Our Wednesday, November 9, 2022 in-person/Zoom hybrid meeting will feature Anne Louise De Souza presenting “Building My Scuba Dream: The Story Behind The Lens”.
She is a Brazilian oceanographer, scuba instructor, and passionate underwater photographer who is now the marketing manager at a local underwater lighting manufacturer, Light & Motion, where she got to deepen her knowledge about photography and lighting.
She says, “Being immersed in the diving community made a lifelong dream of capturing the wonders of an exquisite, submerged world a reality. Diving in all of its forms is not only my greatest passion, but an important tool to spark a connection between ocean and society.”
Please join us on Wednesday, November 9 from 7:00 – 8:45pm for Anne’s incredible images. Watch her presentation on Vimeo.
Our Wednesday, October 12, 2022 in-person/Zoom hybrid meeting will feature Kathi George, Project Manager for Global Response on Rescuing Whales, The Marine Mammal Center. She oversees all work in California as well as field research and conservation impact. Since joining in 2019, Kathi has expanded advocacy efforts to address two of the greatest threats to whales worldwide, entanglement and vessel strikes.
She collaborates closely with many different stakeholders in her work. These include:
• Serving in the Conservation seat for the Greater Farallones National Marine Sanctuary Advisory Council
• Previously as a member of the 2021 Greater Farallones and Cordell Bank National Marine Sanctuaries Advisory Council Joint Ship Strike Working Group.
• Additionally, Kathi ’s a member of the San Francisco Harbor Safety Committee and a member of the California Dungeness Crab Fishing Gear Working Group.
As a Level 3 Co-Investigator with NOAA’s Marine Mammal Health & Stranding Response Program, Kathi is permitted to respond. She has participated in six whale disentanglements, numerous entangled whale responses, and over 50 sea lion disentanglements.
Previously, she co-founded California Whale Rescue—a nonprofit dedicated to entangled whale response and prevention. Kathi spends as much time as she can underwater and on boats, plus enjoying California’s coasts and mountains with her husband and son.
Please join us for her “Human Impact on Whales” presentation on Wednesday, October 12, 7:15-8:45pm. Watch Kathi’s presentation on Vimeo.
Our Wednesday, September 14, 2022 in-person/Zoom hybrid meeting will feature the best images, videos, and stories by a talented group of members, most of whom are MSC Board Members:
• Virginia Bria will recount her March trip to the Maldives where she made us all very jealous by staying at the Six Senses Laamu Resort. We’ve heard her gush about the pristine coral and friendly whale sharks.
• Lisa Perla will showcase images and share dive stories about exotic Anilao, Philippines.
• Barb Wambach will portray her underwater photography expertise with a trip to Fort Lauderdale, Florida.
• Julie Finley will relive her adventures during her 30th trip to Palau, Micronesia, her dive home away from home.
• Gil Zeimer will discuss his writing success in the scuba industry with “How to Get Published”.
Please join us for this MSC group presentation on Wednesday, September 14th at 7:00pm PT for these informative club member presentations.
Wednesday, August 10, 2022: Cindy Hansen, Orca Network, “Orcas of The West Coast”: In-Person and Zoom Meeting. Our August presentation will feature Cindy Hansen, Education and Advocacy Coordinator for Orca Network since 2016.
From Namu to Free Willy to Blackfish, orcas have fascinated us for generations. The West Coast is home to a few different ecotypes of orcas, or killer whales, with unique diets, behaviors, acoustic calls, and cultures. While some are thriving, others are in danger of extinction. Learn about the fascinating biology, social structure and culture of orcas and how you can become involved in ongoing conservation efforts.
Cindy received a degree in Zoology from the University of Washington and has worked as a naturalist and educator for over 20 years. She has also migrated with the gray whales to San Ignacio Lagoon in Baja Mexico for many years, where she works as a naturalist/guide for Baja Discovery.
Please join us for her presentation on Wednesday, August 10th, “Orcas of The West Coast” at 7:00pm PT. Read more: www.orcanetwork.org. Watch Cindy’s The Orca Network presentation on Vimeo.
Wednesday, July 13, 2022: Denise Jaffke and Sheli Smith, “Taking Heritage Stewardship Underwater”: In-Person and Zoom Meeting. Our July presentation will feature two members of the Sonoma Coast Historical and Undersea Nautical Research Society.
SCHUNRS.org is an all-volunteer organization using public education, historical research, and maritime archaeology to document physical traces of our maritime heritage before they are lost forever. Its mission is to discover, protect, and promote greater knowledge and public stewardship of local maritime cultural heritage along the Sonoma-Mendocino Coast, on land, and under the waves.
Denise Jaffke currently works as Principal Investigator and Archaeologist for Far Western Anthropological Research Group, Inc. and a volunteer scientific diver with the California State Parks Dive Team. Along with serving as SCHUNRS Secretary, she also leads the Documentation Team to ensure that all identified resources are recorded to professional standards. Denise assists with public outreach efforts — online, locally, and statewide.
Sheli Smith has been working with California’s maritime heritage for decades, excavating shipwrecks, teaching and promoting stewardship. In addition to serving as SCHUNRS VP, Sheli also serves on the California State Parks Dive Safety Advisory Board. Sheli assists SCHUNRS research and outreach efforts.
Join us for their presentation of “Taking Heritage Stewardship Underwater” on Wednesday, July 13th at 7:00pm PT.
Watch their presentation on Vimeo.
Wednesday, June 8, 2022:
Jett Britnell, Vancouver, B.C., “A Life in The Depths – Sharks, Shipwrecks & Other Assorted Undersea Adventures”: In-Person and Zoom Meeting. Our June in-person/Zoom meeting will feature Jett Britnell, a professional underwater, wildlife and expedition photographer, internationally published writer, explorer, scuba diver, and speaker.
Much of his work is focused upon undersea exploration, globally protecting endangered species, preserving natural habitats, supporting marine & wildlife conservation efforts and environmental education. Jett is a member of the Ocean Artists Society, a unique alliance of the world’s top marine life artists, painters, sculptors, photographers, filmmakers, and writers. He is also ranked among the world’s top underwater photographers who donate images to support The Ocean Agency’s conservation initiatives.
In addition, Jett is a consultant to Elephanatics, an elephant advocacy organization residing in Vancouver, British Columbia, Canada. In May 2020 he was invited by EXPLOCEAN to be an ambassador for the “League of Underwater Explorers.” The League’s primary mandate is to create opportunities for all people to discover our world by promoting underwater exploration.
On January 1, 2022, Jett began serving as Chapter Chair in The Explorers Club’s Canadian Chapter. Find out more: https://www.jettbritnell.com
Watch Jett’s Vimeo Presentation from June 8, 2022: “A Life In The Depths – Sharks, Shipwrecks & Other Assorted Adventures.”.
Wednesday, May 11, 2022: Dr. Milton Love, “Better Than a Swift Kick Where The Sun Doesn’t Shine – Interesting Fishes of The Pacific Coast” : In-Person and Zoom Meeting. Our May presenter is a research biologist at the Marine Science Institute, University of California, Santa Barbara.
Dr. Milton Love has conducted research on the marine fishes of California for over 50 years and has written over 120 publications on the fishes of the Pacific Coast. He is the author of Certainly More Than You Want to Know About the Fishes of the Pacific Coast, The Rockfishes of the Northeast Pacific, and more.
For the past 25 years, and using a manned research submersible, Dr. Love has carried out surveys of the fish populations living around natural reefs and oil / gas platforms throughout the southern California Bight. Proving you can fool some of the people all of the time, in 2007, the American Fisheries Society awarded Dr. Love the Carl R. Sullivan Award for Conservation Resources.
“Better Than a Swift Kick Where The Sun Doesn’t Shine – Interesting Fishes of The Pacific Coast” is the longer title of his May presentation. He says, “Most of us lead drab and colorless lives as drones and cogs in faceless organizations. With his tales of Pacific Coast fishes, Milton (only his wife calls him Dr. Love) will enter your world like a bright and fanciful rainbow, or a swatch of William Morris wallpaper, or perhaps one of those Baratza espresso makers that look like something out of a caffeine-induced fantasy.”
Find out more: http://lovelab.msi.ucsb.edu/. Please join us for his presentation on Wednesday, May 11th at 7:00pm PT. Watch Dr. Love’s Presentation on Vimeo.
Wednesday, April 13, 2022: Mark J. Palmer, “Whither Whales – History & Current Status of Whaling”: In-Person and Zoom Meeting. Our April presenter is Associate Director of Earth Island Institute’s International Marine Mammal Project, Mark Palmer.
Mark was a consultant for the Academy Award-winning documentary “The Cove” and appears in the Animal Planet series “Blood Dolphin$”. He focuses on protecting whales and dolphins, with emphasis on strategic planning, legislative advocacy, legal research, grassroots organizing, and media relations.
Mark is also Director of Earth Island Institute’s Wildlife Alive Subproject, dedicated to protecting wildlife and wild places throughout California and the West. Palmer graduated with a BA in Zoology from the University of California at Berkeley, where he founded and led the Endangered Species Committee of California. He then spent two years of graduate work at SFSU in the Department of Biology.
Prior to coming to Earth Institute, Mark served as Regional Vice President for the Sierra Club for Northern California and Nevada; Chairman of the Sierra Club’s National Wildlife Committee; and Chairman of the Sierra Club’s Arctic Campaign Steering Committee, which successfully blocked oil drilling in the Arctic National Wildlife Refuge during both the Reagan and George H.W. Bush Administrations. He has also been Executive Director of the Whale Center (1986-1990) and the Mountain Lion Foundation (1990-1995).
Palmer joined the staff of Earth Island in 1995, spearheading efforts in Congress and federal court to protect and maintain the integrity of the Dolphin Safe label on tuna. He has worked since 2004 with Ric O’Barry on the Save Japan Dolphins Campaign, which has seen worldwide attention to the problem of dolphin slaughters in Japan.
His articles have appeared in several national publications, including Sierra Magazine, Pacific Discovery (aka Wild California), USA Today, and Earth Island Journal. He has edited and contributed to several books, including Friends of the Earth Whale Manual, Cougar: The American Lion, and Behind the Dolphin Smile.
Palmer has more than 40 years of experience lobbying in the California State Capitol in Sacramento and in the U.S. Congress in Washington DC on wildlife and wilderness issues, as well as international experience with the Japanese-American Environmental Conference, the International Whaling Commission, and the Inter-American Tropical Tuna Commission. Finally, he is editor of the daily newsletter ECO distributed at International Whaling Commission meetings.
Find out more: https://savedolphins.eii.org/ Please join us for his presentation on Wednesday, April 13th at 7:00pm PT. Watch Mark’s Presentation on Vimeo.
Wednesday, March 9, 2022: Hannes Klostermann – “The Best of Baja; Exploring The Wild West”: In-Person and Zoom Meeting.
Hannes Klostermann, an award-winning photographer and scuba instructor says, “Baja is a special place. Separating the Sea of Cortez and the Pacific Ocean, the Baja California Peninsula is home to amazing landscapes and incredible wildlife. Due to its unique location, it hosts some of the most impressive animal migrations on the planet, as well as plenty of photogenic residents.
“In this presentation, I will introduce you to some of the area’s most exciting animals and explain how to maximize your chances of seeing and interacting with them. From cute baby sea lions to the ocean’s largest predators, there’s always something interesting to discover. You never quite know what you’ll come across when you head out in the morning!”
His Bio: Hannes has a particular passion for capturing images of sharks and other big animals, as well as actively supporting their conservation. He is currently the resident photographer at The Cortez Club in La Paz, Mexico where he offers all services related to underwater photography: workshops and private guiding, as well as photo shoots. Hannes also runs pelagic expeditions for the annual marlin migration.
He began his underwater adventures in 2003 in a dark and very cold lake in Germany and since then, his travels have taken him to many of the world’s most exiting diving destinations.
To see more, visit his underwater photography website. Please join us for his presentation on Wednesday, March 9th at 7:00pm PT. Watch Hannes’s presentation on Vimeo.
Wednesday, February 9, 2022: Nirupam Nigam, “Northwest Oddities: Wolf Eels & GPOs & Lumpsuckers, Oh My!”. In-Person and Zoom Meeting.
As a dedicated underwater photographer and fisheries scientist, Nirupam is the Editor-in-Chief of the Underwater Photography Guide and the Marketing Director at Bluewater Photo.
While growing up in Los Angeles, he fell in love with the ocean and pursued underwater photography in the local Channel Islands.
Nirupam received degrees in Aquatic and Fisheries Science and General Biology, at the University of Washington, and has collected fisheries data on vessels in the Bering Sea and North Pacific for NOAA.
Check out his work at photosfromthesea.com, his reviews at uwphotographyguide.com, as well as the world’s leading source of photo and video gear, advice, education, and dive travel at bluewaterphotostore.com. Watch Nirupam’s presentation on Vimeo.
Please join us for his presentation on Wednesday, February 9th at 7:00pm PT.
Wednesday, January 12, 2022: Mary Jane Schramm, “Love Among The Leviathans”.
In-Person and Zoom Meeting.
MJ is an unabashed blubber-lover. She has worked in marine conservation since 1982, until recently with the National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration’s Greater Farallones National Marine Sanctuary.
MJ specializes in media/outreach, and hands-on resource protection; this has included NOAA’s Stranding Network and Large Whale Entanglement Response Team, and the sanctuaries’ shipstrike prevention team.
Past Public Relations Director for The Marine Mammal Center and Oceanic Society Expeditions, she’s led extended whale tours in Baja and locally.
A naturalist, author and columnist, she’s served on the boards of the American Cetacean Society-SF Bay Chapter, Tamalpais Conservation Club, and now on the Marin Audubon Society’s Conservation Committee.
In 1989 at a White House ceremony, MJ accepted the President’s Volunteer Action Award. In 2016, she received a NOAA Administrator’s Award for assisting in the discovery of the lost shipwreck, USS Conestoga. Now an International Ocean Film Festival judge, she’s also working to eradicate invasive mice from the Farallone Islands.
“Love Among the Leviathans” explores how air-breathing mammals like us who live in the sea –– whales and dolphins –– play the DNA Game: courting, mating, giving live birth, nursing, and teaching their young to survive, all in challenging ocean environments.
Many species, even some in our national marine sanctuaries, have still not recovered from past centuries’ whaling. They now face modern and emerging threats including shipstrike, entanglement, ocean noise, pollution and climate disruption. Insights we gain from studying their reproductive patterns, behaviors and habitat needs can help wildlife managers, policymakers, and scientists to act effectively to ensure their survival.
Join us for this hybrid live / Zoom meeting on Wednesday, January 12.
Watch MJ’s presentation on Vimeo.