ocean Archives | TRAVELS WITH TAM

The Experiences You Won’t Want to Miss When Visiting Miami

October 31, 2018 By Tam Warner 1 Comment

Experiences you don’t want to miss when visiting Miami!

When visiting Miami for the first time, it can all be a little bit overwhelming if you’re not sure how to spend your time there. There’s so much life and action surrounding you, and you don’t want to miss out on any of it. That’s totally understandable, and you’ve come to the right place. We’re going to look at the experiences you really don’t want to miss out on when you’re in Miami, so read on to find out more. [Read more…] about The Experiences You Won’t Want to Miss When Visiting Miami

What can YOU do on this Earth Day to make the World a Better Place?

April 20, 2018 By Tam Warner 3 Comments

What can YOU do on this Earth Day to make the World a Better Place?

We all live on our beautiful planet, and humans sometimes forget that we are not the only life on the planet. We are the only species who can cause harm to our planet, though, and we have and continue to do so. The Earth is our home, our sustenance, and we depend upon her for everything. Would you treat your house the way humans have (and still do) treated the Earth? I certainly hope not. We are in a bit of pickle these days, and she needs all the assistance we can give her.

earth day 2018, make a contribution, donate to wildlife, plastic in our oceans, reduce plastic — Here I am on a citizen science expedition, taking photo Identification shots of Manta Rays at the Revillagigedos.

We can all do something! It isn’t that hard. Plastic is one of the major ways we can make a difference. Plastic is choking our oceans, our wildlife is ingesting it, and dying from it. Fish really cannot help eating plastic. Much of it smells like food, after all. Fish, shellfish, oysters…they all ingest a lot of plastics. Did you know that one out of four fish has plastic in its tummy? That means plastic is in their tissues which has negative impacts for them…but what about humans? How much plastic are we consuming by eating fish and animals who eat plastic? One study says we could be consuming 11,000 plastics a year, through our seafood. What is the effect on humans? Well, it hurts fish, it stands to reason it isn’t good for us. Would you cook a piece of plastic for dinner and eat it? But we are consuming a lot of it through our foods.

What can YOU do?

CELEBRATE EARTH DAY BY TAKING ACTION Think of all the goods we can buy that are not plastic, but sustainable woods, plants and fibers. I use compostable K-cups for my Keurig. I’m very happy I don’t have to get rid of it because I love my coffee! Click this link and see some of the products you could purchase instead of plastics! I keep paper straws in my glove box, and bamboo utensils. And don’t forget to tell restaurants, no straw, no plastic forks! I get so mad at myself when I forget to do it.

TAKE THE PLEDGE! EarthDay.org is encouraging all of us to take a pledge to reduce our single use plastics. Say no to plastic grocery bags! Reduce your intake of bottled water…carry a water bottle you can refill. Have you seen the landfills and oceans filled with those plastic water bottles? Awful. By 2020 there will be more plastic in the ocean than fish! That will not be good for humans, or fish.

MAKE A DONATION OR BUY A PRODUCT THAT BENEFITS RESEARCH AND EDUCATION There are many awesome organizations out there working hard to make our Earth a better place. Such as?

MEET THE OCEAN Meet the Ocean is a 501(c)(3) nonprofit organization dedicated to educating the public on the importance of the saltwaters of our planet. Employing science, storytelling, and encounters from earth’s most remote locations, we combat environmental apathy and further understanding of how the ocean functions, in order to better protect it. They have a sweet shop filled with cool tees and art prints.

MARINE MEGAFAUNA FOUNDATION As a species, our survival is dependent on our oceans being healthy and full of life, yet only four percent of them are currently protected. This means that vast areas are left unregulated and vulnerable to ever-increasing human pressures such as unsustainable fishing, irresponsible waste management and climate change. This organization is active in research, protection and education. My book, ALL FISH FACES, available on Amazon and here on my author page, gives 10% to this organization to assist in its goals. I have traveled with these scientists and participated in citizen science. Support them!

TEENS4OCEANS Led by scientists, educators, and most importantly students, Teens4Oceans impacts youth, their peers, and their parents, by providing them with the tools and resources to become Ocean Stewards.

REEF REEF conserves marine environments worldwide. Our mission is to protect biodiversity and ocean life by actively engaging and inspiring the public through citizen science, education, and partnerships with the scientific community. REEF also takes the public on scuba citizen science trips, I have been on one and loved it! I have learned so much from REEF.

National Geographic has several charities like their Big Cat Initiative, there is World Wildlife Fund, Sea Shepherds, the list is endless. If none of these appeal to you, I’m sure you can find another that will!

You would also enjoy:

http://tamtravels.wpengine.com/a-vacation-that-matters/

Do You Want to Swim with Whale Sharks? Yes, You Do!

July 25, 2017 By Tam Warner 5 Comments

whale sharks, travels with tam, adventures, snorkel with whale sharks — Female Whale Shark feeding vertically in the Yucatan

Do you want to swim with Whale Sharks? Every summer, from May 15 until September 15, a marvelous event happens in the Yucatan Peninsula of Mexico. Hundreds of mostly juvenile male Whale Sharks migrate to feast on plankton and fish eggs, and, perhaps, to mate. Large females have been seen in the Yucatan, but they are not common. The best time to see these sharks is late June through mid August. This aggregation is one of the largest, if not the largest, known to scientists on the planet. With drone technology, scientists can watch the aggregation and behavior of the sharks from above, but it is always more exciting to be in the water with them!

Are Whale Sharks whales or sharks? They are sharks and the largest fish in the ocean. They have huge mouths like whales and they filter feed on the smallest creatures in the ocean. These huge sharks (up to 20 meters) are completely harmless. Whale Sharks are gentle giants, and do not attack even with provocation, which is why they are endangered. They are easy for poachers to kill as they have no fear of humans or boats, they seem almost oblivious to anything except their food. There is still very little known about Whale Sharks. No one has ever seen one give birth, though a whale shark caught in a fishery in Taiwan many years ago was carrying 300 pups. The only place where female Whale Sharks are known to gather are the Galapagos Islands in Ecuador (June through November). Where do they give birth? No one knows. Two thirds of the known Whale Sharks are male. Where are all the females? The babies? No one knows. Sadly, their docile nature has made them easy targets for those who sell shark fins to the Chinese. To lose these magnificent creatures to make stringy chicken soup is sickening.

I first snorkeled with Whale Sharks in Isla Holbox in the early 2000s. We went with another family, and the kids and adults were enamored and amazed by these incredible creatures. Since then, I have taken every opportunity to see them and photograph them. I have gone with my husband, alone, and on citizen science trips with Marine Megafauna. Every time I see them I photograph them, and I make sure to get identification photos. Whale Sharks have a spot pattern just behind their gills that serve as a “fingerprint”, no two sharks are alike. I send these photographs to Wildbook for Whale Sharks, and in so doing, I contribute to the scientific knowledge of these creatures. You can do citizen science as well! When you see a whale shark, photograph it from the side! This year I took my cousin and her husband for their very first encounter with whale sharks, and they were in awe. The sheer size of these animals is amazing, and to see them and snorkel with them is a very special and exciting experience. I recommend going with Solo Buceo, a great dive and snorkel shop in Cancun. I met one of the owners on a Great White Shark Expedition, and having a close encounter with a Great White is a bonding experience! Since 2010 and my Close Encounter with a Great White Shark, Rodrigo and I have been in touch, and on expeditions. Book Solo Buceo for an amazing experience with not only Whale Sharks, but Sailfish, Cenotes, and Mantas! Rodrigo is deeply involved with Pelagic Life, a non profit in Mexico seeking to protect oceanic pelagic animals, especially sharks.

In December of this year I am co-hosting a trip to the Sea of Cortez with Red Travel Mexico, and we will be snorkeling with Whale Sharks off of La Paz! Please consider coming with us, it will be an exciting trip! The dates are Dec 3-9 and you can get more details at http://redtravelmexico.com/tour/cabo-pulmo-and-the-sea-of-cortez-with-tam-warner-minton/.

whale sharks, travels with tam, adventures, swim with whale sharks — My cousin Lisa and a whale shark! She loved it.

Below you can see how individual Whale Shark’s spot patterns are.

*My passion for the ocean has resulted in my first self published book! ALL FISH FACES. Check it out!<br />

I Love Introducing People to the Wonders of the Ocean

June 21, 2017 By Tam Warner 11 Comments

cozumel, snorkeling, learning, wonders of the ocean — A new ocean enthusiast!

I have always loved introducing people to the ocean. First time snorkelers, first time divers, and especially children seeing the underwater world for the first time. I cannot count how many people I have taught to snorkel or taken snorkeling, and most of them went on to dive and become certified divers. Since I am always excited to be in the water and see fish and animals and corals, I enjoy being with others who are as excited as I am!

cozumel, snorkeling, learning, wonders ocean — This future oceanographer was a natural in the water!

Good fortune came my way in Cozumel a week ago, when a ten year old girl staying next door to me fell in love with the ocean. Her entire family did! They were in Cozumel for a family wedding that took place at Villa Torres, though Villa Coronado did the honors for the ceremony! I loved the whole group, they were just wonderful. The young girl, Addison (love that name), went out on a snorkel with me and we had a great adventure: scorpion fish, flounders, yellow stingrays, and amazingly enough, a seahorse! That was magical. Seahorses are hard to find in Cozumel since the 2006 hurricane, so finding one on a snorkel was just incredible. We stayed out for over an hour, and she could not get enough! It was so fun to show her the underwater world. I had forgotten how much I enjoy introducing new people to the beautiful creatures. She was particularly drawn to the Queen Parrotfishes just becoming adults with their dazzling colors.

cozumel, snorkeling, wonders of the ocean — A pretty spotted Scorpionfish

The desire to write a book series about our Ocean Friends was something I always wanted to do in order to introduce people to the animals in the ocean. When people get interested and excited, they want to learn more, and to experience it. My first published book, Fish Faces: Photos and Fun Facts about Tropical Reef Fish, is meant to begin a journey of getting to know our ocean friends, and how important they are to our survival on this planet. It all begins with knowledge, and with knowledge comes enthusiasm. Learning should be fun at any and every age! Fish Faces is available on LULU.com right now, and will be on Amazon and Barnes and Noble soon, within the next few weeks. It is the same price on all the sites. Do you know someone interested in the ocean? This is a super fun way to learn about fish species and how different they look from ocean to ocean. I have dived in the Atlantic, Indian, and Pacific Oceans, and many of the seas within them, so my photographs reflect a planetary view of ocean fish, along with fun facts about each species.

I so enjoyed my time snorkeling with Addison, and it makes me want to show people the ocean even more! I hope you take a look at All Fish Faces!

Win a Free Copy of my First Published Book on Amazon!

May 2, 2017 By Tam Warner 11 Comments

Fish Faces, Tam Warner Minton, ebook, ocean — **My first published book!**

My first published book on Amazon! Yes, I finally did it! I wrote a book on a subject near and dear to my heart, our intriguing fish friends in the ocean. FISH FACES, Photos and Fun Facts, is a photo book of common reef fish from all over the world. Children of all ages (that includes you!) will enjoy looking at these colorful and engaging fish, and learning a fun fact about each one. A paperback copy will soon be available as well.

As an amateur underwater photographer, scuba diver, and citizen scientist, I have seen the damage being wreaked on our ocean, and on our ocean friends. By learning about these gorgeous and fascinating fish species, it is my hope we can teach our children and grandchildren the value of the underwater world, and how necessary it is to protect our oceans. FISH FACES is the first book in the series, OCEAN FRIENDS. 10 percent of the profits will go to Marine Megafauna Foundation, a non profit dedicated to saving our ocean pelagics from extinction.

I am, of course, very excited about publishing my very first book, and to celebrate, I am giving away 3 free copies on Amazon! Please visit the GIVEAWAY on Amazon, and be sure to enter and share with your friends!

A Most Unpleasant Surprise on Dive Day 7 in Raja Ampat

April 23, 2017 By Tam Warner 4 Comments

raja ampat, day 7, sunset — **Beautiful Day 7 in late afternoon with a drone in the sky.**

Ear problems are a most unpleasant surprise! “I can’t dive because of my ears” is something I have heard a million times. Generally, it is not true, most people can clear their ears, and if you don’t believe me, just yawn! They clear. It is a fact that there are divers who have ear trouble, and my husband was among them. He burst his eardrum at least 3 times that we know of. I used to get what they call “swimmers ear”, which is an outside the ear infection that is very painful, but I haven’t had it in years. Until Raja Ampat!

On the 6th day of diving my ears began to hurt. By Day 7 I knew there had to be an infection, so I made the decision to skip the rest of the day’s diving, take antibiotics and ear drops, and rest. The day was spent sorting photos and resting, and by dinner I was feeling much better. Until I put alcohol based ear drops in my ear. I actually screamed the pain was so absolutely unexpected! A nurse on board told me that I had probably burst an eardrum. Well, I was pretty sure of it, and the alcohol drops just confirmed it. However, I could not miss the incredibly beautiful sunset dive! My ear ached a bit for the rest of the trip, but I was very careful and had no major issues. The benefit of having a burst eardrum? You don’t have to clear your ears! A little diver humor!

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