Category Archives: Caribbean

July 25, 2017 Staghorn corals (Acropora cervicornis) are propagated within underwater coral nurseries to create a sustainable source of corals for use in coral restoration activities (inset). Outplanted corals have similar survival and productivity values as wild colonies, thereby indicating that coral gardening methodologies are successful in creating healthy corals for restoration. Credit: Stephanie Schopmeyer, UM Rosenstiel School of Marine and Atmospheric Science

A new study found that Caribbean staghorn corals (Acropora cervicornis) are benefiting from "coral gardening," the process of restoring coral populations by planting laboratory-raised coral fragments on reefs.

The research, led by scientists at the University of Miami (UM) Rosenstiel School of Marine and Atmospheric Science and partners, has important implications for the long-term survival of coral reefs worldwide, which have been in worldwide decline from multiple stressors such as climate change and ocean pollution.

"Our study showed that current restoration methods are very effective," said UM Rosenstiel school coral biologist Stephanie Schopmeyer, the lead author of the study. "Healthy coral reefs are essential to our everyday life and successful coral restoration has been proven as a recovery tool for lost coastal resources."

In the study, the researchers set out to document restoration success during their initial two years at several coral restoration sites in Florida and Puerto Rico. Their findings showed that current restoration methods are not causing excess damage to donor colonies as a result of removing coral tissue to propagate new coral in the lab, and that once outplanted, corals behave just as wild colonies do.

Staghorn coral populations have declined as much as 90% in the Caribbean since the 1980s. As a result, the species was listed as threatened under the U.S. Endangered Species Act in 2006 to help protect and conserve these species that form the foundation of the biologically rich coral reef habitats.

The findings, published in the of the journal Coral Reefs, offers a guide for successful restoration and recovery efforts of the threatened species worldwide.

Thousands of corals are raised in laboratories and planted onto degraded reefs each year. This study is the first to collect baseline coral restoration survival and productivity data at regional scales including data from 1,000s of individual A. cervicornis colonies, more than 120 distinct genotypes within six geographical regions to develop benchmarks to fully assess the progress and impacts of the region's coral and reef restoration efforts.

Coral reefs provide many goods and services including fisheries habitat, food for humans and other ocean species, and protection against natural hazards such as hurricanes. As a result, coral restoration is viewed as an effective and cost-efficient strategy to buffer coastlines from the effects of storm surge and sea-level rise.

"Coral reefs are declining at an alarming rate and coral restoration programs are now considered an essential component to coral conservation and management plan," said Diego Lirman, UM Rosenstiel School professor of marine biology and ecology and a coauthor of the study. "Our findings provide the necessary scientific benchmarks to evaluate restoration progress moving forward."

The study was conducted in collaboration with U.S. Acropora Recovery Program partners: Nova Southeastern University, University of Miami, Florida Fish and Wildlife Conservation Commission, Mote Marine Laboratory, The Nature Conservancy, and the National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration (NOAA).

The public can get involved in restoration through theUM Rescue-a-Reefprogram, where citizen scientists help plant nursery-grown corals onto depleted reefs alongside scientists.

Explore further: Where can coral grow best? Scientist researching optimal habitats

More information: Stephanie A. Schopmeyer et al, Regional restoration benchmarks for Acropora cervicornis, Coral Reefs (2017). DOI: 10.1007/s00338-017-1596-3

Journal reference: Coral Reefs

Provided by: University of Miami

Coral populations in the Florida Reef Tract have declined in the last three decades due to extreme-temperature events and other stressors that cause bleaching and disease. Scientists are now working to save the reef by transplanting ...

For reefs facing huge challenges, more coral larvae doesn't necessarily translate to increased rates of coral recovery on degraded reefs, a new Queensland study has showed.

Nearly one year after prolonged high ocean temperatures caused devastating coral bleaching and loss in parts of Pacific Remote Islands Marine National Monument, NOAA scientists recently went back to check on their condition.

Dr Pim Bongaerts, a Research Fellow at The University of Queensland's Global Change Institute (GCI) and ARC Centre of Excellence for Coral Reef Studies, and lead author of the study, said deep reefs share coral species with ...

Reef-building corals have a symbiotic relationship with Symbiodinium algae, and environmental stressors that cause algae to be expelled from reefs can give rise to the phenomenon known as coral bleaching.

More than 2,000 international reef scientists, policymakers and stakeholders are gathering in Hawaii this week to discuss what to do about the global decline of coral reefs. The International Coral Reef Symposium convened ...

The idea of geoengineering, also known as climate engineering, is very controversial. But as greenhouse gases continue to accumulate in our atmosphere, scientists are beginning to look at possible emergency measures.

A new study found that Caribbean staghorn corals (Acropora cervicornis) are benefiting from "coral gardening," the process of restoring coral populations by planting laboratory-raised coral fragments on reefs.

Humanity will have used up its allowance of planetary resources such as water, soil, and clean air for all of 2017 by next week, said a report Tuesday.

(Phys.org)A team of researchers from Japan, the Philippines and Vietnam has found real-world evidence of people refusing to leave their island homes even after an earthquake has caused severe flooding to occur every high ...

A gene controlling cell size has been identified in a microalgal group which underpins a fifth of the world's food chains.

A University of Alaska Fairbanks study looking at the physics of tidewater glaciers has yielded new insights into what drives their retreat-and-advance cycles and the role that climate plays in these cycles.

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Coral gardening is benefiting Caribbean reefs, study finds - Phys.Org

Royal Caribbean International has just announced the launch of its new online travel agent training program: Royal Caribbean University (RCU).

This online education platform offers professionals a visual, interactive and mobile-friendly approach to online learning, the press release said, and will help agents reinforce their knowledge and success in selling Royal Caribbean products.

RCU will act as a resource for agents in terms of delivering the most reliable and up-to-date information about brand itineraries, features, services and tools. Courses consist of video-based training modules, while the university was created with the on-the-go pace of the travel professional in mind, Royal Caribbean said in the release.

There are three different tracks within the RCU course curriculum. These include the Campus Tour, Bachelor of Adventure and Master of Adventure tracks. Each will take agents through every aspect of a Royal Caribbean vacation, including the soon-to-be 25-ship fleet, dining, accommodations, entertainment, accessible programming and destinations.

The online platform also includes simplified navigation throughout, quick tips and highlights, continuous knowledge opportunities, bold imagery and productive and useful communication methods.

After graduating the bachelor and master levels of the program, agents can be eligible to receive a variety of rewards such as CLIA credits, a Passport to Savings booklet, on board credit, complimentary VOOM WiFi, opportunities to attend Seminars at Sea as well as the Symphony of the Seas inaugural sailing in 2018.

Senior vice president of sales, trade support and service at Royal Caribbean International Vicki Freed said in the release that travel agents are the brands most valued partners. With this new education program, she said, the brand aims to provide them with the right tools to sell the product as well as the brands commitment to their success. She added that the brand has designed RCU to offer up education in a way that is robust and informative while also being fun and engaging.

Travel professionals can join the new student body by logging onto CruisingPower.com.

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New Royal Caribbean University Training Program for Travel Agents Launched - Travel Agent

Miami Herald

Cutler Bay installs community message board on Caribbean Boulevard Miami Herald The town of Cutler Bay has installed an electronic community message board on Caribbean Boulevard and Southwest 107 Avenue. Cutler Bay's new message board will be updated regularly with notices of upcoming town meetings, special events, road ...

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Cutler Bay installs community message board on Caribbean Boulevard - Miami Herald

By Prof. Ravi Chaturvedi*

TORONTO, Canada As my British West Indies Airways (now Caribbean Airlines) flight from Heathrow started descending towards into Barbados Grantley Adams International Airport, the pale green sugarcane fields and the countryside lined by boaba, poinciana, mahogany, frangipani and cabbage palm trees provided a picturesque sight of an insular country, situated in the Atlantic Ocean, east of the other West Indies islands. It was a celestial sight.

It was March 3, 1976 when author landed in West Indies on his first visit to cover the India West Indies series. The airport was small.

Since Andy Roberts and Viv Richards had boarded the flight from Antigua (our first stop after London), Peter Short, Secretary, West Indies Cricket Control Board while escorting the players, looked intently towards me. I walked across to him, introduced myself and requested for help to find a hotel.

After guiding the players to a waiting car, he dropped me at Rostrevor hotel. After local popular mouth-watering flying fish dinner, I hit the bed for a sound sleep.

After breakfast, I hired a cab and left for the Kensington Oval to collect my media card and oversee the arrangements for the live commentary transmission to India. Once in taxi, the cabby spoke at length about the decline in the Caribbean Cricket (West Indies team had just returned after a humiliating 5-1 defeat from Australia). Soon it dawned on me that cricket means a lot to the locals.

The cabby not only dropped me at Kensington Oval but also gave me useful tips where to savour the local cuisines and go for shopping. Moment I stepped in the stadium, I found Peter Short at a hand-shaking distance, welcoming me, he asked an official to get me a media card. As I turn around I find myself on the renowned Kensington Oval, originally home of Pickwick Cricket Club since 1871.

It was originally a pasture on a plantation, not far from the coast. The international cricket came to Kensington Oval in 1895 when Slade Lucas side played a match here.

The inaugural Test was a drawn game against England in 1930. Records reveal that so far 43 Tests have been played on this venue and home team emerged triumphant on 21 occasions. But my subsequent trips in 2002 and 2015 found that Kensington Oval has transformed into one of the most impressive grounds in the Caribbean, well-equipped for day-night games. It can accommodate nearly 28, 000 spectators. The pitch here is by and large fast and bouncy, ideal for stroke-making.

The stadium underwent extensive extension exercise to stage the prestigious 2007 ICC World Cup. Barbados postal department brought out two commemorative stamps to mark the occasion.

Kensington Oval with Garfield Sobers Pavilion & adjoining Hall & Griffith Stand

Walking into modernly-modelled Kensington Oval, author felt the presence of the legends. The grand pavilion is named after the three Ws, and the players pavilion bears the name of the greatest cricketer ever- Garfield Sobers. Wes Hall and Charlie Griffith, the fearsome fast-bowling duo, have a stand for themselves, as do openers Gordon Greenidge and Desmond Haynes.

Looking at the sight-screen, I found myself facing (dread the sight of the duo running up to bowl) Malcolm Marshall and Joel Garner ends.

My second visit was made memorable by Indias ODI win over the hosts at the Kensington Oval. Mohammad Mujahiri, Hony. Indian Counsel General hosted the winning Indian team where as a senior most in the reception author had the honour of raising the toast.

After the match, I walked across the Oval to meet my old friend Wes Hall, President, WICCB. Moment I sent a chit bearing my name in the Presidents box, out came lanky Hall with arms wide-open to embrace me warmly with words, My old friend, Ravi! How are you and the family? When I handed over a stylish with hand art-worked pyjama-kurta as a gift from my family, he said, You always bring a gift for me Uttering these words he headed towards the beer machine to fill two glasses, raised his glass, To you and your familys welfare. It was a touching gesture on the part of this genial giant.

He introduced me to Sir Everton Weeks (holder of five successive centurys record) and Sir Gary Sobers. It was most memorable moment of my commentary career-rubbing shoulders with three greats of the game.

Next day I had a breakfast meeting with Hall to seek support of the WICCB to my cricket naming project based on endangered animals, a venture backed by the UNESCO.

Before taking leave of Hall, another cricketer of yesteryears Cammie Smith was introduced to me who offered me lift to the hotel. While driving down to the hotel, author found several roundabouts named after legendary cricketers and on the Cave Hill UWI campus the ground named after the three Ws.

During my five-day stay in the island, author realized that Barbados is crickets most natural habitat. As I walked on to the beach, saw ill-clad children with a raft of wood and a nearly worn-out tennis ball, throwing the ball fast and hitting it hard.

This is nursery of Caribbean cricket. These basic traits are later chiseled and honed by the coaches. Cricket enjoys a pedestal position in the countrys social hierarchy. The game is part of the countrys culture. It has integrated itself into art, architecture, language and music.

After nearly weeks stay, as author headed towards Grantley Adams International Airport, realization came to me that cricket in Barbados is at its purest and most joyous form. For a Caribbean cricket fan like me, coming to Barbados is like a pilgrimage.

*Prof. Ravi Chaturvedi is a pioneer Hindi cricket commentator who authored 23 cricket books and bestowed with the Indian national award of Padma Shri in 2012 for his contribution to cricket commentary. His sixth Caribbean visit was to celebrate his 80th birthday with Rickhi family & friends in Trinidad.

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Memories of Kensington Oval, Barbados - South Florida Caribbean News

PHOTO: The Xel-H Scenic Lighthouse. (photo courtesy of Xcaret)

WHY IT RATES: The new lighthouse in the Xel-H nature park is worth a visit.Eric Bowman,TravelPulse Senior Editor

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On the beginning of the summer holiday season, Xel-H nature park inaugurated a new attraction within its sustainable tourism recreation offer. The Scenic Lighthouse will offer the most spectacular views of the Riviera Maya, in a completely natural environment.

The creator of this new icon of the Mexican Caribbean is the architect Miguel Quintana Pali, who for almost 30 years has developed unique tourism concepts taking advantage of the geological and hydrological wealth of the Yucatan Peninsula.

The amazing creativity of Quintana Pali is part of the successful parks Xcaret, Xel-H, Xplor, Xplor Fuego, Xoximilco and Xenotes Tours, which together receive more than 3 million tourists each year. With Xenses, the most recent of his creations, Miguel Quintana broke paradigms and created a park focused on playing with the minds and senses of its visitors.

Now at Xel-H, the Scenic Lighthouse is an accomplishment that emulates a traditional lighthouse and will fulfill the function of being a reference for maritime navigation. But conceptually it will go much further, since it will allow visitors of Xel-H to ascend a platform located 40 meters high to appreciate an incomparable view of the natural wonder of the area.

The lighthouse has an incredible view of the magnificent Xel-H cove, a body of water of more than 34 acres that has a mouth of 70 meters facing the Caribbean Sea. This is a very special place because it is fed by the fresh water that comes from underground rivers on the one hand, and on the other hand, by the warm salt water of the sea.

In addition, the 360-degree view from the heights will allow visitors to appreciate more than 148 acres of jungle, and of course the breathtaking blue ocean. "Sometimes you dont need to look up to find heaven," says Quintana Pali about the beauty of the place.

But that's not all. The Scenic Lighthouse is designed to offer unforgettable experiences to its visitors, as descending from the heights will be the most fun. Emulating the traditional painting of lighthouses, in the shape of a two-color stick candy, the Xel-H lighthouse will have four descending channels, slides, so that tourists can feel the adrenaline being released, at high speed, to eventually land in a refreshing pool.

Although the investment in this new attraction exceeds 43 million pesos, for Quintana Pali the important thing is to have resolved, with great creativity, how to offer a new appeal to Xel-H, without losing the essence that has characterized it in the last 23 years: to be a natural wonder and the best place to practice snorkeling, with services and food of the highest quality.

SOURCE: Xcaret press release.

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Xel-H Scenic Lighthouse: New Mexican Caribbean Icon - TravelPulse

Ayana Flewellen and Justin Dunnavant talk about their youth program and archeological field school at the Nature Conservancy on St. Croix at Mondays conference.

Archeologists from around the Caribbean and Europe gathered Monday for the opening of the International Association for Caribbean Archeology Congress, held for the first time in the territory, with a focus on youth participation.

David Hayes, of the St. Croix Archeological Society and organizer of the event, said more than 140 archeologists from 20 Caribbean nations as well as France, England, Holland, Denmark, Canada and the United States will participate in the five-day event.

This is a forum for the discussion of Caribbean archeology and history and the conservation of built environment, Hayes said.

More than 100 papers will be delivered by professional and amateur archeologists about historical sites, digs, artifacts and the lives of early Caribbean populations. Topics will include mortuary practices in Cuba, archeology in the Florida Keys and a new archaic site on Montserrat.

On Monday, the youngest presenters were high school students from Saba and St. Martin who described their projects with the same professionalism and maturity expected from scientists twice their age. Both groups, SIMARC and SABARC, are community organizations, supported in part by their governments. They conduct excavations and collect and preserve artifacts and educate their communities.

The St. Martin group, SIMARC, operates under the guidance of Jay Haviser, president of the International Association for Caribbean Archeology, and is the official depository for artifacts collected on the island. Soma Persaud and Tisiana Hart, representing about 20 SIMARC members, described a cannon repair project, a five-day excavation of plantation ruins and an annual tree-planting day.

The SABARC, from Saba, have an office, lab, an artifact storage room and display area at the Saba Heritage Center. Donald Hassell and Hylke van der Velde, two of the eight members from the island, talked about an excavation on a 17th century homestead, a sugar-boiling house and two 4,000 year old Amerindian sites.

Hart told the audience that goals for both organizations include signage for important heritage sites, studying grave headstones on both islands, interviewing elders about culture, and networking throughout the Caribbean.

Haviser founded both student groups and another on Bonaire in 2003. He recruits students between 14 and 18 because its a decision-making period regarding their careers. He said about half of the youth have pursued careers in science and one former student, now graduated from college, is designated to replace Haviser as SIMARC director.

UVI students enjoy the IACA conference Monday.

Another project promoting youth involvement in the sciences was described by Ayana Flewellen and Justin Dunnavant, of the Estate Little Princess Archeological Field School on St. Croix. Earlier this year, they enlisted a dozen teen members of the Boys and Girls Club for the Junior Scientists of the Sea program. The students learned to scuba dive and dig artifacts at the Nature Conservancys ruins. The program will continue with the young scientists participating in a coral restoration project, they said.

On Monday, presenters from Curacao, the Dominican Republic, Anguilla, Puerto Rico, Cuba and Guadeloupe talked about their projects, which were translated into Spanish, French and English as they spoke.

Topics for discussion over the conferences next four days were scheduled to include climate change, cultural resource management, settlement patterns, historical archeology and pre-colonial archeology. The sessions held in the conference room on the lower level of the Divi Casino begin at 8 a.m. and are open to the public.

In addition to 15-minute presentations, the archeologists will visit Salt River Wednesday afternoon and tour Christiansted, the St. George Botanical Garden and the Cruzan Rum Distillery. There will be Government House and Ft. Christianvaern receptions.

Haviser described the IACA as an inclusive rather than exclusive group. Not only are young people encouraged, but also very few papers have ever been excluded from a congress. Approximately five percent of the submissions to the Congress, held every two years, are from amateurs.

Haviser complemented Hayes on the organization of the congress and said it was appropriate that it was held on St. Croix during the bicentennial.

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International Association for Caribbean Archeology Holds Conference on St. Croix - St, Thomas Source

Learn more about Costa Rica and other countries in our daily postcard e-letter. Simply enter your email address below and well send you a FREE REPORT Why Are Americans Still Flocking to Costa Rica.

If you need a manicured lawn, 18-hole golf course, large fancy supermarket, or luxury condo to be happyyou can find that in Costa Rica. But youll have to give the countrys southern Caribbean coast a miss.

This out-of-the-way region is about four hours drive from the capital, San Jos. The expat community, clustered near the border with Panama (the Bocas del Toro archipelago is just across the way) in towns and communities like Cahuita, Puerto Viejo de Talamanca, Playa Chiquita, Playa Cocles, and Manzanillo, attracts do-it-yourselfers, bohemians, free spirits, and pioneers.

Despite the natural beauty of golden-sand beaches with a fringe of palm trees and other foliage providing shade, there are no big resorts. No condos towering on the shore. No cookie cutter, gated communities. In fact, much of the land here is protected from development as national park or wildlife refuge.

Instead you have jungles of towering tropical hardwoods, filled with sloths, howler monkeys, and other creatures. Picture a narrow-paved road (watch out for the potholes) winding its way through the trees, parallel to the beach, with small shops, yoga studios, and cafes on either side. Many folks get around by bike herethe pace of life is slow, youre not in a rush to get anywhere.

Dirt and gravel access roads snake off to the beach (always uncrowded, sometimes totally deserted except for you) or inland through the rainforest, where most people live in simple homes, often open air. One two-bedroom home, walking distance to the beach near Puerto Viejo, the main town, is listed at $149,000. Youll find many homes hovering around this price point.

Although its an unspoiled region, youre not exactly roughing it. Essential services are here: clean drinking water, electricity (although brief outages are frequent), and highspeed internet. Medical care is very basic in this area; not the best place for anybody with a chronic condition or in need of specialist care.

Thanks to tourism (a fraction of what the Pacific coast gets), you also have French bakeries, sports bars, gourmet restaurants, and other fare. And the grocery stores are surprisingly well-stocked.

But many locals and expats prefer to do the bulk of their shopping at the Saturday market in Puerto Viejo. Here you can get organic produce, bread, prepared foods made by enterprising expats, locally made dark chocolate, and more. As fishing is still a local industry, fresh snapper can be had off the boat for $5 a pound.

And since just about anything grows in this climate, its not unusual to have an abundant orchard on your property: mangos, bananas and plantains, papayaa fruit salad whenever you want it.

In many ways, the Caribbean is almost a country within a country. In the 1800s, a wave of immigrants, mostly from Jamaica, came to this stretch of coast to work in agriculture, the railroad, and the port. Their descendants still live there to this today. Although they are fairly well integrated, they still retain music (reggae and calypso), food (spicy beans and coconut rice dishes and savory seafood soups), language (Caribbean-accented English and a creole), and other traditions.

That Caribbean feel, almost an island vibe, lends another unique aspect to this region.

Its not for everybody, still a little rough around the edges. But for those who really want to drop out Costa Ricas Caribbean could be worth a closer look.

Learn more about Costa Rica and other countries in our daily postcard e-letter. Simply enter your email address below and well send you a FREE REPORT Why Are Americans Still Flocking to Costa Rica.

This special guide covers real estate, retirement and more in Costa Rica and is yours free when you sign up for our IL postcards below.

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Dropping Out on Costa Rica's Caribbean Coast - International Living

Renting a Caribbean Villa: How to Find a Vacation Home

I am not a cold weather kind of girl. I grew up near the shore, spending my weekends with friends and family members at the beach. As a result, I developed a love for the sand and ocean, a love I was determined to share with my family when we set out to get a Caribbean villa rental.

My husband grew up near the mountains. He spent most of his youth skiing and snowboarding. However, he was not hard to convert. While he still loves the occasionally trip to the mountains, I have him hooked on the beach as well. For our honeymoon, we went to St. Lucia and had a fantastic time. Ever since then, we have been dreaming of leaving our home state again to take a relaxing vacation filled with sun, surf and family.

Our children have spent many days during their first few years at the beach. We finally decided that the time was right to take a family vacation to the Caribbean. I am a planner, and I could not be more excited about figuring out the details of our trip. The first step for me was to find a villa for our family to share on vacation. We settled on Saint Martin as our destination, and I took to the Internet to find a good place to stay. If you are also interested in renting a place in the Caribbean, use the following tips to secure a great villa - they made the process so much easier for me!

Search Early

As soon as you know you are going on vacation, begin looking for a place to stay. Good properties are often booked six months or more in advance, which is why it is so important to get a jump on things. I began our search about nine months ahead of time, and I sometimes felt that was even a little to close to our date. There were several properties that I came across that I thought would be perfect but were not available on our chosen date. Therefore, if you can begin the search a year in advance, that would be preferable and should give you the best possible options.

View Pictures Carefully

Do not rent a property without having the opportunity to look at pictures of the space. That said, remember that pictures can be misleading. They could be old and out of date, showcasing a property in its former heyday. They could be digitally altered to make the space look better. That said, pictures can give you a good idea of what to expect. Look to see if there are any (recent) reviews of the property as well. That should give you an indication of whether or not the pictures match up to reality.

Use a Travel Agent

If you are having a hard time finding a villa that you like, or you are concerned that you may rent something that turns out to be much different than you thought, use a travel agent. Many travel agents specialize in certain locations. If you use an agent that often books the Caribbean, he or she will likely have some recommendations for you when it comes to where to stay. Since they have booked travelers in those properties before, and therefore know what they are like through second-hand knowledge, there is less of a risk for you. Plus, if you get there and do not like what you see, you can contact your agent and have them work to ensure you end up where you want to be.

Spend Time With The Contract

Once you settle on a property that you like, take your time reading through the contract. Some people are so excited to get their vacation rolling that they just sign it without much thought. That is not the best way to do things. Instead, make sure the fees are clear and you understand what you have to pay in the event of damages.

If the contract does not list everything included in the rental, make sure the owner sends that information to you. For instance, does the property have a pool? With young children, sometimes it is easier to allow them to take a dip in the pool before nap rather than heading down to the beach. Therefore, that is always an important consideration for me.

Some people get very stressed at the idea of looking for a vacation rental home. However, it does not have to be that way. If you plan well, you can find the property of your dreams that also meets all of your needs while you are away from home. Simply be methodical in your planning, use the Internet to your advantage and take your time. You will be relaxing on the beach in no time at all!

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CaribbeanDays

The name Chris Doyle is synonymous with Caribbean cruising. His guidebooks, which cover every port and gunk hole from Anguilla to Trinidad, have educated, entertained, steered and saved many a sailor venturing from A to B.

Hes been at it a long time, which is remarkable considering that the first book came to life from a dare. In the late 1970s, Doyle was working as a charter skipper, sailing guests to his favorite spots. One night at a party, he recounts, I complained to the bartender about the fact that people always asked me where to go. He told me I should write a guide.

That first book, released in 1980, was a tour of the Windward Islands.

It was a simple affair, says Doyle. It had black and white photos. Maybe a color cover. I had to keep it under $5.00 US. He sold them from a backpack worn while windsurfing to anchored yachts.

In the beginning Doyle was the lone researcher, traveling the islands on his Carib 41. It was one of those CSY boats- unsinkable, he laughs. Success with book one and with islands unexplored, he sailed north to investigate, write and produce a Guide to the Leeward Islands. Around the same time he met Nancy and Simon Scott, which resulted in a pooling of talent and effort to produce The Virgin Islands Guide.

Anyone whos cruised the Caribbean understands the depth of Doyles efforts to provide fresh facts. Some businesses weather well but many blow away on the winds of change. A few people make contact with updates. They point out changes, he says, but its best if I go myself. Each year, the course of one guide is sailed from cover to cover. Every anchorage is re-visited for the latest on clearance protocol, restaurants, stores, yacht facilities, and a myriad of services tending to boats and crew.

Old information is validated while hunting for new talent. I spotted Chris Doyle this winter in Marie-Galante, notepaper in hand, curiosity on his face, puzzling the hours of a pizza place when I interrupted to say hello. Conversation segued to the lack of a decent grocer in Saint Louis. When I mentioned the first world wonder on the edge of town, he lit up, making it the next mission. The Facebook page, Doyle Guides, was the next to hear about it.

Doyle notes that Lexi Fisher is apprenticing with him this year with the hope he can ease toward retirement. She knows the islands and shares the masters enthusiasm for adventure. She sounded a harbor in Les Saintes for a new guide inclusion and has gained experience with teachers Messrs. Trial and Error. One lesson learned came in a meeting with an Antiguan restauranteur. She asked the owner to check over text from the guide, only to discover it included a bit of Doyles humorous honesty. Laughing, she explained, I was reading it upside down when I realized it said, the owner smokes cigars; nice place if you dont have to sit near him.

The books abound with characters and commentary- like the entry that describes a pricey resort that escorted Doyle off the property despite having a dinner reservation. The lady said there was no room for us so I wrote, security there is as tight as a sphincter!

Doyle claims he doesnt receive special treatment or bribes from businesses but there are perks to the job. He dines out frequently and every anchorage visited holds old and new friends; almost every stop is a homecoming.

His research vessel these days is a 40ft cat he helped create in Trinidad. Ti Kanot is perfect, fast, roomy and short on draft. Theres a spacious office and plenty of room to entertain. The boat is one of numerous evolutions to the trade. What once was crucial a lead line, RDF, telex, internet cafes and that windsurfer, have been replaced by satellite navigation, Wi-Fi, Trip Advisor, social media and a proper dinghy to carry bikes and gear.

Although retirement is on the horizon for Chris Doyle, its clear he will always be part of the enterprise he started from the water up. When asked what lies ahead, he cheerfully announced, Id like to get a drone!

Be sure to check out cruisingguides.com for the full selection of Doyle Guidebooks. You can learn more at Chris Doyle Publishing; Caribbean Cruising Guides: http://www.doyleguides.com or Email: [emailprotected]

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Legendary Caribbean Guide Chris Doyle: On Tour - All At Sea

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In Cahuita National Park, in Costa Ricas southeastern province of Limn, an elevated walkway was built through the forest to allow visitors to enjoy the scenery and to avoid the vulnerable coastal road that is being slowly eroded by the waves of the Caribbean Sea. Credit: Diego Arguedas Ortiz / IPS

HONE CREEK, Costa Rica, Jul 24 2017 (IPS) - Jonathan Barrantes walks between the rows of shoots, naming one by one each species in the tree nursery that he manages, in the south of Costa Ricas Caribbean coastal region. There are fruit trees, ceibas that will take decades to grow to full size. and timber species for forestry plantations.

The tree nursery run by the Association of Organisations of the Talamanca Caribbean Biological Corridor (ACBTC), in the municipality of Hone Creek, is a helpful tool against the effects of climate change in Costa Ricas Southern Caribbean region, because it provides specialised solutions for specific needs.

Barrantes pointed out to IPS a group of saplings thirty centimetres high, explaining that this species native to the Caribbean basin, the cocoplum (Chrysobalanus icaco), is excellent for growing along the sea shore to prevent erosion, badly needed by beaches in this region.

While we work at a global level and expect international agreements to be respected, we have to start locally. -- Julio Barquero

This coastal area is touristic and there are many species that we human beings have cut with the idea of making it more attractive, says 36-year-old Barrantes.

The nursery also grows teak (Tectona grandis) and beechwood (Gmelina arborea), two fast-growing tree species which are ideal for the forestry plantation systems encouraged in Costa Rica, and there is a row of saman (Samanea saman), which are perfect for reforesting river banks.

With the associations team, Barrantes and other experts have been for years growing thousands of trees to help cope with coastal erosion, sequester carbon, restore forests that prevent landslides and protect key river basins.

In Hone Creek, more than 200 km southeast of the capital, civil society organisations from Costa Ricas Caribbean coastal region, grouped in the ACBTC, are joining forces against climate change.

As in the rest of the Caribbean region, this municipality in Costa Rica is suffering coastal erosion due to a rise in the sea level, which jeopardises the sandy beaches as well as the tourism-based economy of coastal areas.

At a regional level, the Association of Caribbean States is carrying out a project to adapt to the new climate change scenario, in small highly vulnerable island nations as well as mainland countries, which have in common fragile economies and vulnerable communities.

In Honduras, local communities are reporting changes in the geography of the coastline, and in Cuba scientists are racing against time to protect the countrys sandy beaches.

It is a recurring pattern among Central American countries and each country is seeking its solutions.

While we work at a global level and expect international agreements to be respected, we have to start locally, biologist Julio Barquero, who also works with the ACBTC, explained to IPS.

With a 200,000-dollar budget, provided by the United Nations Framework Convention on Climate Change Adaptation Fund, the ACBTC promotes a vision of a biological corridor from the forested mountains to the sandy beaches.

It encourages farmers in hilly areas in the municipality to incorporate their forest lands to the Payments for Environmental Services programme, by which the Costa Rican government provides economic compensation for protecting the forest cover.

Under this programme, 478 hectares have been protected in the key Carbn River basin, which brings benefits to the communitiesalong the lower stretch of the river.

When it rains a lot in a short period of time and there is no vegetation cover, the water does not filter down into the ground but washes the surface away, explained Barquero.

Biologist Julio Barquero looks at palm trees planted in Puerto Vargas to strengthen the shoreline against the rising sea levels of the Caribbean Sea, which threaten the area with erosion, in Cahuita, in the southeastern Costa Rican province of Limn. Credit: Diego Arguedas Ortiz / IPS

Along the coast, the work starts with the defense of the coastline. In the Gandoca Manzanillo National Wildlife Refuge, the Association facilitated the reforestation of 25 hectares of coastal wetlands with red mangroves, which protect the coastline from storm surges.

Each time there is a storm, the coastline gets more damaged by the rising sea level, said the biologist, who pointed out that life in the town revolves around the sea.

Hone Creek is part of the Cahuita district, in the municipality of Talamanca, in the southeastern province of Limn. The United Nations Development Programme (PNUD)s Human Development Index ranks Talamanca in the second to last place among the countrys 82 municipalities.

The economy of Talamanca, which boasts rich biodiversity and has a population of less than 400,000 people in its vast territory, depends largely on tourists who come to enjoy the coral reefs, tropical forests and sandy beaches.

One of the main tourist attractions is the Cahuita National Park, which has suffered heavy coastal erosion along its 13.5 km of coastline.

This directly affects tourist services, because the trails that link the different parts of the park run along the coast and are very vulnerable, Marco Snchez, the parks tourism operator, told IPS.

In 2016, this protected area received nearly 100,000 visitors more than double the 40,000 inhabitants of Talamanca.

It also affects the reef, which is an attraction that draws many tourists, and the sea turtles who are losing space in their breeding areas, said the official.

To recover the coastline, by means of a joint effort between the Cahuita district, the park officers and the Associations team, hundreds of palm, noni (Morinda citrifolia) and other species of trees were planted.

While trees are being planted, the parks authorities are studying more actions to be carried out to adapt to climate change.

For example, the state National System of Conservation Areas is currently evaluating transferring the parks administrative area several km inland from Puerto Vargas, to avoid the impact of the waves. Currently it is just 150 metres from the shore.

Also, as part of the Sustainable Tourism programme agreement that Costa Rica signed with the Inter-American Development Bank, the Cahuita Park received 1.8 million dollars to improve the infrastructure of its visitor centre.

One of the measures taken was building a flyover through the coastal forest, connecting the beach with the road that accesses the park, along a route that avoids the coastline.

Although its intention was to highlight the biodiversity in this area of the Park, it also served as an adaptation measure: before the flyover was built, the only point of access to the beach was the road that runs parallel to the coast, which floods regularly with the high tides.

When we have had to close this sector (the beach of Puerto Vargas), it was because there was no access. That was the only route; now we have another option, Mirna Corts, 38, the Parks assistant manager, told IPS, proudly.

The park officers as well as biologist Barquero hope the community will lead the actions in the area, and are organising awareness-raising workshops on climate change to that end.

By the time the programme financed by the Adaptation Fund ends, the ACBTC expects to have trained nearly 1,500 people to defend this vulnerable area from the ravages of climate change.

Read more from the original source:

Costa Rica's Caribbean Coast Pools Efforts Against Climate Change - Inter Press Service