cdngreenwaterdiver

Abbotsford, British Columbia is a suburb and short drive from Vancouver. During these stressful times of the coronavirus pandemic, anything that can ease the stress of everyone's daily lives is always a pleasure to see. These two "superheroes" have been cleaning up the trash in Andreas neighborhood for a number of years. Andrea mentioned that for the seven years they have lived in the neighborhood, her children have always found it enjoyable to watch, and say hi to their local trash collectors. On an early morning one day in early April 2020, like every other trash collection day Andrea and her children could hear the big truck coming from down the block. Once they were positioned in their regular viewing location, it was noticed something was different this day. This day was extra special. The trash collection team were both dressed as "Grime Fighting Super Heroes". As you will see and hear, Andrea and her children thought this was an amazing morning and very thankful for these two fellows ingenuity in easing some of the stress the virus has brought onto everyone. This shows that even in times of community distress, a simple act of kindness can calm a community for even a short time. These men are truly Super Heroes.

While relaxing at her home in Arizona during this coronavirus pandemic lockdown, Sharon noticed a beautiful little hummingbird beginning to build its nest on one of her wooden wind chimes. As she watched with amazement at the determination of the little creation, she could not stop documenting the progress daily. Twig by twig the hummingbirds built their nest even while it swung in the wind. Upon completion of the nest, Sharon noticed one morning there were two tiny eggs within the nest. Keeping a watchful eye over the nest outside her kitchen window, 18 days later one little baby hummingbird was noticed in the nest. Eager for the second to hatch, Sharon checked on the nest frequently each day. After a few days she realized that the second egg was not going to hatch, something went wrong. With one little bird awaiting its daily meal, he would sit motionless other than tipping its head back with a wide open mouth. As you can see in the video, the nest and its little inhabitants are tiny compared to the quarter placed near the nest. Day by day the baby is growing. Hummingbirds are the smallest of birds, most species measuring 7.5–13cm (3–5in) in length. The smallest extant bird species is the 5cm (2.0in) bee hummingbird, which weighs less than 2.0g (0.07oz). Native to the Americas these adorable little birds can usually be heard before seen. Their rapid wing-flapping rates, which vary from around 12 beats per second in the largest species, to in excess of 80 beats per second in some of the smallest. This high rate of speed of their wing flapping allows them to actually hover in one place just like a helicopter. Along with their high speed wing flutter comes extreme flight speeds from these little guys. Their top speeds exceed 34 miles per hour (54km/h) and some species can dive at speeds in excess of 49 miles per hour (79km/h). Hummingbirds have the highest mass-specific metabolic rate, meaning they consume the most energy per unit of time, of any homeothermic animals ( animals that maintain a steady internal body temperature regardless of the surrounding temperatures). To conserve energy when food is scarce, and nightly when not foraging, they can go into torpor, a state similar to hibernation, slowing their metabolic rate to 1/15th of its normal rate. These little creatures are surely amazing.

The coronavirus pandemic has struck the world with unbelievable power and fear. Aside from shoppers panic buying such items as toilet tissue, there have also been many other drastic measures put in place to halt the spread of this terrifying virus. In Vancouver, British Columbia as well as across North America, The border between Canada and the United States has been closed to non-essential traffic. This major decision made by Canada’s Prime Minister Justin Trudeau and U.S President Donald Trump, has come as a necessary measure for the two countries. Every effort has been put in place to make sure the coronavirus is not transmitted back and forth across the border. Social distancing has been strongly suggested for everyone, to remain at least one meter ( 3 feet) from each other. Staying home unless absolutely necessary is also suggested. There are many statistics as we have all seen, which are quite frightening. The Canada U.S border is the worlds longest border between two countries. This decision is hoped to be a temporary one for the two countries but was a necessary decision. This closing for general traffic will greatly affect tourism, but not trade, or workers involved in so-called essential work. As you can see in the footage, the location is nearing a ghost town atmosphere. Merely a few days prior, the roadways were busy with vehicles travelling both North and South across these friendly borders. Many travellers from the South head to the town called Whistler which is a world famous ski resort area, this will no longer be possible until this closure is lifted. From the North as mentioned, travellers head South to take advantage of lower cost fuel and household items and groceries. For the time being, we all need to stay safe, and look after our families. This coronavirus will be beaten. The world will return to the calmer place we knew it as only a mere few months ago.

Harvey the 10 month old little guy in the video loves to play with his mom and dad. During play time and lunch time, mom Megan likes to make the activity as fun as possible to keep little Harvey engaged. Making faces and fist bumping with Harvey has started some hilarious times. A fist bump is a gesture similar in meaning to a handshake or high five. A fist bump can also be a symbol of giving respect or approval, as well as companionship between two people. Over time, Harvey has learned that if he holds his hands up, mom and dad will fist bump with him which he finds quite hilarious. Whether it is the interaction, or the funny noises his mom makes while performing the fist bumps, Harvey bursts into laughter. Seeing him enjoy his meal as much as playtime shows he is a very happy child.

Coronavirus has become one of the worst pandemics throughout the world. Many countries have shut down their borders to traveler other than essential services. We have all be hearing, and reading the daily sadness of deaths, increasing numbers of cases of the cover 19 virus, and the panic buying of items people feel they need to “survive” this virus. There have been many articles on what we all have to do to “flatten the curve”. This means in a short word, what is required to halt the absolute astronomical numbers of the virus spreading at alarming rates. In short, three of these solutions are as follow. Endgame A: flatten the curve. Endgame A is the plan to “flatten the curve” – restricting movements in order to lower the peak in cases, while accepting that infections will continue to grow until the epidemic has run its course. There will be many deaths. Endgame B: trace and track. Endgame B is to trace and track every infection, something governments are trying to do. Endgame C: stop then restart Endgame C is to “stop then restart”. This means minimizing activity and interactions, and sealing the borders to passenger traffic including citizens (although not trade), until infections are driven down to zero. In Vancouver British Columbia and its outlying areas, precautions are happening and game plans are changing daily. Many stores and shops have shut, and restrictions have been put in place at larger retail stores where groceries and supplies can be purchased. Costco for instance is limiting the number of certain items that can be purchased by each member. Also customer numbers permitted into the store have been limited, creating long waits outside at times. This video footage was recorded by a local man that had a doctors appointment in which his practitioner’s office is located within one of the local malls in Surrey British Columbia. Knowing the shut downs that had been imposed by the government, he was still surprised at the number of stores which were completely shut down. Guessing at the number of closed retailers, it seemed around 95% or more had complete lock down. The doctors office for instance had security personnel which were allowing only one person into the office at a time, being the person whom had an appointment. As you will see, the small number of people within the mall, were keeping to the “social distancing” requirements of 2 metres or 6-1/2 feet. There is talk of a possible complete shutdown/lockdown of the complete province of British Columbia. During this time of crisis, we must all do our part in keeping safe, as well as keeping everyone else safe. This means keeping your distance from other when you must venture outside your home. Be respectful of people personal space. Spend time with the ones you love and life with, but also be cautious when around family that may not live in your household… practice social distancing. We can get through this! Stay safe everyone!

Don't all kids love horses? Well it all depends as you will see. Harvey, the little fella here is just 9 months old. Out for lunch with his parents and grandma and grandpa, he received a new toy from grandma. Sitting in his high chair at the restaurant gave the perfect location for grandma to show Harvey his new toy. Placing the toy dancing horse on the tray of the high chair and activating its mechanical dance mechanism, it was soon noticed Harvey was not quite sure about this new toy. While spinning left and right, the toy easily stayed within the confines of the high chairs tray. As the dance went along, Harvey began to show his uncertainty of just what was going on in front of him. Staying clear of this adorable dancing horse appeared to be the main goal of Harvey. Continually looking up to grandma for support, you notice Harvey's uncertainty grows. A quivering lip along with batting eyes make it clear he is not enjoying this new toy as much as grandma is. Soon the dancing horse runs out of steam and the act is complete. Harvey shows his relief that the show is over with a grin. Babies are surely adorable and expressive.

With the continued daily concerns over the spread of the covid19 virus, many continue to panic into stocking up on supplies. Yes, this virus is very serious and not to be taken lightly. Local grocery stores in Langley British Columbia are finding it difficult to control and keep certain items in stock. As most have heard and seen, the general panic seems to be in stocking up on toilet tissue. The news locally has been mentioning and suggesting people to stock up on products in the event they are quarantined within their own homes for a period of time. What seems to becoming out of hand is the reasoning behind the toilet tissue. Customers have been seen hoarding numerous packs of tissue, which contain 24 or more rolls. Keeping in mind a 24 pack of toilet tissue does last the average family a month or more, hoarding multiple packages of the tissue seems rather silly. Lineups have grown to enormous lengths, even in the early morning hours shortly after Costco opened. To each his own so to say, some feel it may be better to be safe than sorry. The issue is, when one or more customers hoards multiple packages, supplies diminish for others and this causes aggression amongst customers. Much like black Friday sales and Christmas sales, staff at the local Costco Langley store has had to begin rationing and guarding the toilet tissue, and sanitizing cleaners. Physically handing out one package of toilet tissue per person or family is what the panic has come to. It is good to see that retailers are giving the best efforts to control panic within their stores. In time we all know things will settle. Until the time covid19 gets under control, we must all do our due diligence to protect ourselves from becoming infected, or spreading infection. Washing hands with standard hand soap has proven to be sufficient, but using other sanitizing agents is also suggested. Washing hands after contacting door handles and other metal surfaces is suggested as well as wiping down surfaces more frequently with isopropyl alcohol with higher than 60% alcohol concentration. This 60% alcohol concentration also includes hand sanitizers. Apparently those with less than 60% alcohol will not kill the virus. Lets all do our best at staying safe and being respectful to others trying their best to stock up with whatever they feel makes them comfortable to the upcoming weeks.

Along the Pacific Coast of southern Mexico are two towns that mainly have become known as one, Ixtapa and Zihuantanejo. Situated in the state of Guerrero, Ixtapa Zihuantanejo are two separate towns situated a short 8 kilometers (5 miles) apart. They are approximately 150 miles north of Acapulco. Both towns have amazing beaches and warm waters, although Zihua is within a small bay whereas Ixtapa’s beach area is more open to the open Pacific Ocean. Ixtapa Zihuantanejo is the fourth largest city in the state of Guerrero and is very popular with tourists from within Mexico as well as the United States and Canada. Loving to be on the open water along with enjoying the sport of fishing, Brent had contacted a fishing guide prior to the trip. Dates booked to meet up with the crew of Elva Fishing Charters, everything was ready to go. Big game fishing is very popular along the West Coast of Mexico, and Zihuantanejo is right in the perfect location. Through the winter months the Striped Marlin and Sailfish are very prominent off shore of Zihuantanejo and Ixtapa, and those are exactly what Brent and his wife were hoping to catch. The striped marlin is a species of marlin found in tropical to temperate Indo-Pacific oceans that spends most of its time near the surface hunting. It is a desirable commercial and sport fishing game fish with a record weight (in 1982) of 190kg (420lb) and a maximum length of 4.2m (13.8ft). The striped marlin is a high speed predator that hunts during the day in the top 100 m or so of the water column, often near the surface. One of their chief prey is sardines. The Sailfish are blue to gray in color with white underbellies. They get their name from their spectacular dorsal fin that stretches nearly the length of their body and is much higher than their bodies are thick. The sailfish is also a member of the billfish family, and as such, have an upper jaw that juts out well beyond their lower jaw and forms a distinctive spear. Their main prey are also sardines and anchovies, which keeps them near the surface of the ocean hunting for the food of choice. An extremely strong fish, they can grow to over 10 feet (3 meters) in length and weigh in over 220 pounds (99 kilograms). Departing the marina area of Zihuantanejo at approximately 8 am, Brent and Elsa and the 2 crew aboard Elva III were on their way after a short stop at the bait boat to pickup the attractive little sardines. Within minutes of departing, fishing gear was prepared and lines were trailing. Approaching a small island minutes outside of Zihuantanejo Bay, both rod’s reels began to sing ”fish on”. Jumping up, Brent and Elsa grabbed the rods and began pulling in their catch, 2 black fin tuna around 6 pounds each. No this was not the main catch of the day, but it sure got them excited. Tuna on board, the journey continued. Approximately 20 miles offshore and 3 hours into the day, the rod was singing again, but this time it was a beauty, a STRIPED MARLIN. Brent was first up, and as the video shows, the gorgeous fish put up a fight. Playing a game of tug of war with one of these amazing fish is not easy, but this time Brent won after around 30 minutes. Wanting no more than a photo with the beast, the marlin was gently lifted aboard and a quick photo and some video footage was recorded. “OK, lets let him go” Brent asked of the crew, and as you will see, the marlin was released to fight another day. Next up was Elsa, and of course ,as always, her catch outsizes Brent’s. Elsa landed a sailfish which was approximately 7 feet long and guessed to weigh around 100 pounds. Looking at the fish she had just landed from a distance, Elsa was not keen on touching “that slimy thing” as she put it. Photos taken, the sailfish too was released to fight another day. What an amazing day on the water with a great boat crew. Elva III sport fishing also offers day boat cruises to enjoy the sunset, whale watching, or snorkeling in some of the local shallow bays. Elva III is easiest to find on Facebook if interesting in a day on the water with them. A great day was had by all.

Poncho is a 13 year old rescue dog from Playa Del Carmen, Mexico. Bringing her back to Vancouver, Canada when she was just weeks old has been quite the journey through doghood. Over the years it always seems her owners find something new or quirky about Ponch. Early on when Poncho was just a pup, Brent her owner realized Poncho could learn new tricks very quickly and retain that skill, but he also learned she liked to wander away. Teaching an “old dog new tricks” can at times be easy, but keeping them within a 6 foot high fenced yard can be more of a challenge. At any means, Poncho has been a great pet. Moving forward with Poncho and her quirks, this past week in February 2020, it has been discovered that by simply rubbing the top of Poncho’s head between her ears, creates a sneeze reflex. Finding this quite hilarious, Sarah, Poncho’s human “sister” kept scratching Poncho while “mom” Elsa recorded the hilarity. This was not a one time, clear the nose from a tickle sneeze pattern, it seemed to be “involuntary” as the head scratching continued. Wondering why this was happening and what causes it, as we know, dogs have many of the same characteristics as humans, and this sneezing is just the same. The main reason dogs (and people sneeze) is because something is irritating the inside of the nose. The sneeze can also be triggered by the movement of the nose from the head scratching causing a slight irritation to the pooches nose and creating a sneeze. The body induces the sneeze in order to try and get rid of the irritation as fast as possible. A sneeze is actually quite complicated and certainly nothing to “sneeze at.” In fact, a sneeze can expel the irritating particles out of the nose at speeds up to 100 miles per hour. Also, just like people, when dogs sneeze their eyelid muscles always close shut so dogs don’t see how funny they look while sneezing. Luckily, unlike being able to see how silly we look when sneezing, we get to see the bewildered look on our dog’s face after a particularly powerful sneeze fit. One reason dogs may sneeze when playing, is that with their highly sensitive noses, they tend to curl their lips when excited. This curling of the lips may cause a “tickle” in the dogs nose creating the sneezes. Stopping to play because of a sneeze is not in the cards for any playful pooch, so they just keep on playing. When a dog sneezes, it is a sign that they are healthy and their body is working just fine. Dogs sneezing while playing is also a form of communication for them. Dogs sometimes also use the sneeze as a “calming signal” to other dogs. Dogs use over 30 different calming signals to communicate that they need to take a break or slow things down. Poncho’s sneezing that particular day definitely causes some laughter around Brent's home that day. She is surely a fun pup to have around.

Located just off the shore near Playa Del Carmen, Mexico, are some amazing sea creatures. The green sea turtle, spotted eagle ray and nurse shark are only a few that will be found in this beautiful area. Playa del Carmen is located within the Riviera Maya on the Caribbean Sea, which runs from south of Cancún to Tulum and the Sian Ka'an biosphere reserve. The green sea turtles are a fairly large animal with a teardrop shaped shell. They are generally light green although some are a very dark almost black color. Most of the adults live in shallow lagoons foraging on sea grasses, but they are also seen at greater depths. During breeding, the females crawl out on beaches, dig nests and lay eggs during the night. There can be over 100 eggs laid at each time. Later, hatchlings emerge from their nests in the snd and scramble into the water. These amazing animals when reaching maturity can also live to 80 years of age. The spotted eagle ray also seen in the video search for their food along the sea floor. These gorgeous animals are generally seen alone, but can be found also in small groups. During mating season, the females are impregnated and retain the eggs with themselves. When the eggs are ready to be release, they emerge into the sea as mini versions of their parent. This ray can be identified by its dark dorsal surface covered in white spots or rings. Near the base of the ray's relatively long tail, just behind the pelvic fins, are several venomous, barbed stingers. Spotted eagle rays commonly feed on small fish and crustaceans such as crabs and snails (conch for example), and will sometimes dig with their snouts to look for food buried in the sand of the sea bed. Mature spotted eagle rays can be up to 5 meters (16ft) in length; the largest have a wingspan of up to 3 meters (10ft) and a mass of 230 kilograms (507lb). The last beautiful creature seen in the video is the nurse shark. Generally a fairly docile shark, they are known to be seen laying motionless on the sea floor. Not to be misunderstood or taken granted for with their docile appearance and character, they are ranked fourth in documented shark bites on humans, likely due to incautious behavior by divers on account of the nurse shark's slow, sedentary nature. The origin of the name "nurse shark" is unclear. It may come from the sucking sound they make when hunting for prey in the sand, which vaguely resembles that of a nursing baby. Generally these beautiful sharks grow to around 10 feet in length and weigh in around 700 pounds. These nurse sharks being bottom dwellers use their strong jaws to crush and eat shellfish and even coral, but prefer to dine on fish, shrimp, and squid they find along the sandy bottoms. Generally not an aggressive shark, the nurse shark is known to only have a couple predators being the tiger shark and lemon shark, giving them the ability to live a long life with not much threat.

Harvey whom just celebrated his nine month "birthday" is learning amazing things every day. Progressing through learning to "army crawl" as his parents call it, to beginning to lift himself up and stand on his own with no assistance. Playing in his bedroom he discovered someone else was in his room with him. No it wasn't mom, it was someone that looks much like Harvey. Finding his reflection in the mirror on his bedroom door has proven quite interesting for the little guy. Trying to grab the hand of his "friend" seems to be a bit confusing, but Harvey turns to the person he relies on throughout every day, his mom, for approval. How adorable babies are as they learn the amazing things we all take for granted as adults.

Along the Pacific Coast of southern Mexico are two towns that mainly have become known as one, Ixtapa and Zihuantanejo. Situated in the state of Guerrero, Ixtapa Zihuantanejo are two separate towns situated a short 8 kilometres (5 miles) apart . They are approximately 150 miles north of Acapulco. Both towns have amazing beaches and warm waters, although Zihua is within a small bay whereas Ixtapa’s beach area is more open to the open Pacific Ocean. Ixtapa Zihuantanejo is the fourth largest city in the state of Guerrero and is very popular with tourists from within Mexico as well as the United States and Canada. While doing a little research of the area, this couple learned of a private turtle release project that was not a far distance from Zihua. The turtle camp is at Petatillo beach in the municipality of Union in the Guerrero state. Mr. Felix and his wife Doña Chucha created and have been tending to their turtle hatching farm for over 16 years, and have never had any financial support from the Mexican government. It has only been in the last 2 years, that tours have begun coming to visit Mr. Felix and Doña to see the amazing work they are doing to grow the numbers of the Golfina turtles in this area. After contacting Eco Ixzi Travel in Zihua, the excursion was booked and planned. Julio López was the tour guide for the day and he showed an incredible amount of passion for what Mr. Felix has been doing for the past 16 years. Julio is also very knowledgeable of the whole Guerrero state as well as other surrounding states and cities. His knowledge of the turtle populations and how the efforts of Mr. Felix has drastically helped increase the numbers of the Golfina, as well as 3 other species of turtles native to the area. Once arriving at the turtle camp location, the small group of excited tourists, were guided to a covered section with small tables and chairs at which time Julio began explaining the efforts of Mr. Felix. As mentioned, he and his wife have been living a very simple life, on the beach, caring and tending to many turtle nests which are all within a protected fenced in area to help protect the eggs from predators. Each evening around 1:00 am, Mr. Felix ventures out on his ATV, searching the coastline for fresh turtle nests. Searching approximately 5 kilometers(3 miles )each direction from the camp, Mr.Felix then excavates the fresh nests, gathering all the eggs, to bring back to his well protected site. Keeping records for each nest, Mr. Felix records the date, number of eggs, and the nest location on a small peg which he places at each new location within his pens. The miracle of these little turtles hatching takes 45 days. At that time, tourists visiting are shown to a nest, where they will be allowed to assist these little creatures to escape their sand covered beds. Latex gloves must be worn to protect the babies from infection, once donned, the visitors proceed to gently remove sand around the perimeter of the nest, being very gentle with each stroke. Removing handful by handful the turtle babies come into view bringing great emotion to the group. Slowly and steadily Brent and Elsa removed every last baby from within the nest, placing them into plastic shallow tubs. Covering the inside bottom of each plastic tub with a bit of damp sand keeps the babies calm after being removed from their nests. Taking approximately 30 minutes for their instincts to kick in, the babies slowly become active. Their instincts take time to “kick in” , programming them for their future return to this location for breeding.Of course not all theses amazing babies will return to lay eggs as some are male. The sex of the hatchlings is determined not by fertilization, but by the temperature of the nest. Once the babies begin to move about in the plastic bins, Mr. Felix and Julio jointly decided when it was time for the visitors to release the babies into the sea. Calling it “a turtle race”, Julio mentioned everyone would release their turtles at the same time, to see just how different some are from others. “ Uno, dos, tres” announced Julio and all the babies were gently poured out onto the sand. The race was on. Statistics show that approximately 10 percent of the hatched baby turtles will return to this exact location. There are many predators out in the open ocean. Birds are one large factor to the babies survival, which is why these turtles are released near sunset as many of the local birds have returned to their nests for the evening. Large fish are also another predator that limits the life expectancy of these little guys. Hopefully returning in 10 years, these Golfina or Olive Ridley turtles will grow to a length of around two feet long and weigh nearly 100 pounds. This amazing excursion for those who love wildlife, is a definite trip to do while in the area of Ixtapa Zihuantanejo. Contact Julio at Eco Ixzi Travel for a memorable day that you will not forget.

Roatan, Belize is an amazing location for scuba diving and snorkelling. Located on the eastern coast of Central America and south of Mexico it is bordered also by the Caribbean Sea. Offshore, the massive Belize Barrier Reef, dotted with hundreds of low-lying islands called cayes, is home to an extremely rich marine life. Sea turtles of varying types, Moray eels, as well as a number of types of rays are also found along the reef. On this dive in the video, Brent and his wife Elsa had stopped in Roatan, Belize while on a Caribbean cruise. After a good nights sleep aboard the cruise ship, Brent and Elsa made their way off the ship with all their scuba diving gear. Following simple instructions from one of the local dive companies, they found their driver that would transport them to the dive shop only a short distance away. After completing the required paperwork and meeting their dive guide Vero, Brent and Elsa were the only ones on the dive boat this day. Having Vero the dive guide to themselves made for a couple incredible dives. Zigzag is one of the many popular dive sites which was a very short, few minute ride aboard the dive shop panga boat. Donning their dive gear, Brent and Elsa were ready to go. Descending onto the ocean floor at a depth of around 65 feet displayed some amazing scenery below the waves. Gorgeous coral reefs, huge rock formations, and beautiful sea life excited both Elsa and Brent. Drifting along the edge of the reef, effortless carried by a gentle current, brought them to a channel within the reef. Noticing some motion in the near distance, Brent realized it was a Hawksbill turtle surfacing for a breath of fresh air. Hawksbill turtles are found throughout the tropical waters of the Atlantic, Pacific, and Indian Oceans. Their diet consists mainly of sponges that live on coral reefs. Today, loss of coral reef habitat around the world is the primary threat to the future numbers of hawksbill turtles. The reason the Hawksbill turtles are endangered and nearing extinction is because of their beautiful shell. They were hunted for hundreds of years in huge numbers for the “tortoise shell” that was used in many types of jewelry and trinkets. Harvesting hawksbill turtles for their shell nearly drove the population to extinction. Now with the creation of many protected reefs and marine reserves, the Hawksbill numbers have been slowly increasing in these areas. Many countries have begun to protect these beautiful animals which is helping them to recover from near extinction. Hovering along the reef edge at Zigzag, this gorgeous Hawksbill began descending along the small valley within the reef, and swam directly at Brent. Excited at what he was experiencing, Brent made sure his Gopro was recording to catch the beauty and grace of this turtle. Concentrating on it’s own plan, the turtle swam along the edge of the reef then made a turn directly at Brent. Remaining as motionless as possible, Brent took in one of the most beautiful events of his diving life. This Hawskbill swimming within inches of Brents camera as though posing for some incredible footage made for a perfect dive.

Twilight is a seven month old kitty from Surrey British Columbia Canada. Her owner Carolynne mentioned that Twilight is a very curious and loving kitten. "Raising her and her sister Nova from tiny new born kittens has been quite fun " mentioned Carolynne. "It has definitely kept me and the kids busy at times". Both kitties have proven to be very curious one it comes to new things in their environment. After a day watching football with the kids, pizza was the best option for a fun filled day. Of course like many pets, they too wanted to partake in the days fun activity which included pizza for dinner. Although the box was closed, both Twilight and Nova gave it their best efforts of breaking into the box to enjoy some pizza. Neither kitty was quite able to manipulate the pizza box lid lock, but they sure did give a good effort. How adorable the two kitties are, but Twilight was the only one to be caught on camera this day.

Just a short drive from the main highway near Tulum, Mexico, is a beautiful fresh water cenote. Located minutes off of Federal Highway 307 in the Riviera Maya is where you will find the Cenote Manati, also known as Casa Cenote. The Cenote Manati gained this name since it was once the home to a large number of manatees. The large number of manatees managed to enter the cave where the cenote connects with the ocean and thus developed a new residence that was very protected for them. Within the cenote, the great number of mangrove trees and bushes roots over flow into the crystal clear waters and provide the towering trees and bushes the water they need to flourish.The Cenote is easily accessible for swimming and scuba diving and has a maximum depth of 6 meters or just under 20 feet. Its waters are transparent with a slight blue hue, giving snorkelers and divers excellent opportunity for photography and video. Within the area you can enjoy beautiful scenery, coral reefs as well as rock formations and cracks in the limestone where you can admire a variety of natural lighting effects beaming from above. Many varieties of both fresh water and saltwater fish that inhabit the cenote. Some small crabs also make this beautiful place their home. One of the main attractions for those that dare, is to see the resident Mexican crocodile in his natural environment. Crocodiles in other parts of the world, such as the salt water crocodiles of Australia have been known to be very aggressive. The Mexican crocodiles are much more docile and non aggressive towards us humans as you will see in the video. Known to have been living in this cenote for more than four years, he was first seen when approximately one foot in length. Now more than seven feet long he is growing at a nice rate. You may ask ”how do you know he is a he?”. The guide that Brent had during this visit explained that the crocodile had been witnessed doing a “shake” one year ago. Male crocodiles put on extraordinary courtship displays to attract females. They make low-frequency sound that no human can hear, and they do it in such a way that water droplets on their back start to bounce and reverberate. This action by the male will attract any female crocodiles in the area during the mating season. The crocodile is an amazingly beautiful creature. These Mexican or Morelet’s crocodile are chiefly found in freshwater environments, such as swamps, marshes, lakes and rivers in forested regions. It prefers isolated and secluded inland areas. Despite being chiefly a freshwater species that likes densely forested habitats with a lot of cover, Morelet’s crocodile do exist in brackish coastal waters and the grassy savannas of the Yucatan Peninsula as well.

Cruising around in the bay off Zihuantanejo, Mexico, aboard a small catamaran can be very relaxing and enjoyable. Enjoying a pre Christmas vacation, Brent and his wife were spending two weeks in the Pacific Coastal town of Zihuantanejo. Zihuantanejo is a resort town on Mexico's Pacific Coast, approximately 150 miles Northwest of Acapulco.The town is situated on a quiet and sheltered bay, perfect for this sleepy fishing town. Three beautiful beaches skirt the bay, giving locals and visitors great choices for spending time in the warm waters and white sandy beaches. Brent and Elsa wanted to try something new, so they rented a small catamaran from a local vendor, and away they went. Winds were gentle, and the ocean was very calm. Gentle winds are great for learning to sail, but are not so favourable when trying to really build some speed for an exciting ride. Zig zagging back and forth trying to catch some wind, the challenge became slightly frustrating for Brent. Along with trying to make tracks, so to say, Brents wife was trying to take a photo using their new Gopro Hero 8 action camera. For those that know these cameras, they also are equipped with voice activation and have a number of commands which the camera understands. Among these commands, you are able to "take a photo", "start recording" as well as "stop recording". After trying numerous times to "take a photo", Brent let his wife try to see if the Gopro preferred his wife voice over his, as his commands were not working. Was this a gender preference by the software? Or was it background noise interrupting Brents commands? Well, Brent and Elsa tried numerous times to "take a photo" while spending their day on the water. Although not lacking efforts, they had little results. Knowing it must be a setting issue, or something, Brent did some research once back on dry land. After searching the internet for answers, with no results, he began to just play around with the camera. In the settings, Brent had set the camera to automatically start recording when the shutter / record button on the top of the camera was depressed. This worked perfect for situations while scuba diving, as it saved time and battery life. What Brent did not know, until this time, was that the "auto on" setting also immobilized the voice command function of the camera. Brent found that if manually turning on the camera with its side power button, all the voice command features worked perfectly fine. As usual, Elsa always tells Brent " it is probably a setting you have done" . Once again she was correct. Enjoy the scenery on the Pacific Ocean they recorded near Zihuantanejo, and have a chuckle at Elsas comment near the end.

Poncho is a thirteen year old rescue dog that lives in Surrey, British Columbia Canada. Rescued from Playa Del Carmen, Mexico as a tiny puppy she has enjoyed a very loving life over the years. Poncho has always been a rather anxious pooch, never letting Brent out of her sight when he is home. Acting much like a shadow, Poncho will follow Brent throughout the house no matter what he may be doing. The only time this changes, is when the vacuum comes out, or the water is running to fill a bathtub. These are the two things Poncho is not fond of, and she will disappear in a flash to avoid a bath. Whether it be a trip into the garage, or into the living room, Poncho is always close by. Christmas 2019 proved to be no different for Poncho. As Brent and his wife began setting up their artificial Christmas tree, Poncho felt her assistance and support was needed. Acting as though she was the foreman on the job site, Poncho returned numerous times to make sure Brent was doing a quality job setting up the tree. Approaching slowly, and then finally coming in for a close look, Poncho almost always gives a small nudge in order to make sure, with no doubt, that she is there. Offering up her love, Poncho also is always there to offer a nudge and a kiss to anyone that will accept it. Poncho made sure the tree was assembled to her liking, making for another amazing Christmas setting for Christmas 2019 for herself and her family. Dogs are the best!

While wandering the beach area of Zihuantanejo Mexico, Brent noticed a small animal cage near a store front. There was a banner hanging on one end of the cage and a small box was atop the cage. Walking closer, it appeared as though there was a small hammock hanging within the cage. How interesting this all seemed. A beach town, a cage with a hammock, in a beach side town. Getting closer, Brent noticed there was an adorable cat lazing in the hammock. Approaching closer to see this adorable animal, the kitty did not move a muscle. Definitely relaxed and calm, this kitty had the life. Purrying softly as Brent came near, it was for sure a signal that this little guy wanted a head scratch. Offering up a little head petting for the cutie, the cat surely enjoyed that. When Brents wife came to see what he was looking at, she informed him that this kitty was up for adoption( she reads Spanish, Brent doesn't). The small box atop the cage, seemed to be to raise donations forcing for these pets until adopted by local families. The idea of making this cage so comfortable for this kitty was perfect. It really hits the heart strings of all those passing by.

Mexico has some amazing cities and areas. Along the Pacific Coast are two towns that mainly have become known as one, Ixtapa Zihuantanejo. Situated in the state of Guerrero, Ixtapa Zihuantanejo are two separate towns approximately 150 miles north of Acapulco. Having beautiful beaches, Zihuantanejo is sheltered within a very protected bay which is very popular with many private boat owner during the months. Ixtapa Zihuantanejo is the fourth largest city in the state of Guerrero and is very popular with tourists from within Mexico as well as the United States and Canada. Recently, December 2019, Brent and his wife enjoyed two weeks vacation in Zihua, as it is known to the locals. Relaxing for most of their vacation, Brent and Elsa wanted to enjoy something different. While doing some research, they learned of a private turtle release project that was not a far distance from Zihua. The turtle camp is at Petatillo beach in the municipality of Union in the Guerrero state. The person in charge of the camp is Mr. Felix and his wife Doña Chucha. Mr. Felix and his wife have lived at the location of the turtle camp for over 16 years, and have never had any financial support from the Mexican government. It has only been in the last 2 years, that tours have begun coming to visit Mr. Felix and Doña to see the amazing work they are doing to grow the numbers of the Golfina turtles in this area. After contacting Eco Ixzi Travel in Zihua, the excursion was booked and planned. Julio López was the tour guide for the day and he showed an incredible amount of passion for what Mr. Felix has been doing for the past 16 years. Julio is also very knowledgable of the whole Guerrero state as well as other surrounding states and cities. His knowledge of the turtle populations and how the efforts of Mr. Felix has drastically helped increase the numbers of the Golfina, as well as 3 other species of turtles native to the area. Once arriving at the turtle camp location, the small group of excited tourists, were guided to a covered section with small table and chair at which time Julio began explaining the efforts of Mr. Felix. As mentioned, he and his wife have been living a very simple life, on the beach, caring and tending to many turtle nests which are all within a protected fenced in area. Each evening around 1am, Mr. Felix ventures out on his atv, which use to be a horse until it passed away one year ago, looking for fresh turtle nests where mother turtles had buried eggs. Searching approximately 3 miles each direction from the camp, Mr.Felix then excavates the fresh nests, gathering all the eggs, to bring back to his well protected site. Keeping all the date for each nest, Mr. Felix records the date, number of eggs, and the nest location on a small peg which he places at each new location within his pens. The miracle of these little turtles hatching takes 45 days. At that time, each tourist visiting, or couple, is allowed to assist these little creatures from within their sand covered beds. After placing a latex glove one ones hand, they can then proceed to gently remove sand around the perimeter of the nest, being very gentle with each stroke. Removing handful by handful the turtle babies start to come into view bring some emotion to the group. Slowly and steadily Brent and Elsa removed every last baby from within the nest, placing them into plastic shallow tubs in which damp sand had been placed on the inside bottom. The sand keeps the babies calm, as it takes approximately 30 minutes for their instincts to kick in, bringing them the awareness of where they have hatched, and to where they will return in 10 years to once again lay eggs themselves. Of course not all theses amazing babies will return to lay eggs as some are male. The sex of the hatchlings is determined not by fertilization, but by the temperature of the nest. Once the babies begin to move about in the plastic bins, Mr. Felix and Julio jointly decided when it was time for Brent, Elsa and their small group to release the babies into the sea. Calling it “a turtle race”, Julio mentioned everyone would release their turtles at the same time, to see just how different some are from others. “ Uno, dos, tres” said Julio and all the babies were gently poured out onto the sand. Some sped towards the water as though they had done this before. Some wandered in circles, and some needed a little helping hand getting in the right direction. Approximately 10 percent of the hatched baby turtles will return to this exact location. There are many predators out in the open ocean. Birds are one large factor to the babies survival, which is why these turtles are released near sunset as the birds have mostly gone to their nests for the evening. Large fish are also another predator that limits the life expectancy of these little guys. Hopefully returning in 10 years, these Golfina or Olive Ridley turtles will grow to a length of around two feet long and weighing nearly 100 pounds. This amazing excursion for those who love wildlife, is a definite trip to do while in the area of Ixtapa Zihuantanejo. Contact Julio at Eco Ixzi Travel for a memorable day that you will not forget.

Bella is a 5 year old Terrier mix pup from Surrey British Columbia, Canada. Bella has great parents that up until six months ago she was the main "child" in the home. Bella was very use to receiving all the attention until her little "brother" Harvey came along. Bella has always been an extremely friendly and lovable pup. She has always been able to get along with anyone, and any other dogs, making it great for taking her along on vacation and to even just the local dog parks. As Harvey has been getting older he too is building an amazing personality. Laughing has become one of Harvey's latest achievements, showing just how happy he is. Play time for Bella and Harvey comes any time of the day, as long as neither is having a nap. Here you can see just how Harvey and Bella interact with the help of their dad Ryan. Darting in and out of Harvey's room, Bella stirs up some fun and excitement. Harvey's hilarious laughter seems to encourage Bella even more to race around the room. How much fun it will be once Harvey is mobile enough to also chase Bella through the house, then there will be some laughter from more than just Harvey. Love within the household is always the best. Pets and children sure make a family complete.

Poncho is a 13 year old rescue dog from Vancouver, British Columbia Canada. Rescued from Riviera Maya, Mexico as a tiny puppy she has become a great family pet for Brent and his family. Poncho and her sister Carmelita were found by Brent's young children at the side of a dirt pathway that lead to the beach near their condo. Enjoying a Christmas vacation in sunny Mexico did not originally include bringing home a new puppy, but finding Poncho and her sister Carmelita surely caused a change to the vacation plans, in a good way. Once back in Vancouver after a very exciting airline flight and a drive from Seattle, the family with its two new puppies reached the Canada USA border. While asking the regular routine questions, the border agent also asked if the trip was intentional for bringing back new puppies. Brent replied with a definite" no, but it has turned out well". Little more was involved and they all headed home. Over the years, Carmelita has found another home, but Poncho has remained. Teaching Poncho a few simple tricks was quite simple Brent said. Spending only a few minutes with Poncho, a few treats, and a little bit of patients proved Poncho was pretty smart. She learned to roll over with a simple hand signal and a couple words. She will do the trick without having to tell her, but it seems Brent automatically tells her, "OK Ponch, roll over". Poncho usually rolls with no effort, but as she is an aging pooch, the trick has become a bit more tough at times. Her excitement also gets the best of her during trick times, and Poncho performs a partial roll, jumping back up hoping to receive the treat. Sorry not this time Poncho, you have to complete the trick. In the end, Poncho always wins with more treats and some hugs and love.

Cabo San Lucas is a town in Mexico, on the Baja, that is famous for deep sea fish, beautiful beaches, and wildlife. One famous location a very short distance from Cabo San Lucas marina is called Lands End, also know as El Arco. This is the southernmost point of Mexico’s Baja. Cabo San Lucas is world famous for deep sea fishing as the popular striped marlin, tuna, mahi mahi and many other big game fish are quite plentiful for the avid fisherman. Along with fishing, scuba diving and snorkeling is very popular near Lands End. For the many visitors that prefer more low key activities, there are boat tours out to Lands End as the rock formations and beach areas are beautiful. Two popular beaches right at the tip pf the Baja are known as Lovers Beach, and Divorce Beach. Lovers Beach is on the inside of the Lands End tip, on the Sea of Cortez. Divorce Beach, which is connected by a the strip of white sand to Lovers Beach, although it is facing the Pacific Ocean. Both beaches are very popular for sunbathing and relaxing but Divorce Beach, being on the Pacific Ocean side, is very rocky with dangerous waves. Divorce Beach is not recommended for swimming with its large waves and strong rip tides. On the day of this fun footage, Janet and her husband were taking a short sightseeing tour out to Lands End. After the thirty minute excursion they started their way back into the marina. Within a few minutes they noticed a group of very large sea lions following along behind some fighting charter boats. Little did Janet know, the sea lions following them and the other boats were world famous. Pancho the Sea Lion is a local legend in Cabo San Lucas, Mexico, one of the top fishing destinations in the world. Many large sea lions lounge around the marina docks waiting for the return of the fishing boats in hopes they will be offered up some fight snacks. Pancho himself use to laze around waiting, but began following these boats, making the fish treats much more plentiful as he chased from boat to boat. Soon Pancho had many other sea lions following his actions, making some great entertainment for tourists and locals alike. These California sea lions are quite large. The female sea lions grow to around six feet long and 220 pounds, while the males measure in at 8 feet long and close to 800 pounds. While enjoying the video, take note of the boats when the sea lions board awaiting a fishy treat, that shows just how large and heavy they are. Cute and cuddly creatures of the sea.

Black bears and salmon are very important in many parts of Canada. Both of these beautiful creatures are very important in the natural habitats found throughout Canada and many of its cities, towns and wilderness areas. Located in the city of Port Coquitlam, a short drive from the big city of Vancouver is a park called Minnekhada Regional Park. Minnekhada Park has numerous creeks and marshlands providing nesting areas for many types of birds. Along with the many species of birds there, also roam black bears and coyotes. With miles of trails throughout the marshlands, local hikers and bikers can enjoy wildlife right in their backyards. Within the park , in the south west corner, runs McLean Creek. Easily accessible by car or bicycle, even by foot, it is the perfect location to witness an amazing cycle of life within steps of your own feet. Nestled along the edge of a small forest within a residential area, McLean Creek meanders along Oliver Road, ending northward into a larger marshland. Soon after arriving along McLean Creek, Brent and his wife parked their vehicle approximately one hundred yards from the exact point of interest. Port Coquitlam City now bans parking right at the location where bears come down to this amazing small creek looking for their delicacy meal of salmon. Safety for both humans and animals is the most important item. Many people do not realize the danger that is inherent with coming in close contact with wild animals. On the day Brent recorded this footage, the City also had arranged for a wildlife Officer to visit the location making sure those near were aware of the safety concerns at hand. After only a few minutes, one beautiful black bear appeared from within the forest, heading straight into the small creek in search of a high fat meal. With winter approaching these bears gorge on many high fat foods to build their body weight and fat so they can survive through hibernation. With recent low rain fall in the Vancouver area, creeks are still at low levels, which reduces the number of salmon making their way into these gravel bottom creeks in which they lay their eggs. It is very important that all the key elements of nature align to keep the numbers of salmon alive. Low rain fall makes it difficult for the salmon to lay their eggs in optimum locations in order to receive fertilizing and significant water flow to keep the eggs alive and healthy. Excess rainfall can also cause issues with the eggs to be washed away from their beddings causing them to not hatch into fry. Of course this affects the numbers of salmon returning year after year. As you will notice, with the low water level in McLean Creek, the salmon have located themselves in deeper waters along the creek. The changing colours of the salmon means they are coming near to the end of their life. Some of the species grow a hooked jaw once they enter fresh waters. As with all the salmon, the ocean is their natural home, but they make their way amazingly back to the creeks and streams in which they were born, so themselves can lay eggs and fertilize eggs in the continuation of life. With all the salmon arriving very soon, mid November is the perfect time to visit such locations to witness this amazing cycle of life. Possibly by chance you may also see some wildlife such as these black bears feasting to continue their own lives in the wildlife. Nature is truly amazing!

Russo is a 7 year old Corgi Terrier mix pooch. Russo has recently moved back to Canada from Australia where he lived the good life near the beach for 5 years. Initially relocating from Vancouver, British Columbia to Melbourne Australia with his parents Amanda and Craig, he loved the surf life. Spending days walking the long sandy shores near the town of Rye, Russo became very accustomed to the warm waters the Melbourne area had to offer. As with all Corgi breeds, Russo is very friendly and lovable. He is for sure a cuddly pooch with those puppy dog eyes. He will almost always nudge anyone he feels he can convince to let him sit in their lap. Now back in Canada, Russo is slowly getting use to change with his new home, and weather. Now living with his Grandparents, he sure is a very well behaved doggo who loves to play. Staying with his Grandma and Grandpa, Russo is quite the spoiled dog. Of course it is Grandma Elsa that spoils him the most. Since Russo is a very excitable pooch, at times his barking gets just a wee bit loud so Amanda, Craig, Grandma and Grandpa are always trying to tone down Russo’s barking. One instance that the constant training to quiet Russo’s barking is succeeding is during house cleaning time. As we all know, dogs love to help, kind of. Helping gramma clean the house is not one of Russo’s favourite things to do. Not liking the noise and movement of the vacuum, he always chases the vacuum head around. Doing his best to make sure gramma understands, he bites and chases the vacuum head around the floor. Russo also does this when grampa cuts the grass. Luckily for Russo, grampa always stops the mover when Russo comes close. Nothing would be worse that having an accident with this adorable little guy out in the yard. Thank goodness gramma always shows her love to little Russo and gives time to show him there is nothing to be scared of. There is nothing better than a loving dog and a loving gramma.

Returning from his honeymoon vacation in Cancun, Mexico, the fellow whom recorded this footage was enduring a multi stop flight back home. After boarding the plane in Los Angeles, California en-route back to Vancouver,British Columbia, Brent was relaxing while watching the rest of the passengers board. Sitting in the perfect location to watch the pre-flight chatter of the pilot and first officer, Brent could see and hear much of their conversation. After comparing photos on their iPads, the Captain made her way out to the aisle to brief the passengers regarding their flight path, altitude and weather that would be expected along the way and back in Vancouver. As we all know, pilots have to retain a lot of information during the planning and duration of their flight. This very experienced pilot seemed to have a momentary memory lapse as she stumbled when trying to recall the flight number of this exact flight, but she did make note she was definitely aware of where the flight was heading. Hearing the chuckles of the passengers you can tell that everyone found it quite funny how the Captain handled her moment of forgetfulness. Brent mentioned "all in all his flight from Los Angeles to Vancouver was amazing". "The skill of the Captain showed with a perfectly smooth landing", he mentioned. The relaxing flight for a great return home after a wonderful vacation and honeymoon in Riviera Maya, Mexico.