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A Shelter for
Homeless Fish
Art-official Reefs are an
eco-tourism opportunity that's good for the environment. The first conference to
focus attention on the relationship between an artificial reef
and eco-tourism is scheduled for May 5th, 2006 at the southern
end of Miami Beach. Scroll down for details.
There's
a New Dive Boat in Town
 North
Miami Beach's Aquavita Dive Stop took delivery of
a new 28' dive boat in early December. Built by Canaveral
Custom Boats, the AquaVita will operate from the northside
of the Haulover Park Marina as a six-pack until the
Coast Guard conducts it's final inspection. This picture
of divemaster Tony (left) and Captain Peter, was taken
on December 28th, following the morning dive. For
store information, visit www.aquavita.com.
Click on Slideshow to see pictures.
Thinking Outside the Box is a New
Concept
for Governmental Regulatory Agencies
While the
Atlantis Reef Project will get
a lot of media
attention when the first phase of this concrete city splashes
into the water less than 5 miles southeast of Miami Beach, some
of it will focus on the bureaucracy of the regulatory
agencies involved with the permitting process. For more than
a year, the developer has run a gauntlet of unreasonable
requests made by more than a dozen agencies.
On barren ocean
bottom, 50 feet below the surface, in a Special Management
Zone established for the specific purpose of creating
artificial reefs, the Corps of Engineers is now concerned
about boats dropping anchors on divers; the Florida EPA is
concerned about micro-organisms living in the sand; and,
Florida Fish and Wildlife people fear the congregation of
fish once the world's first recreational dive site provides
shelter.
Miami-Dade
County, the SMZ permit-holder, approved the project in
December 2004. They have felt the project conformed to the
guidelines set up by the Army Corps. of Engineers all along.
But at the State and Federal level, it appears they are
stuck in the past, unable to stop the decline of natural
reefs, yet unwilling to support new concepts.
While they
approve old ships, as long as they are in deep water, and
other manmade material, such waste concrete from bridges and
roadways, they fail to see a link between marine biology and
marine tourism. Putting ART in an 'ART'ificial reef turns
concrete into a dive site.
The project is
based on the belief an upward trend in cremation as an 'afterlife'
alternative means there are people who will pay to spend eternity in an underwater
memorial garden. For years, the Neptune Society has scattered
ashes on the surface of the ocean. Recently, Eternal Reefs (www.eternalreefs.com)
was established by
www.reefball.org as a way to provide something permanent
for the afterlife - a concrete reefball containing cremated
remains is placed among a cluster of others, resulting in
marine habitat.
Atlantis
Memorial Reef is an innovative, artistic afterlife service.
Gary Levine and internationally-known sculptor Kim Brandell
have given
investors an opportunity to fund a project that will reshape the
form, function and perception of an artificial reef.
The principal
barrier, however, is not the ocean but a narrow-minded
bureaucratic philosophy based on a tradition of conventional
thought. While environmental studies indicate a decline in
natural coral reefs could be slowed by artificial reef
construction, regulatory agencies prefer to watch the
decline rather than support, and monitor, a new concept in
design.
 This
high-resolution illustration by Joey Burns is of
the Dome of Distinction, one of several themed areas
planned for the circular city. Click to enlarge.
For additional information, read
Diving
in the Afterlife, an article
appearing in the next edition of Ocean Realm Journal.
If you would like to know more about the status
of the project, contact the developer, Gary Levine
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gll@atlantisreefproject.com.
 Night
of the Ocean Realm to Showcase Underwater Art
Miami has a networking
function for people
interested in the waterside, both above
and below the surface. The next one is scheduled for January
19th, 2006 at Cafe Mystique. This one will introduce the idea
of mixing ART with Artificial Reefs with an exhibit of paintings by marine artist Patrick Chevailler of
Grenada. For information,
click here.
Underwater Park
 EarthWise
is an environmentally-oriented business planning
and development company specializing in emerging
island economies. One of the company's current
projects is a protected area of Jamaica's north
coast called the Montego Bay Marine Park. According
to Brian Zane, EarthWise
project manager, 'the park is a positive step
in the enhancement of fishery resources."
For the next phase, tourism
enhancement, Ocean Realm Online, Ocean Realm Media, publisher of the
Ocean Realm Journal, Caribbean Today newspaper and Caribbean Riddims, a weekly radio program in Miami
have agreed to work together to raise money to build an artificial reef with a
reggae theme. With design and
technical assistance from the Atlantis Reef Project, the
idea is to put a themed reef in shallow water to attract
recreational scuba divers, as well as provide habitat for
homeless fish. If you'd like to be part of the 'pos-sea,' send me
a note:
Caribbean Reefbuilders. For
a look at the Park, check out:
www.mbmp.org
 Caribbean
Riddims
-- Ocean Realm Online
hosts and maintains the website for Eddy Edward's
Caribbean Riddims radio program.
We are developing 'The Ocean Realm
Report,' a 5 minute segment on the waterside, both above and
below the surface. You can sponsor the segment for $100
per week, with a 13-week commitment. As the sponsor, you will receive an opening and closing 30-second
spot, plus website banners and links. If interested, let me
know: Ken
Reggae Cruise
-- Another site hosted and designed
by Ocean Realm Online is for
Wicked Riddums, a
reggae music promoter in Detroit offering a 5 night
cruise from Miami aboard Carnival's Imagination in February.
Artists scheduled to perform include Glen Washington,
Frankie Paul and Leroy Sibles.
 Caribbean
Today
Peter Webley, publisher of a popular South Florida monthly newspaper
focused on Caribbean issues recently announced during Eddy Edwards'
Caribbean Riddims radio program he has launched a new website to reach more people
interested in the region. Take a look at:
www.caribbeantoday.com
Miami Sunpost
--
Ocean Realm Online began working
with the Miami SunPost, a
weekly newspaper, in October.
Currently, we are working on the design of the
website and hope to
add a column focused on the waterside of South
Florida and the Caribbean in 2006.
 Video
Messages
During the DEMA Show in Las Vegas, I
interviewed several people. Scroll down to see a few of
the clips.
We're working on the Spring edition
of the Ocean Realm Journal. If you'd like to become a marketing
partner for 2006, let us know. We plan to be at consumer dive
shows in
Chicago,
New York,
Long
Beach, and
Fort Lauderdale,
as well as a couple in Europe.
We, Ocean Realm Media, Inc.,
have an opportunity that just came up. Like most opportunities,
it requires money. If you are in a financial position to invest in a
multi-media company with an ocean-orientation, contact the
president of Ocean Realm Media, Inc.
Ken English - one of the above -
with potential investors.
Online Editor
(resume)
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By
the way, I'd like to send you updates and special
offers in 2006. Please 
