Pacific Tips 2024 July 08

Greeting from Doha, Qatar:

A message from the editor: over the past week, we spent some time on a cruise through the Greek Isles. It gave us time to reflect on the newsletter and what we wanted to share with our friends. We will work with a new team to bring you relevant travel news globally (but still based along the Pacific). We want to inform you that we will be changing the frequency of delivery to ensure we can provide better and more comprehensive content.

SHARK WEEK - A few years ago, Discovery Channel found that Shark Week was one of their highest rated weeks of programming. We all seem to have a fascination and fear of sharks.  We’ve been away in the Greek Isles and luckily didn’t have any close marine encounters. However, we thought this story from CNN was interesting and could be useful for those who enjoy water activities. Now, we don’t get in the water, but if you do, here are some important safety tips should you have a highly unlikely encounter!

@andriana_marine

#shark #sharks #sharkdiver #sharkattack #sharkdiving #sharkbite #tigershark #savesharks Only use these tips as a last resort if you run in... See more

NPR’s podcast this week dives into Shark Week. If you’re under 37, you’ve always had Shark Week in your life. To celebrate these often misunderstood creatures, NPR chats with shark scientist Melissa Christina Marquez. She breaks down why sharks are vital for ocean health and even help with climate change. And yes, there might be some talk about shark poop too.

This week, National Geographic explores why tiger sharks around Norfolk Island are significantly larger than average. This is partly due to local farmers dumping cow carcasses into the ocean, though only 10% of the sharks’ diet consists of these carcasses. The majority of their diet is seabirds, particularly the wedgetail shearwaters. These sharks remain near the island for about five months before migrating to New Caledonia. Researchers are investigating this unique ecosystem to understand the sharks’ growth and how to balance their protection with local farming practices.

And lastly, some videos of some shark dives you can try in the Caribbean and the efforts in Cape Town, South Africa to keep swimmers and sharks safe!