Issue 74 - July 2021

Protecting our Winters By Michael MacDonald

the scenery for the mountain with a clear blue sky

Michael MacDonald is a graphic designer and photographer from the west coast of Scotland with a passion for hiking, biking, and most of all, snowboarding. As a volunteer and activist for climate charity Protect Our Winters UK, he hopes to inform and empower others to help protect the places we love. During winter, you’ll find him sliding sideways at Glencoe Mountain in the Scottish Highlands.

The sun is shining bright on a mountain sporting a full cover of snow. The kind that twinkles in the light. Despite being a keen weather watcher, I hadn’t expected a fall of snow during the night. The bottom drag lift even had to be dug out in the early hours. By the time I make it up the hill, some short-lived snow flurries have passed through, but it’s not long before there are blue skies. Temperatures are just cold enough to keep the snow fluffy. It’s going to be a stellar set of days. I’ve used the last of my annual leave to take Thursday and Friday off work for a long weekend of snowboarding at Glencoe Mountain Resort.

The ‘Mighty Coe’, as some of us regulars call it, is the oldest of the ski centres in Scotland. The brainchild of RAF pilot Philip Rankin, the first permanent ski lifts started running here in the 1950s. Glencoe has continued to beguile hardcore skiers and snowboarders as well as those looking to get started in winter sports. Its proximity to Glasgow means it has always been a popular Highland destination when the weekend comes around.

I work only to live and sometimes it feels like I live to snowboard. I’ve been doing it since the 90s, but I’m far from being an expert. I just love being on snow, immersing myself in the mountain environment and, equally as important, the snowboarding culture amongst the community at Glencoe.

The T-bar ski lift drags me into the cobalt blue of the sky, with the pristine white and burnt umber landscape surrounding me. The location itself is a huge part of the draw here. The mountain sits above Rannoch Moor, a huge expanse of peat bog and silvery lochans. The mountain’s real name is Meall a’ Bhùiridh, pronounced mee-yowl a voory. This is Gaelic for the ’rounded hill of the bellowing’ (of red deer stags). An appropriate name, as red deer probably outnumber humans in these parts.

The hill is also home to the swift mountain hare which often mocks the hiker or ski tourer with the ease in which they run uphill. My favourite resident is the dapper Ptarmigan, at this time of year resplendent in white, with darker flecks starting to make their way through. It must be one of the hardiest creatures on the mountain. Their croaky call can often be heard among the swooshing sound of skiers and the clanking of the ski lifts.

I walk across the summit ridge. The main pistes lie on the northern face of the mountain, but looking to the south, across Creise and the Black Mount, you see mountains repeating skylines into the haze past Ben Lui and on to Ben Lomond. If you look west past Ben Cruachan, you can make out the sea and the Isle of Mull. East you have Rannoch Moor itself with Schiehallion (the Fairy Hill) in the distance. To the north you have Ben Nevis, the highest mountain in the land. I often stare at these views for hours.

I reach the top of Spring Run, one of my favourite marked runs. As its name suggests, it comes into its own in springtime, as the snow becomes more granular, sugary and generally more fun. It’s relatively steep, but not so much that the thrill is over too soon. I strap into my board with the familiar sound of the ratchets tightening. With a hop I turn sideways and slide down this red-rated piste with large swooping turns from toe side of my snowboard to heel side. I feel myself sinking into each turn and as I do my board carves deeper into the snow. As a turn ends, I rise up and feel weightless, before sinking down into the next turn. It’s this surf-like action that feels almost meditative. I think of little else other than the feel of my turn, the consistency of the snow. I listen to the sounds too, the quieter the better.

There is an aesthetic quality to a turn. I stop halfway down to assess my line in the snow. It felt nice. I like the line I left. I cut across into ‘The Flypaper’. I’m cheating a bit. The Flypaper is Scotland’s steepest marked black run, but I’ve dropped in part way down, avoiding the steepest section which would be over too soon. This is the beauty of Glencoe. When I use the term piste, I use it very loosely. At the Coe, you go anywhere you want. It’s a true free-ride paradise where riders use whatever nature has provided. There is minimal manicuring of the snow slopes here, and that’s the way we like it. I was hunting for the best snow that would satisfy my love of turning my snowboard. It’s a simple pleasure. Maybe that’s what makes it so mindful.

I return to the summit for lunch, where the sun was still shining. There’s a strange atmosphere on the hill. It’s very busy for a Thursday. Many I’ve spoken to had intended to be abroad on ski holidays.

It’s April 2020, and Scotland’s ski centres are enjoying a late dump of snow that would easily see them into May. That’s nothing unusual in itself, but the earlier months in the year provided little snow, just battering storms, so the season didn’t get off to a great start. Despite this setback, and the fact Glencoe had completely lost its main cafe to a fire at Christmas, things had been looking up. But, as we are now all too aware, this was a false hope.

But snowboarding is the perfect way to take my mind off the insecurities that the prospect of an impending pandemic and a national lockdown may bring. And so, facing the immediate threat of a life without it, I strap in and get back to slashing snow. It feels like we’re on borrowed time. Just another disaster for Glencoe to deal with in this terrible season, but also something every one of us will be affected by. I return to the car where I would be spending the night.

I have been fortunate to combine my day job with my passion. As a graphic designer for an outerwear brand, its common that I see skiers and snowboarders wearing gear that I have been involved in the design of.

And in 2017, I answered a call from the UK chapter of Protect Our Winters (POWUK). I jumped at the chance to contribute and found myself producing literature, infographics, and contributing digital content too.

Founded in 2007 by snowboarding pioneer Jeremy Jones, widely regarded as one of the most legendary big mountain riders, POW is a global cause that unites the winter sports community against climate change.

Unfortunately, it feels all too natural to compare lockdown to the looming catastrophe that is the climate crisis. The effects of which will be much more devastating than the pandemic has been.

It’s not as simple as saying the world will be too hot for snow and we won’t be able to slide down hills anymore. We snowboarders are witnesses to many of the changes, be they much-reduced glaciers or increased instabilities in snowpack. The issues are nuanced. The low lying Scottish resorts do suffer from inclement weather, sometimes a lack of snow, sometimes a ton of snow. It’s always been like that here.

a man is snowboarding down a snowy mountain

This is what confuses many when we talk about warming of the planet. In many cases we may actually see more snowfall. However, we are talking about the bigger picture here. As a volunteer for Protect Our Winters UK, it is not just for winter sports participants. It’s about equipping the greater outdoor community and industry to take positive action on climate change.

So why do I get involved? If we don’t reduce our carbon emissions (the main contributor to the crisis), it’s more than being a snowboarder who doesn’t want to see shorter seasons in the Alps. It’s more than a concern about rising sea levels, mass migration, and instability caused by the collapse of agriculture around the world. These are all important reasons for taking action. But when I think about it, maybe I have more selfish reasons.

Right up there as a number one reason is guilt. Through my photography I promote the places I visit. Am I part of the problem? I fly to get my fill of snow. How many tons of carbon did my last trip pump into the atmosphere? Further heating this world I want to stay cool.

People are walking in snow to to take ski lift

These are the kinds of contradictions that can easily prevent individuals from taking positive actions. But especially at POW UK, we acknowledge that hypocrisy. We don’t try to say, “don’t do this”, “you mustn’t do that”. Any action is better than no action, and just keeping the conversation going has a huge potential for change.

Unfortunately, it’s human nature to turn the other way and ignore impending catastrophe. It’s a natural coping mechanism. It’s why, at POW, we try and avoid focusing on doom and gloom. Instead, what we need to do is get people motivated. This can be through new opportunities; through sport, jobs, or simply saving money. POW UK is here to encourage and enable people.

We feel it’s better to focus on the joy of what we have, and how if we act now we could be just in time to save a lot of the places we love.

I wake up in the back of the car with the access chairlift running above. It’s not as sunny today, but I’m determined to make the most of it. We don’t know how much longer the ski areas will be open.

Main Basin itself is fast and smooth and to be honest, I don’t stray far from it for most of the day. Combined with the best snow, and the fact the lower T-bar stayed off, it’s the best option. I’ll save Spring Run for the end of the day.

It’s not long before there’s solid info that this is to be the last day of the season. I decide to make the most of the rest of the afternoon. Savouring every turn. It’s a bit strange that I’m staying in Main Basin despite the full cover on the hill. I just want to enjoy the best quality snow as long as I can.

When it’s time for last lift, the hill is quieter, many having made their way down.At the summit I walk along the ridge, stopping to take in the sight from over the back. One last time.

This final run of the day takes me out wide and onto the road with amazing views of Buachaille Etive Mòr. So that’s it. I walk down the road with fellow snowboarders, chatting about that last run, and telling stories of the Coe and the season. I check the website when I get down. Despite their best efforts, Glencoe has indeed called an end to the season due to the Coronavirus.

As I drive away, I stop at the office to say thanks for all they have done this season. Turning onto the road, I look back up at the mountain. It’s in full cover. As much snow as you could ever want.

The weekend weather has been perfect, with a huge amount of snow. Only for it to be taken away from us. It made me think of living without access to snow forever. Glencoe will recover from the pandemic, just as it has done from storms, and fire. But as for what else is coming? That’s down to us. All of us.

To read more about Michael’s snowboarding adventures on Glencoe Mountain, head to DiscoverInteresting.com

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Issue 74 - July 2021

The Winners of the Great Shark Race Announced During Shark Week

Makos and whale sharks competed through Shark Awareness Day

FORT LAUDERDALE/DANIA BEACH, FLORIDA – And the winner is . . . After a nearly seven-month journey spanning more than a combined 29,100 miles, Nova Southeastern University NSU’s Guy Harvey Research Institute (GHRI) has announced the winners of The Great Shark Race 2021 which began in January and ended at midnight on Shark Awareness Day, July 14.

The Great Shark Race 2021 was divided into two races: the shortfin makos, the fastest marine creatures on the planet that can swim up to 44 miles per hour, and the whale sharks, the gigantic shark species, which, not surprisingly, are some of the slowest swimmers. The three racing mako sharks traveled a combined 8,900+ miles.

Cuddles, sponsored by Penmanship, was declared the victor with 3,207 miles logged, followed closely by;
Caison, sponsored by Certified Contracting Group, Inc., traveling 3,073 miles, and;
Fishangler, sponsored by Fishangler App, which finished third with 2,627 miles.

As for the whale shark category, there was an interesting “side race” within the division that pitted NBC national news anchor Lester Holt against NBC reporter Kerry Sanders, who is known for his affinity for sharks. Lester beat out Kerry, 4,718.73 miles to 3,058.14 miles.

The five whale shark racers were:

AGT-Milo2, sponsored by Advanced Green Technologies, was declared the victor with 4,177 miles logged; followed by;
Glass Cutter, sponsored by Miller Glass & Glazing, Inc., with 2,761 miles;
Diablo, sponsored by Crawford Roofing, Inc., which traveled 2,717.64 miles.
Contagious Energy, sponsored by the Moss Foundation, which travelled 1,979 miles; and
Speed Racer, sponsored by the Boatyard Restaurant, which travelled 873 miles for 56 days before its tag got entangled in fishing line and stopped reporting.

As different as they may seem in terms of size and speed, both shark species in the Great Shark Race have something in common – they are endangered. The main goal of this unusual race is to further key scientific research aimed at saving these and other endangered shark species.

“Everyone loves a contest, so we thought this could be a great, fun, engaging way to raise public awareness about the dire status of both these endangered shark species and an effective way to attract sponsors to further fund this long-term research. The announcement was timed to Shark Week when the spotlight shines brightest on sharks,” said Mahmood Shivji, Ph.D., director of NSU’s GHRI and Save Our Seas Foundation Shark Research Center. “From the work we’ve done, we know that both these species can travel up to 12,000 miles in one year so our goal is to use new data to understand where they go, when they go and potentially why they travel to these specific locations.”

a group of people are sitting on a deck watching a whale shark — Team Whaleshark

The latest in ocean wildlife tracking technology was used to measure race results. A fin-mounted SPOT satellite tag on each shark allowed them to be tracked in near real time on the GHRI Race Tracking Website. These SPOT tags relayed crucial data back to researchers, including the distance that each shark covered as they swam around the Atlantic Ocean, the Gulf of Mexico or Caribbean Sea.

The presenting sponsor for each race category were FishAngler App for the makos and The Moss Foundationfor the whale sharks. In addition to the companies Certified Contracting Group, Inc., Advanced Green Technologies, Crawford Roofing, Inc., Miller Glass & Glazing, Inc., and Boatyard Restaurant, individual shark sponsors were Penmanship and Gordon James III.

“As we continue the long-term project of working with GHRI researchers at NSU, we learn more and more how important sharks are to preserving healthy ocean ecosystems,” said world-renowned artist, conservationist and scientist Dr. Guy Harvey, chairman of the Guy Harvey Ocean Foundation, which conducts scientific research and hosts educational programs aimed at conserving the marine environment, ensuring that future generations can enjoy and benefit from a properly balanced ocean ecosystem. “The Great Shark Race 2021 was a success and brought in much needed funds to continue our research. We sincerely thank all who supported us during this race. It is an amazing educational opportunity and a critical research initiative.”According to NSU’s GHRI research, up to 73 million sharks a year end up in the global shark fin trade, and some estimates say that annually approximately 100 million sharks are removed from the world’s oceans. Case in point: approximately 30% of the mako sharks tagged by NSU’s GHRI research scientists have been lost. These are clearly not sustainable numbers, and it should alarm everyone. It’s why creating awareness about this issue is more important than ever.

two whale shark are swimming in the ocean

About Nova Southeastern University (NSU): At NSU, students don’t just get an education, they get the competitive edge they need for real careers, real contributions and real life. A dynamic, private research university, NSU is providing high-quality educational and research programs at the undergraduate, graduate, and professional degree levels. Established in 1964, the university includes 15 colleges, the 215,000-square-foot Center for Collaborative Research, the private JK-12 grade University School, the world-class NSU Art Museum Fort Lauderdale, and the Alvin Sherman Library, Research and Information Technology Center, one of Florida’s largest public libraries. NSU students learn at our campuses in Fort Lauderdale, Fort Myers, Jacksonville, Miami, Miramar, Orlando, Palm Beach, and Tampa, Florida, as well as San Juan, Puerto Rico, and online globally. With nearly 200,000 alumni across the globe, the reach of the NSU community is worldwide. Classified as having “high research activity” by the Carnegie Foundation for the Advancement of Teaching, NSU is one of only 59 universities nationwide to also be awarded Carnegie’s Community Engagement Classification, and is also the largest private institution in the United States that meets the U.S. Department of Education’s criteria as a Hispanic-serving Institution. Please visitwww.nova.edu for more information.

About the Guy Harvey Research Institute: Established in 1999, the Guy Harvey Research Institute (GHRI) at Nova Southeastern University (NSU) provides the scientific information necessary to understand, conserve, and effectively manage the world’s marine fishes and their ecosystems. The GHRI is one of only a handful of private organizations dedicated exclusively to the science-based conservation of marine fish populations and biodiversity. For more information, please visit: www.cnso.nova.edu/ghri.

About the Guy Harvey Ocean Foundation: The Guy Harvey Ocean Foundation (GHOF) conducts scientific research and hosts educational programs aimed at conserving the marine environment. The GHOF also funds affiliated researchers working to better understand our ocean ecosystem and educators helping to foster the next era of marine conservationists. The GHOF will help ensure that future generations can enjoy and benefit from a properly balanced ocean ecosystem. Follow the GHOF on Facebook, Twitter and Instagram at @guyharveyocean. For more information, visit www.GHOF.org.

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Issue 74 - July 2021

Scuba Divers Can Now Become Environmentally Certified Through Green Fins

Improving environmental standards is critical because 70% of divers contact the reef while diving and 36% are unaware of doing so

people are diving in the reef next to the school of yellow fish

The Reef-World Foundation – the international coordinator of Green Fins – is pleased to announce the launch of the new Green Fins Diver e-Course. This new online course is designed to help recreational divers protect coral reefs by learning how to conduct more environmentally friendly dives.

Improving the behaviour of recreational divers is critical for the survival of coral reefs because an average of 70% of divers contact the reef while diving.* What’s more, divers contact the reef an average of 5.79 times per dive and 36% of those who contacted the reef were unaware they did so. The cumulative impact is significant: over one million new divers are certified annually and ‘on-reef’ tourism is valued at USD $19 billion per year. If these millions of divers learn how to be more environmentally aware and have zero impact dives, it would have a huge impact on the protection of our precious coral reefs for future generations.

All divers, whether professional or recreational, can minimise their impact on the ocean by following environmental best practice while diving. The new Green Fins Diver e-Course is the only course which teaches scuba divers how to prevent diving-related damage to coral reefs by following the highest environmental standards, as set out by the Green Fins initiative. It teaches divers how to behave on the reef to prevent them causing environmental damage; helping to protect coral and other marine life one dive at a time. Divers around the world can take this course for just £19 by enrolling here.

a scuba diver is diving in the blue ocean

Diving related damage to sensitive marine ecosystems, including coral reefs, is becoming an increasingly significant issue. Even a small breakage from an errant fin kick can cause damage that takes months to recover from; not to mention other negative actions above the water such as littering or buying souvenirs made of marine life. On heavily dived reefs, the cumulative impact of unmanaged tourism can be huge. This damage makes them less likely to survive other local and wider stressors, such as overfishing or run-off from land containing pollutants and plastic debris as well the effects of climate change, such as rising sea temperatures. Research has shown divers who receive environmental information and understand their potential impact on reefs cause significantly less damage to coral.

Following 2019’s successful Green Fins Dive Guide e-Course, the Green Fins Diver e-Course now enables Reef-World to meet the demand for education about sustainable diving from recreational divers. The new course covers straightforward techniques such as best environmental practices from equipment care to underwater photography, above and below the water, which are proven to reduce the level of environmental damage associated with diving.

The course provides divers with three online modules of easy-to-follow content followed by corresponding tests on an intuitive, user-friendly platform:

Module 1: an introduction to coral reef biology, global and local threats to the marine environment and the Green Fins approach.
Module 2: management techniques above water, such as how to prepare and plan an environmentally friendly dive trip: from booking your trip at home to best practices on the boat and caring for your equipment post dive.
Module 3: applying best diving practices below water on every dive, learning tips for diving with the least environmental impact and how to have longer marine life interactions as well as how to be an environmentally responsible underwater photographer. Finally, suggesting ways in which divers can use the best practices they have learned and contribute to citizen science projects.

There is a short test at the end of each module which diver must pass in order to finish the course.

The course is available for £19 and, on completion, students will receive a personalised electronic certificate, which is valid for two years and can be displayed as a stamp of individual awareness. The course content will be updated regularly with the latest industry knowledge about environmental best practice so after two years students are encouraged to retake the course to refresh their skills. The proceeds from course certificates support Reef-World’s work to implement the Green Fins programme around the world. Divers who cannot afford to take the course can apply for the Green Fins Diver e-Course Scholarship Fund to receive the certification free of charge.

Gabriel Grimsditch, marine ecosystems expert at the UN Environment Programme, said: “The Green Fins Diver e-Course is more critical than ever to help ensure the survival of reefs and the diving industry. Divers now have a clear roadmap to champion environmental sustainability as our tourism industries build back better.”

JJ Harvey, Director at The Reef-World Foundation, said: “The Green Fins Diver e-Course enables divers from all backgrounds to become more environmentally aware, understand the main environmental threats posed by scuba diving and be able to minimise those threats. We’re so proud of the results from our 2019 course and we’re excited that we can now also meet demand from recreational divers worldwide who want to reduce their negative impact on the coral reefs they visit.”

Green Fins is the only internationally recognised environmental standard for dive and snorkel operators, established through a partnership between the UN Environment Programme and The Reef-World Foundation. Green Fins uses a unique and proven three-pronged approach; green certifications of dive centres, strengthening regulations and environmental education for dive staff, divers and government.

For more information, or to sign up for the Green Fins Diver e-Course, please visit: https://greenfins.net/green-fins-diver/

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Issue 74 - July 2021

Photo Series: Coralyfe & SEVENSEAS Partnered for Beach CleanUp in Krabi #SevenseasCleanUp

12 very committed people managed to clean up approximately 350kg of trash from a neglected area near Klong Son river mouth in just over 2h. Much of the trash we found was very old and was well on its way to becoming secondary microplastics. Thankfully it was removed and disposed of before the pollution became irreversible.

About CORALYFE

Over the past 5 years, a number of local organizations have been collaborating with the Hat Nopparat Thara National Park, acting on issues such as trash handling, anchor damage, mooring lines, marine organism censuses, reef restoration, etc. Unfortunately, due to the COVID-19 pandemic many of these organizations were forced to interrupt their services, and many had to shut down completely.

As part of the former staff of one of these organizations, Coralyfe founders felt a personal responsibility to resume work on these important projects, aiming to restore the health of local coral reefs and to reverse the damage that countless years of unregulated tourism and human activity have caused. To visit the website, please CLICK HERE; Facebook Page.