Welcome Lydia!
Added on September 15, 2011
The best part about running around the world making films, and television programs is the people you meet. On a recent shark dive with friend and freedive coach Hanli Prinsloo from the I am water Trust ; I met Lydia Marie Hicks, who was doing an internship with Blue Wilderness. Her love for nature and the ocean mixed with passion for film and TV fit right into the Baobab Pictures “really cool people to have around” profile! Lydia will be spending a few months with us doing an internship and sharing her knowledge all the way from the USA!
Good luck!
André
Baiting the beast
Added on September 15, 2011
2011 has already seen an increase in reported shark attacks worldwide. As fears increase and straight answers are sought; baited shark diving tends to come up in certain circles as the culprit. It’s an exciting show to start on for my internship with Baobab pictures. I set out with 50|50 presenter Andre Cronje from Baobab Pictures and Russell Perks from TVPC Media on my first Eco-Warrior expedition to explore this subculture of diving. From sharks’ board to dive shop owners the shark community seems unified in their stance… It’s complicated.
Opinions are found across the board. Baited shark dives are often advertised as the ultimate macho adventure, reinforcing stereotypes of sharks being vicious man eating machines. It would makes sense then why people outside of this community could so easily blame baited dives for habituating sharks to people.
The reality is that responsible baited dives are safe, controlled, inspiring chances for people and sharks to observe each other. The 50|50 team was lucky enough to go on an epic shark dive with Mark
Addison owner of Blue Wilderness, lots of sun, flat seas, and clear waters. We saw humpbacks on the way out, sea birds, dolphins, and of course the sharks, which consisted mostly of blacktips as well as one dusky. The sharks even inspired our cameraman (who had to stay dry) to update his dive certifications. This experience is life changing for a lot of people. A barrier is shattered and reality seems so obvious. Sharks, like most things, are more complex than we are taught to perceive them.
As a species we have always been amazing at passing the buck. The lights of hope in this story are contained within the passion and beliefs of the shark community. If we can all take the time to
understand situations, in all of their complexities, from multiple perspectives, then I believe the condition of humanity would really start to improve.
Watch the full story soon on SABC 2′s environmental hit
program 50|50, every Monday at 7:30pm
St James School Durban Promotional video
Added on August 14, 2011
HUMBLED BY THE OCEAN
Added on June 3, 2011
We’re having a very productive day at the Eco-Warrior camp; preparing the next episodes for 50|50. I thought this progress warrants a quick lunchtime surf break. It’s one of those perfect days where every element in nature is harmoniously balanced to produce a clear, blue sea with picture perfect waves, every surfers dream day. As we all know, things don’t always go according to plan, and a freak 8 foot close out set (roughly translated into “bad ass big waves” for those who don’t understand the technical jargon) snapped my leach and I lost my surfboard. Forced to embark on a long and punishing swim I was yet again amazed at the force of the ocean.
Humbled by this experience I return to the Eco-Warrior camp and quietly sit in front of the edit suite, wondering how we will ever withstand nature when she finally decides that the human race has disrespected her too much.
A thought goes out to the tsunami victims.