Learning about Mantas, what the research is telling them, and how conservation can save these Manta Rays.

All Ray of Hope Expeditions add to the database of knowledge Andrea needs to do her research. Her research helps protect the animals and create safe havens through protection.

komodo, diving, travels with tam — Andrea and I

My Last Few Days in Komodo were Absolutely Blissful

August 11, 2016 By Tam Warner 16 Comments

Komodo, Scuba, Blissful, adventure — Spadefish

Welcome to Fab Photos Friday! I doubt these photos do my trip justice. My last few days in Komodo were absolutely blissful! The beauty of Komodo National Park continues to amaze me. I confess that I love looking at the photos from every dive site and every moment of my Ray of Hope Expedition on The Arenui. The islands were also beautiful, and I took far too many photographs of them! I mean, how many times can you look at lush green islands and blue water?

Komodo, Scuba, Bliss, adventure — So much life!

Scuba, komodo, blissful — Bats at Sunset at Setonda, photo by Andrea Marshall.

Fab Photo Friday: Reef Mantas in Komodo National Park

August 5, 2016 By Tam Warner 6 Comments

It is Fab Photo Friday! On Day 4, the Ray of Hope Expedition caught up with Mantas! ROHE’s main goal is always to identify as many manta rays as possible, and records were broken on this trip! Takat Makkasar is a known Manta hangout, so day 4 was mostly spent on this reef. When we were not diving it, we snorkeled it. There were Reef Mantas everywhere. As a matter of interest, only Reef Mantas, or Manta Alfredi, live in Komodo. These mantas are a little smaller than the Giant Manta, or Manta Biostris, and instead of traveling the oceans, Reef Mantas tend to stay within a certain “home” area. Reef Mantas can grow to be 12 feet in wing span, while the Giants can be over 20 feet in wing span. This was my very first time to see Reef Mantas, and I love them every bit as much as the Giants I have seen all over the world.

Ray of Hope, Manta Rays, Komodo, Arenui — ID shot of a beauty!

It is so interesting to watch mantas being cleaned. Many pelagics require cleaning (as do many fish) in order to clean wounds, and remove parasites. Butterfly fish are avid cleaners, and in some areas, Angel Fish join in. The butterflies nibble parasites, wounds, and other detritus from the ray.

The number of Manta IDs was incredible! Komodo National Park yielded 80 individual identifications on one day, a record breaker! Andrea was thrilled with the productivity of the trip…and we had a wonderful time along the way. What could be better than citizen science and fun?

Ray of Hope Expedition: Dive Adventure in Komodo

August 3, 2016 By Tam Warner 1 Comment

My latest dive adventure on the Arenui in Komodo, Indonesia was also a Ray of Hope Expedition. What is a ROHE, you ask? It is a trip where research and the sheer joy of diving conjoin. Dr Andrea Marshall, co-founder of the Marine Megafauna Foundation, explains: “Explore new aggregation sites with us, encounter mantas in remote destinations, photo-document manta rays for upload to Manta Matcher, participate in research activities, investigate manta ray fisheries and receive lectures from world-class biologists as a part of your package. The goals of each of the expeditions are unique but every trip is tailored to engage participants while producing high quality science.” I have been on several of these expeditions, and I have thoroughly enjoyed every one of them. It is exciting and rewarding to be able to participate in the field with scientists who not only share, but live, your passion for the ocean and its inhabitants. No matter where I go, I take Manta ID or Whale Shark ID photos where so I can upload them to the Manta Matcher or the Wildbook of Whale Sharks database. You can do it too! Find out how by clicking on Ray of Hope Expeditons! Check out my other Citizen Science trips. Africa, Ecuador, Yucatan, St Lucia, Komodo (now publishing).

Our second day of diving in Indonesia’s islands on the Arenui Boutique Liveaboard was non-stop excitement. Our first reef was Bontoh where I saw my very first Ghost Pipefish! Each dive showed me more and more animals I had never seen before. To see these “exotic” creatures was intoxicating! The sand on these reefs is black, or at the least, very dark, and this is due to the volcanic activity the area has had. One had to be very careful, make one wrong move and sand flies up like a cloud!

indonesia, diving, scuba, arenui — So many of the creatures are like flowers.

Our next two dives were spent at Black Diamond Reef. Each reef seemed more fabulous than the one before!

The night dive on Day 2 was at Bontoh. Diving at night is an ethereal experience with different animals entirely. Looking up, you could see the moon and the stars at the top of the water column. When looking around the reef, I found only miracles of nature.

indonesia, night dive, arenui — Check out the candy cane eye stalks on this Hermit Crab!

Our dive group consisted of Andrea Marshall, Queen of Mantas, myself, Alan, Tom, and our dive guide, Debbie! Each dive was better than the last!

Diving Komodo: Angel Reef and Satonda

August 1, 2016 By Tam Warner 24 Comments

I have to confess that the first dive in Komodo was unbelievable! It was like turning a sugar lover loose in a candy store. There was so much to see!

The Arenui is LUX. At 6:30 a.m. we were awakened, and everyone met in the dining room for “first breakfast”. First breakfast is continental…coffee, fruit, yogurt. Then, first dive of the day, followed by Second Breakfast which was anything you wanted: pancakes, french toast, eggs, baked beans on toast (for the Brits and Aussies), noodles…as I said, anything you want! And of course, by the time we came up from the first dive, our cabin was clean and sparkling.

Our first stop was Moyo Island and Angel Reef. I have to say that Angel Reef was heavenly, indeed! My first Komodo dive…and how gorgeous it was!

Angel Reef, Satonda, scuba, Arenui — A Red Spinecheek Anenome fish with its baby

After Angel Reef and Second Breakfast (I felt like a Hobbit!) our second dive site was Satonda. I saw Pygmy Sea Horses for the first time! I was too excited to focus on them with my camera, but still! Pygmy sea horses!

Of course, there was much more to see!

Komodo, scuba, diving, Arenui — A Giant Clam!

After finishing dive two, lunch is served! After lunch, dive 3. After dive 3, snacks! If a night dive is on the schedule, you do the night dive and then have dinner. The crew of the Arenui anticipate every thing you want. They really are amazing. If you want to dive Indonesia, do go on the Arenui! It is an incredible experience.

I will be back with scenes from Day 2!

In Celebration of International Women’s Day: Amazing Women Everywhere

March 8, 2016 By Tam Warner 15 Comments

international womens day, amazing women, travels with tam — **Lisa Ling is one of my favorite CNN journalists.**

I have written many articles about amazing women. Each one of them makes a considerable contribution, as do many of the women we hold as role models such as Michelle Obama, Jane Goodall, Gloria Steinem, Hillary Clinton, Dr Sylvia Earle, and those role models who have left us, such as Maya Angelou, Mother Teresa, Rosa Parks…there are so many of them, so valued, so respected.

But what about every day women who are making a difference? Who praises them? Hopefully someone does. I hope each one of us does our best to make the world a better place, in our own way. I could not possibly give you a complete list of the women I admire, there are simply too many of them. Some of them would not want to come out of the shadows, would not want any links leading to their online presence. I will respect that, but I still want to try and acknowledge them. Others are bloggers, or activists, or scientists, or business women who are online and would not mind my sharing.

Why do we have a day to celebrate women? Women are still not equal in our world. Women do not earn the same as men do, the biological fact that women carry children holds them back professionally, men in most societies do not man up and do their share of raising children or taking care of the home. Women are still bought and sold against their will, undergo genital mutilation, are sold into marriages they do not want, and forced to hide their very faces from the world. Women still have to fight for every inch of ground. Damned right we should celebrate women! Here is a small group of women whom I admire, and who are making a difference simply by living their lives.

diana herself — **Diana is an incredible photographer, and everyone who sees her photos is inspired to help conserve our waters!**

Turn It On Fitness — Juetta Myers West is a long time friend, from junior high school. We have reconnected, and she is living her dream, she created Turn it On by Juetta West, a crossover line of athletic fashion wear! Pretty daring! An example to all who are afraid to take a risk.

ashley-rader — **Ashley Radar of Making Midlife Matter.**

Elena Peters of Making Midlife Matter.

Helene-headshot1 — Hélène Tragos Stelian is an active midlife woman, writing books and devoting herself to her blog, Next Act for Women. Hélène blogs about what women are doing with midlife, their “next act”. She writes about amazing women…every woman on her blog is an inspiration.

nancy hill — **Nancy Hill of The Women’s Legacy Project. Inspiring women to tell their stories! Check out this blog…it is filled with remarkable women!**

Nancy is a realtor in Alpharetta, Georgia and has received many awards for her achievements...but her crowning glory is SHAMROCKIN' FOR A CURE. She and her husband helped found this charity which donates to Cystic Fibrosis Foundation, and have served on its board ever since. Generous woman! — Nancy is a realtor in Alpharetta, Georgia and has received many awards for her achievements…but her crowning glory is SHAMROCKIN’ FOR A CURE. She and her husband helped found this charity which donates to Cystic Fibrosis Foundation, and have served on its board ever since. Generous woman!

denise herzing — “For 28 years, Denise Herzing has spent five months each summer living with a pod of Atlantic spotted dolphins, following three generations of family relationships and behaviors. It’s clear they are communicating with one another — but is it language? Could humans use it too? ” Check her research out at the TED Talks!

**Carol Cassera believes that we all recreate ourselves through living our best lives. She explores life after death, humor, and everyday experiences. All of her posts are interesting!**

tree tahoe — Lyn is an amazing woman. How many lives has she contributed to? She has worked for and with children for the last 25 years, through handling international adoptions to working with behavior problem children. She is a strong, admirable, and inspirational woman…a shy woman, so I won’t give too much information!

Cathy Chester, author of An Empowered Spirit. Cathy is amazing…she writes a health blog, and keeps up her spirits, and everyone else’s, by sharing her life with us. Cathy has MS, but she lives with it, manages it, and keeps on going. Truly amazing.

My dear, dear, dear friend Lauri who has dealth — My dear, dear, dear friend Lauri who has dealt with so many health issues and manages to live the fullest life you can imagine! Lauri has beaten cancer, and manages her MS beautifully. She keeps moving. She always says it’s no fun getting older, but since Lauri still runs around like a twenty year old, I don’t see it! And, she was right there with me when I needed it the most….when Randy was ill. Keep rocking it, Lauri!

1515010_10200841225665582_2032594788_n — Deanna has a terrible disease and she has to fight every single day to keep it under control, and keep herself well. She suffers more than she admits, and always shows a positive face to others. Strong, strong woman.

12803026_10207647278755644_8329634244905326844_n — Doreen is amazing! Her book, The Stranger in My Recliner, is the story of how she and her husband literally took in an 80 year old woman off the street. What generosity! Obviously Doreen is a special woman.

I have left out SO MANY WOMEN. Please, in your comments, tell us about a woman you think is amazing! Let’s acknowledge as many amazing women as we possibly can!

Marine Megafauna

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