Top 5 Sharky Holiday Gifts Under $40

Tis' the season and we thought we would get a head start by sharing with you a few our favorite shark gifts under $40.00

1. Shark Trust Wines

This great little wine brand delivers a full pallet of taste and 10% back to sharky conservation efforts around the planet. You may enjoy the fact (as we have) Shark Trust Wines are doing their part to save sharks while you sip your way to a better tomorrow. Don't take our word for it go to the website and buy a case today-they ship too!

2. Bite Back Shark Calendar

For the second year the U.K's Bite Back has attracted legendary names in underwater imagery including David Doubilet, Doug Perrine, Jeff Rotman, Chris Fallows, Brian Skerry and Michael Aw head a unique cast of photographers who have generously donated breathtaking images along with individual commentary on the exploitation of the marine environment to create a unique, high quality, 2009 calendar. Now with 30% more sharks!


3. Adopt a Shark

It's a novel idea from the good folks over at Iemanya Oceanica you get to Adopt a Shark. For adopting a shark, you will receive a membership package that includes your Certificate of Shark Adoption, an Adopt a Shark T-shirt, post-cards, stickers and bumper sticker, and a subscription to our electronic newsletter. Yeah we know the cost is a "tad" over $40.00 but if you have it-the sharks need it!

4. Island of the Great White Sharks DVD

Island of the Great White Shark brings out the dramatic behavior of great white sharks themselves and the sheer thrill of the divers viewing the King of the Seas, up close and personal. Perhaps more importantly, the film features shark research and conservation at work, and bravely faces the tremendous teeth of threats facing sharks worldwide. These are your favorite sharks from Isla Guadalupe and a ground breaking film from RTSea Productions. Just the thing to curl up next to a roaring fire while you sip your Shark Trust Wines.

5.Sharks Derek Heasley

Last season we got to meet Derek Heasley from Ireland. His shark imagery is some of the best we have seen shot from a surface cage in the years we have been at Isla Guadalupe. His Tiger Shark work is also amazing.Derek has recently completed a desk top calendar and we thought we would bring it to you today. His work has been featured in magazines all over the planet. As we have to come know over the years, you can never have too many shark pics.

Expedition Ja'Tay-Guadalupe Island

A while back we blogged about the expedition submarine that was rumored to be coming to Isla Guadalupe.

The submarine arrived this fall and the expedition members have created a recently released website so you can follow the crews progress-complete with some great video.

Welcome to Expedition Ja'Tay.

Whale Shark Conservation-Utila,Honduras

Thought we would introduce you to the Whale Shark & Oceanic Research Center on Utila today:

The Whale Shark & Oceanic Research Center (WSORC) operates one of the few, year-round whale shark monitoring and research centers in the world. Our devoted staff of scientists and volunteers works tirelessly at maintaining and restoring the aquatic environment of Honduras, while continuing the standards of ethical research which have made WSORC the authority on Utila’s whale shark population and coral reef ecosystem for the past 10 years.

At the same time, WSORC is sworn to preserve Utila’s aquatic natural resources through education by increasing the public’s awareness of a marine ecosystem that is one of Central America’s natural wonders.

Our mission is to facilitate the scientific community’s research within Honduran waters while educating the eco-tourist and locals alike in an effort to benefit both the environment and humanity for years to come.

You Tube Marketing-3 Million Views

Shark Marketing 101

The question we asked in late 2007 was "How powerful is You Tube as a marketing and branding tool?" The answer almost one year later is very powerful. For example a campaign to get 3 million similar branded viewers using traditional Google Ad Words at a mere .10 a click would have cost us $300,000. The guys from 689design.com a L.A based marketing and consultancy group put the spot together with the help of Luke Tipple diver operations guru.

The end result, as we have come to discover, is that web based "organic marketing" works. It's also not a far stretch to assume that a web based organic shark conservation program would be as successful. As we have come to realize there's more than one way to get messaging out...you just have to know what you are doing: