MilaBooks.com Newsletter
The Sea-gram
April, 2014
For ocean lovers, divers, and
"deep-thinkers." |
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Spiny Lobster & Trumpet Fish, Bonaire, Netherlands Antilles, Paul Mila Photo |
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Greetings to our Sea-gram readers. Hope you enjoy the April issue, from MilaBooks.com
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Sharing the BTS book signing booth with Dr. Eugenie Clark |
It was a great honor to share the book signing booth at this year's Beneath The Sea show with diving legend
Dr. Eugenie Clark, renowned shark researcher, who was signing her book,The Lady and the Sharks.
BTS volunteer Tabatha Constantino also joined us for booth duty.
Dr. Clark, now in her 90's, has dive trips planned for the Red Sea and Solomon Islands, later this year.
She is truly an inspiration for all divers!
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This month's Featured Creature is the
Caribbean Spiny Lobster, appearing in this issue's cover photo with a trumpet fish buddy.
Scroll down for the story, but first spend a minute watching these two lobsters duke it out for prime space. Notice the speed of the loser bolting away.
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Caribbean Lobsters Fight for Space on a Coral Wall in Cozumel |
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This month's Story Behind The Photo,
features one of Cozumel's more interesting characters, FOTD, otherwise known as Fulvio Of The Deep, celebrating a great eagle ray encounter.
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If you have a photo with an interesting story, or would like to share a good dive yarn, contact me at: paul@paulmila.com and I'll be happy to include your story in a future issue.
If you know someone who would enjoy reading Sea-gram, perhaps a friend in need of an overdue "dive fix," please forward Sea-gram to your buddy, using the link at the end of the newsletter.
To view past Sea-grams click our ARCHIVE link below:
I hope you enjoy Sea-gram !
Sincerely,
516-578-1482 |
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Story Behind The Photo . . .
Celebrating the Eagle Rays | |
Fulvio Of The Deep (FOTD) and a dive group, including dive buddy David Robertson, otherwise know as DOTS (David Of The Shallows), were diving Cozumel's northern reefs, were the eagle rays are known to congregate in impressive schools.
After a great ray encounter, David took this photo.
 | | Celebrating the Eagle Rays |
Here is David's Story Behind The Photo:
We were diving up north at Barracuda Reef, looking for the eagle rays. They did not disappoint us. We saw saw 17 in two groups - a group of nine followed by a group of eight. That called for The very best Ch�teau LeSand champagne in my book.
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The Schooling Eagle Rays of Cozumel |
In Fulvio's words:
"I can drink AND dive, and see a squadron of eagle rays at the same time.The Chateau Lesand was a very good year."
Editor's Note: Of course, as responsible divers, we do not endorse drinking and diving. |
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Featured Creature . . .
The Caribbean Spiny Lobster
By Paul Mila, Carle Place, NY |
When most of us in the Northeast think of lobsters, we picture our North-Atlantic Maine variety, with large tails and two juicy claws.
Their Caribbean cousins also have tasty tails, but lack the two claws, pincer and crusher claws, of the northern heavy-weights.
Lobsters prefer to remain under rocky outcroppings and inside small caves during daylight hours and venture out at night or sunset to feed. But you can occasionally spot one outside for a daytime stroll:
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Lobster out for a walk � Paul Mila photo |
They are always on the alert for predators, such as nurse sharks, stingrays, and grouper. Having good eyesight, they retreat when they see danger, such as this diver approaching:
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Diver approaching a lobster � Paul Mila photo |
Despite lacking claws Caribbean lobsters are not defenseless. When diver Fulvio gets too close, the lobster curls its tail and uses its two whip-like spiny antennae as an effective defense.
Sorry Fulvio, no lobster dinner for you tonight!
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Lobster Fends Off Diver Fulvio � Paul Mila photo |
They are primarily scavengers like this one, dragging an already dead fish back to its lair for a "lobster dinner."
 | | A "Lobster Dinner" Paul Mila photo |
Equipment:
SeaLife 1400 Camera, Digital Strobe & Wide-angle lens.
Photo Tips:
For eye-popping color, such as photos 2 & 3, use an external strobe.
When using ambient light, photos 1 & 4, set the camera to the automatic non-strobe setting, in dive mode.
You'll still get good detail, but less color.
Using the wide-angle lens enables you to shoot very close, 1-to 4-feet, for great detail and color, while still capturing the entire subject in your frame.
Want to learn simple techniques for taking great underwater photos like the ones above using your camera's automtic settings?
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| About MilaBooks.com |
www.milabooks.com
Your home for exciting dive adventure novels, and YouTube videos featuring ocean creature encounters.
 | | Click our reading dolphin logo, and swim into our website |
Thanks for visiting, and we'll see you next month!
MilaBooks.com
75 Titus Avenue
Carle Place, New York 11514
516-578-1482
To forward Sea-gram to a friend, please click the "Forward email" link below. |
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Creature Feature:
The Caribbean Spiny Lobster
Story lower left column. | |
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Quick Links | |
Updates & Miscellaneous Features
Mermaids?
Of course mermaids are real!
Mermaid "Tiffany" stopped by at this year's Beneath The Sea show, to fin around and say hello.
Her visit sure livened things up!
 | | Mermaid Visits BTS |
Better in Bali?
Sea-gram reader Andy Guiliano sent us this fascinating Youtube clip about Bali diving, posted by Nick Hope.
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Bali Diving HD |
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Whale News
Sea Shepherd Update
March was a great month for the whales!
As reported in Sea Shepherd's newsletter, on March 31st, the largest whale hunt in the world was just shut down by the highest court on the planet, when the International Court of Justice (ICJ) ruled that the Japanese whaling operations in the Antarctic are not for scientific research purposes and revoked the whalers' permits!
Click below for the full story:
Sea Shepherd Whale Update
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But While a Battle Has Been Won,
The Whale Wars Are Not Over!
Japan Vows to Continue Whaling
No sooner had the ink dried on the International Court of Justice ruling than Japan announced plans to resume whaling in 2015.
Click below for the full story:
Japan Vows to Continue Whaling
Click below to see what "scientific" whaling looks like, Japanese style:
"Scientific" Whaling
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Amazing Humpback Whale Feeding Behavior
Check out this Nat Geo video, featuring a critter-cam mounted on a humpback whale's back capturing a never-before seen feeding behavior:
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Orcas Attack Blue Whale
This amazing video, shot off the California coast, shows killer whales in pursuit of a giant blue whale
 | | Killer Whales Attack Blue Whales! |
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Great White Shark
Crosses the Atlantic
Click on the link below for the story and video about a Great White shark named Lydia, the first shark tagged and monitored crossing the Atlantic
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Giant Great White Tagged
in Australia
Sea-gram reader Fred Chiappetta sent us this story about "Joan of Shark," a real life JAWS chasing swimmers out of the water in Australia:
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Tour The Great Barrier Reef
If seeing Australia's Great Barrier Reef is on your bucket list, here's a good way to do it. Check out the video:
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A fun dive site, where you can rent a beachfront condo, view great dive photos, and more!
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GUEST LINKS
For a unique Cozumel experience check out:
fulviocozumelrentals.com
Fulvio provides boutique rental accommodations and rental management services.
For Cozumel concierge and rental management, Kelly & Ivan will take care of you:
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Great Cozumel
Information Resources
Whether you want to advertise a service, or just find out what's going down on the island, check out Laura Wilkinson's fabulous local newsletter:
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Available Links!
Post a link to your web site in Sea-gram
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