SCUBAPRO Waterman Scholarship winning video!

I know that the SCUBAPRO scholarship came through for me a few months ago, but I wanted to put a link to the Waterman webpage and post the video on here in hope of inspiring others to get more actively involved in ocean conservation and scuba diving!!!

http://www.scubapro.com/en-US/USA/waterman-winner.aspx

Enjoy :)

Is it acceptable to keep wild animals in captivity?

While perusing Facebook, I came across this trailer http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=G93beiYiE74. 

The documentary aims to raise awareness of the problems with captive orcas, specifically at Sea World. I have yet to see the full film, but I can already see that it is slightly biased. Just to offer an alternate view, here were my thoughts that I posted on my own facebook in hopes of sparking some sort of a debate....

"I'll be interested to see if they mention any benefits of having animals in captivity... I do agree that training massive wild animals to perform tricks for human enjoyment is repulsive. However, aquariums allow scientists to conduct research that could never be feasible in the wild. Studies have proven extremely beneficial in the understanding and conservation of the species as a whole. From a summer of working at Mystic Aquarium, I've come to realize the superb level of care these animals are provided, but stricken from their natural habitat, there are definitive difficulties with keeping animals healthy in a confined environment. 

Captive orcas, along with zoos and aquariums in general, serve as a portal to connect humans with the natural world without direct disruptions to fragile and remote ecosystems. I can still remember the sense of awe and new found appreciation that filled my little five-year-old soul on my first visit to an aquarium....that instilled curiosity and respect has since directed my entire life as an environmental steward. In a world with an increasing detachment from nature, is it acceptable to keep animals in captivity? I don't know."

Swim for the Sharks!!!

Sharkfest 2013 in Newport Rhode Island!

On a chilly autumn morning, open water swimmers gathered to partake in the first annual Newport Harbor Sharkfest Swim. Though the swim itself is more competition oriented, I decided to use the event as an opportunity to raise awareness and funding for shark conservation.

To do so, I teamed up with an outstanding nonprofit called Shark Savers. Although the 2013 swim is over, my webpage is still actively aiding sharks! http://sharksavers.donorpages.com/Supporter/HillaryKenyon/

"...Shark populations are severely depleted throughout the world due to overfishing, mostly to meet the demand for shark fins. Some species have seen over 90% world wide reductions. Shark Savers raises awareness of these issues through education and media campaigns..." 

Thank you to everyone who supported me! Here are some photos from the race :)

Race start. Proud to be one of the four women not racing in a wetsuit!

Not much competition in my age group haha, but I still got seventh for women overall!

Wahoo! Finishing time of 21:19!