thechunkymermaid-blog

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Mermaid fun!

#weekendvibes via @iamjuliawheeler

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How does biodegradable hemp plastic biodegrade? Biodegradable plastics take three to six months to decompose fully. That's much quicker than synthetic counterparts that take several hundred years. Exactly how long a biodegradable bag takes to break down depends on various factors, such as temperature and the amount of moisture present. LETS SWITCH TO #HEMPPLASTIC AND SAVE OUR BEACHES AND THE WORLD! #girlswhosmoke #girlswhosmokeweed #conversationocean #sharks #thc #ganja #maryjane #stoner #stoned #stoners #weedstagram #weekendvibes #photography#chongschoice #tommychong #orlando #hiphop #cannabis #cannabiscommunity

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The boys and I were enjoying our morning on the beach when I started looking around and realized all the seaweed that washed up is FULL of debris. I went back to our room and got a plastic bag and started asking the boys to help me clean up our favorite beach. As I was picking up trash I got this overwhelming feeling of sadness bc we were picking up dry wall pieces, full bottles of ketchup and we even found several kid's flip flops..I couldn't help but think about all the places that are getting bombarded with #hurricaneirma #hurricaneharvey and #hurricanemaria . I imagine a lot of the debris we found came from people's homes... I want to start a challenge among everyone. Let's start a #CHUNKYMERMAIDBEACHCLEANUP. I would like everyone who lives by beaches to go ahead and just take ONE TRASH BAG and fill it up to the top. If even just ten people from every local beach picked up one bag I bet we would pick up at least 10 lbs of trash per bag! If you're thinking this is a small task just keep in mind that if we all picked up ONE SINGLE BAG of trash our ocean well be that much more free of that trash. LETS START THE CHALLENGE, USE HASHTAG #CHUNKYMERMAIDBEACHCLEANUP FOR A CHANCE TO BE FEATURED ON MY BLOG AS WELL! CLICK THE LINK IN MY BIO TO PEEP THE BLOG #fckplastic #cocoabeach #flogrown #saltlife #cleanup #fckplastic #conversationocean #pureflorida #melbornebeach #orlando #clearwaterbeach #sarasota #spacecoast #capecanaveral #hurricaneirma #hurricaneharvey #hurricanemaria #chasingcoral #nakaweproject #shark4kids #girlswhosmoke #girlswhosmokeweed #thc #ganja #maryjane #stoner #stoned #stoners #bongbeauties #cannabis

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Imagine how amazing switching to #hemp would be for our #ocean and our #beaches! Hemp is #biodegradable, #ecofriendly and a wonderful replacement for plastic. Traditionally, plastics have been derived from petrochemicals, which are toxic. Plants, are also a source of cellulose, that can be used to make #biodegradable and #organic plastic. As hemp happens to be one of the richest sources of cellulose, it is only natural that purists will advocate its use.Hemp plastic offers good thermal, UV and dimensional stability. It is resistant to heat; however, the most outstanding feature of a few varieties of hemp plastic is that they are flame resistant too. Finally, if Henry Ford could imagine creating a car with this material, we can perhaps believe that it indeed is “ten times stronger than steel”. SAVE OUR OCEANS BY SWITCHING FROM USING PLASTIC TO USING BIODEGRADABLE PRODUCTS AND REUSABLE PRODUCTS! #FCKPLASTIC #conversationocean #shark4kids #nakaweproject

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Stephen Baker from @sonsoftheseatv took this awesome picture of my twins today! Beautiful sunrise in Cocoa Beach Florida.

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The Great Pacific Garbage Patch is located in the North Pacific Gyre off the coast of California and is the largest ocean garbage site in the world. This floating mass of plastic is twice the size of Texas, with plastic pieces outnumbering sea life six to one. 🙊🙉🙈🙊🙉🙈🙊🙉🙈🙊🙉🙈🙊🙉🙈 Here are 10 Ways to “Rise Above Plastic:

Choose to reuse when it comes to shopping bags and bottled water. Cloth bags and metal or glass reusable bottles are available locally at great prices.

Refuse single-serving packaging, excess packaging, straws and other “disposable” plastics. Carry reusable utensils in your purse, backpack or car to use at bbq’s, potlucks or take-out restaurants.

Reduce everyday plastics such as sandwich bags and juice cartons by replacing them with a reusable lunch bag/box that includes a thermos.

Bring your to-go mug with you to the coffee shop, smoothie shop or restaurants that let you use them, which is a great way to reduce lids, plastic cups and/or plastic-lined cups.

Go digital! No need for plastic cds, dvds and jewel cases when you can buy your music and videos online.

Seek out alternatives to the plastic items that you rely on.

Recycle. If you must use plastic, try to choose #1 (PETE) or #2 (HDPE), which are the most commonly recycled plastics. Avoid plastic bags and polystyrene foam as both typically have very low recycling rates.

Volunteer at a beach cleanup. Surfrider Foundation Chapters often hold cleanups monthly or more frequently.

Support plastic bag bans, polystyrene foam bans and bottle recycling bills.

Spread the word. Talk to your family and friends about why it is important to reduce plastic in our lives and the nasty impacts of plastic pollution.

References: www.ecowatch.com

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Interview with Pia  Oyarzun

Pia Oyarzun is an inspiring world class photographer and videographer that specializes in underwater photography. She is the creator and  CEO of Made In Water Photography - an underwater photography company that brings some of the most magical ideas to life. 

Among her photography achievements, our Miss Pia Oyarzun is a dedicated ocean advocate from Chile. She shares her photography in hopes that through her photos humanity will realize how much we need our ocean and how crucial to our survival the ocean truly is.

“I focus in letting people know that ocean is part of our lives and its so important we take care of it. Without the ocean we will not live for a minute so, I hope that through my pictures people can feel closer to the ocean and to the creatures that live init and respect them.” 

(Pia Oyarzun)

When I came across her instagram page and saw the quality of her photographs and how she captures her models I was deeply moved. Her photographs are truly captivating and innovative. Oyarzun knows how to incorporate her underwater landscapes with ease, capturing her models and the marine life around her with grace. Oyarzun is truly gifted in capturing sharks and shipwrecks as well as her team of models.

I couldn’t possibly pass up the opportunity to sit down with her (sort of speak) and get to know her a little more. The Chunky Mermaid is honored to have been able to get to know such a wonderful woman in the ocean advocacy world, here is the full interview for my curious little guppies:

CHOPPY:Thank you for the opportunity to speak with you. Could you tell The Chunky Mermaid a little about yourself like what draws you to work so closely with the ocean and how your company, Made in water photography was born?

OYARZUN: First I got my degree in Journalism, but I knew that wasn't it. I didn't have that fire for my career and I always was looking for something else. After I work in Social Media for a year, a good friend of mine introduce me to Scuba Diving, so in the week days I work as journalist and in the weekend I was building my way to be a scuba Instructor. 

My first Job was in Brazil and I enjoyed teaching but when I found that  I could get to work as underwater photographer, that was it was the fire I was looking for.. There was my passion.

I start from 0 as an underwater photographer, my amazing boss by the time, Marta Granville thought me and introduced me to it.After I left Brazil I learn by my own until I get to work at Stuart Cove's and here I learn so much more. So many good photographers are here, with loads of experience and plus a lot more come to visit. In all this my friend Charlotte and Me created Made in Water, in order to do some artistic shoots, and that’s what's fill my heart

CHOPPY:So in discovering your passion you made your dreams a reality by creating Made in water photography, are there any other reasons why you pursued such a unique career path sort of speak?

OYARZUN: Because I love underwater photography, and I wanted to do something more, something I could put my 100% imprint, something I could direct, edit and deliver a message with. Mostly I look for photos that shows the interaction of women and ocean, how gracious we can be underwater.I always felt the Ocean is a greater Mother, and having people moving in harmony in it is whats I look for. I also love freediving pictures, because its like humans entering this amazing world on their own terms.

CHOPPY: I have to agree that women do look very beautiful underwater, it is like we are made for the ocean! The way our bodies flow with the waves and our hair flows in the water. It is truly captivating! I have recently discovered the necessity in preserving our sharks. Do you work closely with sharks often? How do you feel towards this species being that you work with in your photography and with scuba instructing?

OYARZUN: Yes, I work with them every day, I feel deeply in love and I'm so glad they are an important part oF my life. Its really great that I can show people how they really are and change the concept of sharks being a monsters. 

“Sharks are fundamental for equilibrium and they are important part of our ocean, we should respect them.” 

Pia Oyarzun

CHOPPY: I agree, I have grown increasingly passionate and curious to learn more and spread awareness on the need to preserve these animals. Now, for our younger readers who are fascinated by this work we do: What advice would you give an aspiring underwater photographer?

OYARZUN: Take the step! don't be afraid of doing something that's not traditional. Believe and do  what you love, always be humble and listen to other people advice.Try to learn from other and don't forget that you will always be learning.

CHOPPY: That is very useful advice, thank you for that. Our young readers will appreciate your words. I’m curious to know which one of your projects has been your most memorable and why?

OYARZUN:I love all my made in water projects, they have their own imprint, their own atmosphere, their own feel, its hard to tell.

CHOPPY: All your photographs have such a unique feel and vibe - I can totally see how they all can even feel different just by looking at them. I am definetly moved by each one of them. Aside from your photography you are an instructor and an ocean advocate: What does your day typically look like?

OYARZUN:Now I work at Stuart Cove's Dive Bahamas, so I take pictures of different kind of trips. My favorite its the shark dive! I do 4 dives most of the days

CHOPPY: After learning all this new information on sharks, I am egared to witness them in the wild during one of these shark diving events! Lastly, being an ocean advocate and being that you work with the ocean directly - how do you view our ocean’s health as of now and in the future?

I really hope its better than now. I'm really optimistc person, but I know a lot of mentality need to change to  keep our ocean healthy. The  damage caused through the years is really bad, humans destroyed coral, overfish and polluted the water... we need to do way better so we can see a future.

We would like to Thank you so much for your insight and for blessing The Chunky Mermaid with your intellect. I would recommend all my readers to follow @madeinwater and @piachichile on instagram! You can also check out their website at:

https://www.madeinwaterphotography.com/

It was truly an honor to be able to speak with you Miss Oyarzun. I wish you well in all your endeavours and thank you for your contribution in educating the masses about our oceans needs.

Stay tune to The Chunky Mermaid for more collaborations coming up! Najestic Entertainment and The Chunky Mermaid are scouting some areas that need trash picked up. We are aspiring to put together an event or SEVERAL events to proactively help in the conservation of our local beaches.

Also do not forget to visit www.conversationocean.org by clicking the link at the top of The Chunky Mermaid to learn more about how Conversation Ocean donates 20% of all orders to ocean conservation organizations like Shark4kids and The Nakawe Project.

Click The Nakawe Project link at the top of my page to sign the petition to ban shark meat from being distributed in our local supermarkets like walmart and other large corporations.

Choppy, over and out

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My personal friend, partner and soul sister is the culprit behind this najestic design! I have been around this company since before it was even an idea. Natasha James is a multi facet woman who inspires and helps everyone around her. From the very first time I got the pleasure of meeting her, we have been like family. I have seen her be part of many projects but when she sent me the pictures for her first silicone monofin fully usable mermaid tail - I almost fainted. Then she discovered this whole community of mermaids and magic has been in the making ever since. Her handcrafted mermaid tail designs are hand painted as well. The time and dedication she spends on each tail is the key to her success. She personalizes these tails not only to fit your body but to fit your soul.

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Good evening merfamily! The Nakawe Project has been working tiredlessly to bring this petition to your attention. Shark meat industry is taking over local supermarkets all over the world. Sharks are very high in mercury levels and mercury is not compatible in our bodies. Consuming this meat is literally poisoning yourself from the inside out. Mercury exposure can cause headaches, tremors, and cognitive dysfunction. Aside from the fact that we want to preserve the ocean's and coral reef's health by saving the sharks, eating shark meat is literally poison to humans. Please help us take a stand and ask these corporations and local markets to stop the distribution of shark meat. You can click the Nakawe Project link on the top of the page to be redirected to the petition page! Please sign and share! Speak to family and friends about the dangers of mercury poisoning from eating shark meat. For more information visit: www.nakaweproject.org/ Other related sites: www.sharkwater.com/ www.savingsharks.com/ www.sharksavers.org/ Thank you for your contribution and help in saving mother ocean! Choppy, over and out

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Hawaiin tradition states that sharks are not creatures to be feared but rather they are held in a deep sense of respect and even worshipped. Within the tradition it is widely thought that one’saumakua or guardian spirit and/or family protector can be a shark. Some believe these guardian spirits are those of fallen ancestors who take on the form of a shark at death. Rumored to pay visits to their living loved ones through the dream world. However this does not mean every shark is a guardian spirit and will be gracious to humans. It is common to identify one's shark aumukua by very specific marking on their bodies. The believers of ancient Hawaiian tradition perceive that specific shark to be part of the family and have direct blood ties with them. Every Hawaiian island has a shark god and a heiau or temple in which the ancients used to offer certain sacrifices to the sharks. It is not surprising that those who had shark aumkauas won’t hunt them or eat them. Rather they would name, pet, and feed their shark relatives in exchange for protection. This special bond between human and shark is common in ancient hawaiin culture. There is a particular legend that tells a tale of a woman who is captured by a shark and negotiates her freedom he is her aumakua. Before he let her go he bites her in her ankles to be able to identify her based on the tooth marks he left on her. In accordance with this legend, some Hawaiians tattoo their ankles to make their connection to sharks known. The importance and respect Hawaiian culture has for nature, and marine life in particular, is paramount. It conveys the simply yet essential concept of harmony between human beings and their environment

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"The killer whale (also known as Orca or Blackfish) is an important medicine animal to the Native American tribes of the Northwest Coast. Killer whales are considered a particular symbol of power and strength, and catching sight of one is considered a momentous omen. Some tribes, such as the Tlingit, view the killer whale as a special protector of humankind and never hunted killer whales (although they were accomplished whale hunters of other species.) The Kwakiutl tribes believed that the souls of marine hunters turned into killer whales upon their death, just as the souls of forest hunters turned into wolves. For this reason, there were a number of special rituals regarding the killing of a killer whale, so that its spirit could be reborn as a human once again" Photo via @conversation_ocean

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"Marine biologist Dr. David Gruber found this glowing shark in a deep, dark canyon off the coast of California. They have special, unidentified pigment in their skin that absorbs blue light and re-emits as the color green in a process called biofluorence." Photo via @ted

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Over one billion people rely on coral reefs as a source of food, but we are losing coral reefs at an alarming rate. Help protect coral reefs and all ecosystems at chasingcoral.com

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Photo by Julianne Hanford 🐡🐚🐡🐚🐡 "The sea is emotion incarnate. It loves, hates, and weeps. It defies all attempts to capture it with words and rejects all shackles. No matter what you say about it, there is always that which you can't."Christopher Paolini, 🐡🐚🐡🐚🐡🐚

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Merfriends Series:Dolphins

Good morning merfamily!

As promised, today is the beginning of the #merfriendsmonday series!  Although I will be posting frequently,Monday’s will be dedicated to learning about a unique, endangered species in our ocean. Even though the focus of The Chunky Mermaid is shifting towards educating the masses about our sharks and the need to save their lives - today I will be writting about a more commonly known and more widely accepted (and personal favorite) animal: The Dolphin.

Dolphins has been a popular marine mammal thanks to movies like “Flipper” and “A Dolphin’s tale”. These magnificent creatures are known for their superior intellect and are considered one of the ocean’s most advanced creatures. From teaching their young to use broken coral to search for food on the ocean floor to having their own unique echolocation language among their pods to passing down these languages from generation to generation, these  beautiful creatures have truly evolved amazingly through the years.

Dolphins are a huge diverse group of animals, they are classified as Cetacea and consist of about 40 species of dolphins. There are a few different classifications for the cetacea family pertaining to dolphins specifically, here is a little break down:

-Delphinidae: the oceanic dolphins

-Platanistidae: the Indian river dolphins

-Iniidae: the new world river dolphins

-Pontoporiidae: the brackish dolphins

and the extinct Lipotidae: baiji or Chinese river dolphin. 

Cetacean Fun Fact:Their closest living relatives are the hippopotamuses, having diverged about 40 million years ago. 

Okay, so what is a dolphin made off? Why is their skin silky smooth? and what is echolocation? Let’s start with the anatomy of a dolphin - all dolphins have similar and morphological qualities. This means that all species have some features that do not differ widely between species. However, it’s common to confuse porpoises with dolphins based on their similar appearance. Dolphins sizes and weights can range from one extreme to the next, for example they can be as small as 4 feet and range up to 30 feet. Same goes with their weight, some can be as small as  90 pounds while others tip the scale around 11 T-O-N-S!!! Amazing right?! how vastly different these species can be within it’s own family. 

Dolphins come in a beautiful variety of colors as well, some are  grayish blue, brownish or even black and white. Even though dolphins are said to have sensitive skin that can be easily harmed if hit by fast moving object or rough surfaces, they do heal rather quickly. They can even recover quickly from bites from predators like sharks  because they have a more rapid healing process than other animals. Dolphins’ skin is silky smooth and it feels like rubber due to the absence of sweat glands. A dolphin’s epidermis is 10 to 20 thicker than that of terrestrial species.

All cetaceans have a blow hole on top of their heads, close to their melo (their foreheads). These blow holes are used when they come up for air, some species need to come up for air several times in a minute while other’s only need to come up twice per hour. Another fun fact, is that a dolphins brain is 15-60 times bigger than  shark! Hence, it is considered one of the smartest mammals all together. I mentioned their melon, which is technically a dolphins forehead - this melon is used for echolocation. The melon is a spherical organ located in front of the skull.

Echolocation is the use of sound waves and echoes to determine where objects are in space. Often referred to as sonar, dolphins use echolocation to help them see in the water. Scientist believe that this ability has been developed over time slowly. This ability allows dolphins to”see” by interpreting the waves that bounce off of objects near them in the water.

Fascinating aren’t they!? There is so much awesome information on these animals! They have been a personal favorite since I moved to Florida and my mother took me on one of those dolphin encounter tours. I was able to marvel at this species in the wild, and being a Florida resident and a Gulf Coast frequenter I have had the pleasure of marveling at this species many times.

Unfortunately we already have one species of dolphin that is extinct, that is the Baiji, also known as the Yangtze river dolphin, was declared extinct, its river habitat seriously impacted by the construction of dams and boat traffic.   Maui’s dolphin is at the brink of extinction as well, mostly due to entanglement in fishing gear. Entanglement is a huge cause for dolphin species decline, mass production fishing endangers many marine species, but dolphins being so curies get caught up in these fishing gear and usually drown. There is another species of dolphins called Hector’s dolphin which is found in New Zealand waters, have declined to less than 100 of these species remaining. Other threats such as pollution of the environment, climate change and commercial harvest are harming our dolphins among other species.

Saving the world requires a series of small steps to equal out to the bigger picture. A lot of marine life is killed every year due to trash pollution and waste being dumped into the ocean. So here is a challenge for everyone: when you go to the beach, our out into the ocean for whatever reason - if you see trash pick up at least three items (or more!) This may seem like a small step but it’s a step towards CHANGE. Change doesn’t happen over night, so if we all come together and clean up a little our marine animals can begin to thrive again slowly.

Thank you to everyone taking the time out to read my blog! I appreciate all the love and support! Stay tuned because I’m working on interviewing some of the experts in marine life preservation and ocean advocacy!!!!

Happy Monday everyone!

Choppy, over and out 

Dolphin Advocacy Groups and Organizations:

http://www.bluevoice.org/

http://us.whales.org/

http://marinebio.org/oceans/conservation/organizations/

References:

https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Dolphin

https://dolphins.org/anatomy

http://www.sciencedirect.com/science/article/pii/0361923080902725

http://oceantoday.noaa.gov/dolphinanatomy/

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If you haven't watched #ChasingCoral - YOU MUST! This documentary is a life changing documentary. 🐠🐠🐠 @netflix @chasingcoral @markshark808 🐠🐠🐠 All did a phenomenal job in presenting the need to preserve our #coralreefs and how our daily choices affect our ecosystem. Please go watch this amazing documentary! And stay tuned #thechunkymermaid may be in luck & will be bringing you guys a special article interview with the infamous @markshark808 🐚

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Photo via @sharkservation