Showing Appreciation on Memorial Day

Monday, May 27th is Memorial Day in the U.S. Originally called Decoration Day, Memorial Day is a day to honor those who have died in service. The day is typically celebrated by paying respects to memorials of those lost in wartime, attending parades and local events, or spending time appreciating family.

While the day was specifically created to honor those that have given their lives to protect our country, we also recognize our living veterans and the sacrifices they have made or continue to make, while in service. Sea TREK operators across the United States honor these heroes by offering a variety of discounts and special events, just for veterans.

OdySea Aquarium and Wings for Warriors Partnership  
This program, which started on October 15th, 2018, provides local veterans and their loved ones the unique opportunity to take a SeaTREK helmet dive. Offered on the second Monday of every month, participants enjoy complimentary admission to OdySea and a free helmet diving adventure. The program was created in conjunction with Wings for Warriors, a volunteer, non-profit organization designed to support wounded veterans from Iraq and Afghanistan. Read about Wings for Warriors here.

So far, the veterans who have participated in the OdySea Wings for Warriors program have described SeaTREK as therapeutic and a fantastic way to forget about life’s challenges.

Watch the video of Sea TREK Wings for Warriors at Odysea!

Miami Seaquarium’s “Salute to Heroes” Month
In recognition of service, Miami Seaquarium offers veterans free admission for a month! From April 27-May 27th, veterans can visit Seaquarium at no charge, and enjoy an additional 50% off animal interactions, including Sea TREK Reef Encounters.

In addition, all military and first responder guests are honored during one of the park’s show presentations. Read about additional discounts at Miami Seaquarium here.

Schlitterbahn Military Appreciation Days
Schlitterbahn, South Padre Island, Texas holds Military Appreciation Days, with discounted tickets available for active-duty military. Additionally, this year the waterpark/resort is honoring military members with its “American Heroes Week” from Memorial Day through Sunday, June 2nd, with free entry to the park and a 40% discount for military spouses and dependents. Find the details here.

Discovery Cove Honors Vets and Active Military
Discovery Cove recognizes both active-duty military members and veterans alike. The Waves of Honor Military Salute Program provides discounted rates on Day Resort Admission and Signature Dolphin Swim for military personnel and as many as three direct dependents. Learn more about the discounts available here.

Wonders of Wildlife Honors Vets Daily
Wonders of Wildlife in Springfield, Missouri doesn’t wait for a holiday or specific day of the week to honor veterans. WOW offers a 10% discount for active-duty military, vets, and their dependents, daily.

Last year, Wonders of Wildlife participated in a dive program for vets. Working in conjunction with St. Louis-based program called LifeWaters, a nonprofit organization that helps veterans with severe injuries overcome their disabilities by learning to scuba dive. Wonders of Wildlife opened its aquarium to Lifewaters’ disabled divers. Watch a video of the event here.


The United States is often referred to as the land of independence and opportunity. We owe a debt of gratitude to our military and veterans for the sacrifices they have made, and continue to make, to uphold these freedoms. We want to thank our amazing Sea TREK operators in the U.S., for recognizing and honoring these very special Americans.

We wish all a safe and reflective holiday!

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Amazing Animal Encounters

This week, an incredible story of animal and human interaction went viral across social channels. A beluga whale in Norway, suspected of being a Russian “spy”, returned a cell phone to an observer. Obviously eager to please, the whale cheerfully returned the phone that was accidentally dropped into the ocean!

While the story would be unbelievable without footage, animals assisting humans are not as rare as one might think. Stories of creatures cooperating with humans and giving them a helping paw or fin can be found across the web. Here are a few of our favorites! 

Long-distance swimmer, Adam Walker, was trekking through New Zealand’s Cook Strait when a 6-ft. shark visited him– likely, a great white. Just as the shark approached, a pod of 10 dolphins appeared and accompanied him on his journey, protecting him from a potential attack! Check out the video here!

While amazing, this is not that unusual. Dolphins have been known to assist people in a variety of perilous conditions. Dolphins’ sonar and ability to detect distress appear to give them a uniquely intuitive connection to humans and an altruistic nature. In fact, some call dolphins the "real" man's best friend!

In 1996, a crowd of visitors at Brookfield Zoo just outside of Chicago, looked on in horror as they saw a toddler tumble more than 15 feet into a habitat, landing near seven gorillas. But, as zoo patrons cried out for help for the 3-year-old boy lying on the concrete below, an unlikely hero emerged.

Binti-Jua, a western lowland gorilla, grabbed the boy, cradled him in her arms, carried him to a doorway and laid him gingerly at the feet of waiting paramedics. The female gorilla appeared to act out of pure compassion for the injured boy.

Binti-Jua means "daughter of sunlight" in Swahili. As an infant, she had little mothering. Born in the Columbus Zoo in Ohio in March 1988, officials said her mother treated her with indifference. Humans had to hand feed Binti with a bottle. Raised by humans, she paid it all back that heroic day by saving the little boy. Binti-Jua was rewarded by the public and received not only high accolades but also gift baskets of fruit. You can watch Binti-Jua protect her new friend here.

Binti-Jua is not the only known gorilla hero. In 1986, a silverback gorilla named Jambo rescued five-year-old Levan Merritt, who fell 12 feet into a gorilla enclosure at Jersey Zoo in the United Kingdom. After the fall, the gorillas living in the enclosure began to circle the unconscious child. Jumbo placed himself between the boy and the other gorillas as if to say “don’t touch”! Jambo stood guard by the boy, rubbing his back as if to soothe him. Watch the incredible footage!

Back to our beautiful and charming friend, the beluga whale. Freediver Tang Yun was competing at Polarland Aquarium in Harbin, China, when she suddenly felt paralyzed in her legs and sunk to the bottom of the cold arctic pool. "I began to choke and sank even lower and I thought that was it for me – I was dead," Yun said.

Enter Mila, the beluga! Mila spotted Yun and guided her to safety by placing Yun's leg in her mouth and pushing her to the surface. “I felt this incredible force under me," Yun said. An organizer of the event credited Mila with saving Yun's life: "She's a sensitive animal who works closely with humans and I think this girl owes her life to Mila."

In the early 1970s, Yvonne Vladislavich was traveling on a boat off the coast of Mozambique when the boat’s engine stopped working. The boat remained adrift until it was sunk by a wave.

Yvonne was a very good swimmer and decided to try to swim to shore. However, some sharks had other plans for her. Six sharks started circling her and kept coming closer…until heroic dolphins arrived. The dolphins kept the sharks away and followed Yvonne as she drifted 25 miles to a buoy.

Yvonne said that she is sure she would have drowned if she hadn’t received assistance from the dolphins. She frequently got tired during the journey and would have gone under if the dolphins hadn’t kept her above the water. She was the only survivor of the four people on the boat.

And in the most dramatic fashion, Rheal Guindon is very lucky to be alive... On a camping trip with his parents in Canada, he remained on shore while his parents fished from a nearby boat. The boat overturned and sadly, his parents drowned in front of him. He attempted to walk to town, but as it grew dark, he dropped to the cold ground and began crying. He felt something furry press against him as he fell asleep. The next morning, he discovered three beavers snuggling him. Had it not been for them, he would have frozen to death in the sub-zero temperatures that night.

These incredible stories illustrate how little we really know about animals and their capacity to understand when a fellow being is in need. We may be more alike than we are different!

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FunCats Solar Electric Catamarans - Eco-friendly Fun for Your Fleet!

As a resort or boat rental operations manager, you’re faced with the challenges of keeping your guests happy and encouraging repeat visits by offering a variety of new and exciting activities. Whether it’s a family of four or a couple in their sixties, providing your guests with fun things to do, while not busting your budget is likely at the top of your priority list!

While jet skis and giant water trikes are fun for some, not everyone is looking for heart-pumping action or a water workout. And, some personal watercraft can be tricky to maneuver, which can be frustrating for guests. Vacationers looking for relaxation on the water do not want to waste precious vacation time learning how to operate an unfamiliar watercraft.

Enter the FunCat solar-electric catamaran! From San Diego to Spain, FunCats are popular rentals at resorts, private islands, and beach facilities. FunCats are an ideal addition to a facility’s activities list. FunCats provide guests with blissful relaxation on the water, a family outing, or an easy to maneuver boat for a fishing expedition! Just about anyone can drive a FunCat, which is not only cool for kids but helpful for guests who may have physical challenges that prevent them from managing a larger watercraft.

The FunCat is also very unique in appearance, and when out on the water it draws attention from onlookers. It’s a floating billboard and great “free” advertising tool for beach rental locations.

The eye-popping Pompano Beach Club in Bermuda offers FunCats as a rental product. Pompano is unique in that FunCats are free to use for resort guests, and available to rent at an hourly rate ($80/hr.) for non-resort guests. Not only does the hourly rental rate generate revenue, but FunCat renters may also purchase food and beverages while on property.  Tom Lamb, the Managing Director at Pompano shares-

“We have been renting motorized FunCats from our resort’s watersports center for over ten years.  Our guests love them because they are so easy to handle and cruise along effortlessly at about 5 miles an hour, enabling our guests to soak up the sunshine and enjoy the spectacular scenery on our shallow sandbar. We often refer to them as “motorized floating chaise lounges!” The FunCats are definitely the most popular rental item we have at our watersports center!”

Several of the World’s largest cruise lines offer FunCat rentals at their private islands, including
Disney’s Castaway Caye in the Bahamas, Carnival’s Mahogany Bay in Honduras, and Norwegian’s Harvest Caye in Belize. This creates more revenue for the cruise lines and more fun for their passengers. In fact, FunCats have been so popular with cruise guests that Carnival recently added two more FunCats to their fleet, and Norwegian ordered four more FunCats to launch at Harvest Caye!

FunCats are a proven revenue generator for watersport rental businesses. One location in San Diego, California, Action Sports Rentals, has over 30 FunCat boats for rent! Rental customers are attracted to the FunCat because they are relaxing– imagine a giant chaise lounge floating on the water, fun to drive– push the button and go! And you can enjoy all the amenities needed for a day on the water– sunshade, storage compartments, ice chest compartment, cup holders and more! Steven Pinard from Action Sports remarks-

“Action Sport Rentals in San Diego has FunCats at six locations. They are one of the most popular items that we rent. A family favorite!”

Staff love the boats because they are very low-maintenance, only requiring battery charging and a freshwater rinse off at the end of each day. Additionally, units with solar panels may not even require additional charging overnight, as they continuously charge throughout a sunny day.

The solar panel kit has become such a popular accessory with FunCat customers that all future boats will include this popular feature. And… drum roll, please… we are re-branding! With the focus on solar power, the FunCat will now be renamed SolarCat, solar-electrically powered catamaran. We are confident this new direction fits with today’s consumers and the market demand for environmentally friendly products. We’re excited about SolarCat and look forward to sharing our new website soon!

For our loyal FunCat customers, we will continue to provide service and replacement parts for your boats. And for our future customers, we look forward to introducing you to the new and improved SolarCat!

If you’re interested in learning more about SolarCat and how these fun, eco-friendly boats can help increase your bottom line, visit our current site at funcats.com, where you can chat live during business hours!

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On the Road Again with Carl Hanson

Sub Sea Systems Director of Water Operations and Safety, Carl Hanson racks up more frequent flyer miles in a month than most people collect in years! His most recent trip took him across the planet to Dubai. Carl shares his unique adventure with us below.

Q Why did you go to Dubai?

C: I went to visit Our Sea TREK Operator at Atlantis the Palm, Dubai. Atlantis the Palm’s Sea TREK helmet diving is done at its Ambassador Lagoon, part of its incredible Lost Chambers Aquarium, which houses over 65,000 marine animals!

Q: How long were you away?

C: I flew out on March 20th, and I returned on March 26th 

Q: What kind of work did you do during your visit?

C: This trip was primarily for site inspection, however, the facility also has a new Training Coordinator, Abdulla. He and I worked together quite a bit during my trip. I also shared some new training techniques for their backpack system.

Q: What was your travel route?

I left Sacramento on the 20th around noon, flew to Dallas. From Dallas, I flew to London, where I scored an upgrade! I was surprised that my upgraded seat was actually a bed. I got to take a shower at the London airport, then traveled on to Dubai. The trip in miles looks like this: 

Sacramento to Dallas- 1431

Dallas to Heathrow- 4740

Heathrow-Dubai 3410

Total travel time to get to Dubai, a mere 26 hours 

On the way back, I had a stopover in L.A., which added a few extra miles to the return trip.

Q: What surprised you about Dubai?

This was my second trip to Dubai, so I didn’t experience quite as dramatic a culture shock this time around. But what surprised me the most is how accepting the culture is to other cultures. The people of Dubai are perceived as closed off, but they are actually very open to tourists of different cultures.

Also, Dubai is home to some of the largest buildings in the world. It’s also incredibly dusty! When I arrived the visibility was tough. Dubai is set up in a series of villages, and each is like its own small city. For example, Sports City is where the vast majority of the sports bars are. Each city is similar in design but quite different in function.

Q: What is unique about this particular Sea TREK adventure?

C: Aqua Trek at Ambassador Lagoon has so many animals, including Bowmouth guitarfish, eagle rays, zebra sharks, cow nose rays, and thousands of schooling fishes! Sea TREK is done from a ledge that is about 2-3 meters deep. Guests walk out on the ledge and TREK while overlooking the rest of the 30-feet-deep tank. One of the things that we tested was the possibility of bringing people to the bottom. So in the future, TREKs may include a drop to the bottom of the tank!

Q: What did you do in your free time?

C: I met up with a friend from high school, Donte! Donte is in the U.S. Army and happened to be in Dubai on deployment while I was there. I had not seen him in at least 10 years, so it was fun to catch up. We connected on social media, and we met up at Kite Beach. 

I also got the chance to visit the Dubai Mall, which happens to house one of the largest suspended aquariums in the world! The tank is 10 million liters and is home to over 140 species including 300 sharks and rays. Who knows, it could someday be home to another Sea TREK operation!

Check out Carl's amazing Atlantis video compilation!

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Part 6, Get to Know Sub Sea Staff!

This week, we spent some time chatting with Greg Young, who is a Systems Specialist with Sub Sea Systems (that's a lot of S's!) Greg's relationship with Sub Sea's founder, Jim Mayfield, goes farther back than our company has even existed! Greg shared some of his fondest memories of his lengthy history with the company, as well as his personal background. Read below to learn more about Greg!

Greg-way back when

Q: When did you first start working with Sub Sea's founder, Jim Mayfield?

G: I met Jim at Dimetrics Welding. It was about 1983!

Q: What was your first project for SSS?

G: I went to Pete Burgin’s (SSS Engineer) shop and helped finish a semi-submarine! Pete was subcontracted to build the sub for SSS, I went and repaired some of the work that had been done on the sub. The Coast Guard had found a leak and I was hired to go and help repair and finish the welding. I think that was in 1994!

Q: You have had the opportunity to travel for SSS. Where have you visited for work?

G: I've taken many work trips and have had the opportunity to travel to Dominica, Fort Lauderdale, Bahamas, Puerto Rico, China, Catalina, San Diego, and Alaska. My favorite was Dominica– when I wasn't working, I took a very cool trip down a river on an inner tube.

Greg working his magic

Q: Out of all of the projects you have done over the years, what was your favorite?

G: Anytime there is a new product for me to work on, it becomes my favorite project! Lately, that's been Aquaticar. I've been building the frames for the latest version of the car. Change and "new" are always good!

Q: You have had quite a lot of experience with the FunCat, Sub Sea Systems' Solar-Electric Catamaran. From ordering parts to fabrication, assembly, and customer service, you know the FunCat inside and out. What is it about the FunCat personal catamaran that you like most? 

G: Getting on the water in a FunCat is a lot of fun, and they're easy! When you go out on one, you’ll be smiling. When I send out a FunCat, I know it’s going to make someone happy.

Q: Tell us about your family

G: My wife Kathi and I have been married since 1986 and it still hasn’t 86’d yet! Kathi works as an Accounting Clerk and has been at her job for many years. We have two adult children, Ryan and Alisha. We also have two fur kids, Oreo the Queensland Heeler and Aries, a Boxer/White Husky mix.

Greg with his Daughter, Alisha

Q: What do you do for fun?
G: I enjoy a lot of outdoor activities– golf, motorcycling, dirt bike riding, target shooting, camping, boating, and fishing.

Q: What are you most proud of?
G: My kids. My wife and I raised two great ones!

Q: What is the best piece of advice you have ever received?
G: It came from a former co-worker, many years ago. I was a trainee, making very little money. The advice was "do a really good job... do your best, and the money will come." Less than three years later I was an "A-level Assembler," with a skill level that was in high demand. I was also the only employee at Dimetrics to win a quality of work award, the only one in that company's history. And, it netted me an extra day off!

Fun in the office- Greg with Hannah de Bie

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Wacky & Weird Travel Hacks That Just Might Work!

Traveling is amazing…and expensive! The cost of flights, hotels, dining out, and excursions can really add up. If you’re budget-conscious, every little bit of savings helps. We’ve discovered a few unique hacks that might help you keep cash in your pocket. At the very least, you will enjoy reading these creative ideas!

Save money on dining – right from your room!
Most of us haven’t yet discovered that hotel rooms offer opportunities to save money on dining. Did you know you could make a healthy, hot breakfast with inexpensive items purchased at the grocery store, right in your own room? Avoid the overpriced hotel restaurant or lackluster coffee shop muffins by purchasing some eggs and bacon and get cookin’! Utilizing the in-room coffee maker, place whole eggs in the carafe, fill the reservoir with enough water to cover the eggs, then run the machine. Let the eggs stand for about 15 minutes. Voila– hard boiled eggs! Prefer something toasty? You have TWO options to make a yummy grilled cheese sandwich or quesadilla. Remove the coffee pot and place bread on the burner. Add cheese, then another piece of bread, and flip your sandwich.

If your coffee pot burner isn’t large enough, you can also utilize your iron! A little pre-planning is all it takes. Pack a few sheets of foil in your luggage, and you can iron a sandwich by wrapping it in foil and pressing it with the iron.

Speaking of the iron, you can also cook bacon on it. Make sure you use plenty of foil and raise the edges so that you do not end up with a greasy mess.

If you don’t want to work so hard for your breakfast (after all, you’re on vacation!), pack a few envelopes of instant oatmeal and cook it in the aforementioned coffee pot. You can even throw in a tea bag in the pod holder section, for added flavor (we like apple cinnamon).

Conquer common, yet annoying hotel room inefficiencies
Hotel rooms often lack the kind of lighting that’s needed for a late night trip to the restroom or a not-too-bright reading lamp. But you can create your own nightlight! Just turn on the flashlight on your cell phone. Place the phone on a table, light facing up. Grab a full water bottle (make sure the outside is dry) and place it on top of the phone. Instant, glowing nightlight! Learn how to make it here.

Hotel room curtains have a habit of not quite closing completely. If you’d like to enjoy sleeping in, you can keep the curtains closed by grabbing a hanger from the closet (the kind with clips). Pull the curtains together and clip them closed with the hanger’s clips. Now you can rest peacefully without having to worry about unwelcomed morning light.

Hotel fridges are great. No more wasted restaurant leftovers or worrying about food from your grocery store run. But, what if you forgot plastic wrap, or didn’t have room in your suitcase? No problem! Most hotels provide brand new, sealed shower caps with their free toiletries. You can wrap up your leftovers or even cover a full-sized plate of food. That freebie shower cap can also provide you with an instant shoe bag, or protection for wet bathing suits!

Stash your cash
No in-room safe? No problem! You don’t have to walk around with all your cash. Containers typically utilized for other purposes can be great for hiding money. Remove the spool of dental floss from its case and place the cash inside. Other common containers also provide sneaky hiding spots. A packet of gum with a few sticks removed; an empty lip balm or deodorant container (internal plastic removed); or a shampoo bottle lid can all be utilized to hide money in your room. But the best hiding place we came across was in the back of a hairbrush! Hairbrushes with plastic backs can be separated from the bristles. Pop the bristle section away from the brush handle section, and hide your stash. No hairbrush? Peel back the innersole from your shoe and you’ve got the ideal place to hide money. But remember; don’t forget your hiding place!

Before you go
A little planning ahead can spare you some travel headaches, as well as extra room in your suitcase. Instead of packing a full container of your favorite cosmetics, you can use an inexpensive contact lens case for your favorite liquid makeup or your moisturizer. The lids stay on securely and the container takes up very little bag space. And, plastic pill cases are ideal for holding rings and earrings!

Dryer sheets take up almost no space in your bag, but they can really save you when it’s time to pack up your dirty laundry. Grab the dry cleaning bag from the hotel closet (they’re free) and use it for worn clothing. Toss in a dryer sheet to keep the clothes odor-free. Dryer sheets are also great static reducers. And, you can stick one in your pocket to ward off insects while hiking.

Chances are, you’re taking a cell phone with camera capabilities to capture every moment and take awesome selfies. But, that little camera offers much more. Take photos of all of your documents, boarding passes, and even your driver’s license, to use as a backup if something gets lost. Pictures can be viewed even if there’s no wifi, so you will be able to access them at any time.

Add a brightly colored luggage tag (or even a shower poof!) to your luggage before you take off, and take a photo of it. If your luggage is lost, this will help your luggage stand out and speed up the recovery process.

Finally, if you are frequently frustrated by the teeny drinks offered on planes, you have two options that will save you money and give you plenty of refreshment. You can pack an empty water bottle in your carry on, or, you can freeze a bottle of water before you leave for the airport. As long as the water remains solid through security, you can take it with you, since it is no longer a liquid.

What’s your favorite travel hack? Share it below! 

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Lionfish Are Evil. Let’s Eat Them.

There’s no argument lionfish are beautiful. Their warmly colored stripes and lace-like edges make them a prized addition to home aquariums.

While lionfish are lovely to look at, they can also be quite destructive and dangerous. In fact, red lionfish are now recognized as one of the most important conservation issues in the world. In the Caribbean and Atlantic waters, they lack any natural predators (even sharks tend to ignore them) and have voracious appetites for most things aquatic. In fact, lionfish will consume a wide variety of reef residents in vast quantities. Lionfish stomachs can expand to up to 30 times their normal size after a meal, according to Smithsonian Magazine, leaving the fish plenty of room for seconds. Researchers have discovered that a single lionfish residing on a coral reef can reduce recruitment of native reef fishes by 79%. As lionfish populations grow, they put additional stress on coral reefs that already struggle from the effects of climate change, pollution, disease, overfishing, sedimentation, and other environmental impacts. This has resulted in the listing of seven coral species as “under threat” in lionfish-infested areas.

Lionfish not only have huge appetites, they also breed with similar gusto. They reproduce year-round, meaning a mature female can release about 2 million eggs per year, according to the National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration (NOAA). It's estimated that lionfish have been able to populate a million square miles of ocean in 10 years.

All species of lionfish sport spines along their back, pelvis and underside. The spines of this species deliver a venomous sting that can last for days and cause extreme pain, sweating, respiratory distress, and even paralysis!

What is being done?
Unfortunately, NOAA (National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration) researchers have concluded that invasive lionfish populations will continue to grow and cannot be eliminated using conventional methods. Marine invaders are nearly impossible to eradicate once established. However, it’s not all bad news. Multiple strategies are in place to keep the lionfish population in check.

Physical removal of lionfish is a huge undertaking. Traditional hook-and-line fishing methods are being used to catch lionfish, and special permits can be obtained for using more sophisticated fishing traps. Unfortunately, this method of physical removal requires a great deal of time investment. The diving community has joined forces to contribute to the removal of the invasive species. Sea TREK operator DePalm Tours, Aruba, is part of a regional effort to combat the negative impacts of the invasive lionfish. As an active member of both the Scubble Bubbles initiative and Project Aware, Sea TREK staff joins other divers to do monthly cleanups and remove the species from impacted areas.

Educating the public regarding lionfish is also a vital element. Throughout the United States and the Caribbean, efforts are being made to ensure humans understand the damage that releasing aquarium fish into waterways can cause to the environment. Additionally, humans are encouraged to report lionfish sightings. A program sponsored by the Reef Environmental Education Foundation asks the public to report any observations of lionfish, to aid in population control.

Finally, you can help combat the evils of the menacing lionfish. You can eat them! Lionfish are similar to grouper or mahi-mahi in texture, and, depending on preparation, can also be compared to snapper. Dishes and recipes abound in the Caribbean, and the fish is starting to appear in markets such as Whole Foods in the United States.

You can also check out the Sea TREK pinterest board, "Lionfish-Facts, Recipes and More", for delicious dishes featuring lionfish.

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