Success Stories
education and outreach engages, and includes communities with a united goal of making a difference to our planet.
Beach Clean - Long Island, The Bahamas.
Saving the Blue regularly cleans beaches and mangroves with a focus on plastics, including bottles, discarded fishing gear, cosmetic containers, straws, cutlery, and more. This simple act has immediate, rewarding results that truly make a difference to the environment and its inhabitants.
This beach clean was conducted at Dean’s Blue Hole on Long Island! This famous location is regularly visited by tourists and so trash accumulates rather quickly. Although we do not typically work on Long Island we hope our efforts will inspire others to take a little time to clear the beach next time they’re visiting. *
* While collecting trash and debris, it’s important to be equipped with appropriate safety items, such as gloves and sturdy footwear. Be cautious with broken glass (if you choose to collect it, use thick paper bags, which the shards are less likely to puncture), and avoid going into large piles of trash, as there may be unseen hazards such as used sharps. We encourage you to collect items that are clearly visible, and focus your attention on removing plastics.
Sawfish Focused School Visit - Andros Island, The Bahamas.
Team members Annie and Skye travelled to a very remote part of Andros, named Red Bay. The area is widely recognized for its history and thrives with Bahamian culture. Red Bay is the only settlement on the west side of Andros and is known for its subsistence lifestyle.
Given the settlements’ isolated location and the abundance of sea life close by, including sawfish, the team were eager to connect with the children to discuss conservation. Annie had visited the school before, however this visit was to solely talk about smalltooth sawfish. Annie and Skye engaged the children with stories and fun facts, whilst also emphasizing the importance of protecting these high endangered animals.
On leaving the school all students were gifted a Saving the Blue t-shirt which featured a sawfish on the back, a sawfish coloring sheet and a copy of Annie’s book which features a sawfish.
Bahamian Research Experiences - Andros Island, The Bahamas.
Each year Saving the Blue sponsors a number of positions to join research expeditions and over the last few years our relationship with The Bahamas Agriculture and Marine Science Institute (BAMSI) and the University of the Bahamas (UB) has seen us collaborate and offer their students many opportunities. In addition, we employ local boat captains, research assistants and more.
Featured below are two marine science students, Skye (BAMSI) and Tavano (UB) as well as local Bahamain marine experts Sarontaa and Ishmael. All assisted with Baited Remote Underwater Video (BRUV) equipment creation and deployment, drone surveys, data capture, and more. For the marine students these experiences are often their first time in or on the ocean conducting research and we’re forever grateful to our grant funders, including The Save Our Seas Foundation and to all who donate and make these opportunities possible.
Book Donation - Long Island, The Bahamas.
After completing school visits throughout Andros and Abaco we moved south east to Long Island. Annie’s book features Dean’s Blue Hole in Long Island and it was an inspiring moment to not only hold the book on location, but importantly to speak with the children about how the book features their island, and why. Team members Annie Guttridge, Gabby Lozada and Skye Minnis visited every public school on the island, handed copies to a number of private primary schools and also gifted the books to any child they saw in the community that was too young to be in school. Overall, they distributed ~350 books in just a few days.
Marine Science Student Research Experience - Sponsored Position.
After reviewing a large number of applications we choose Shane to join our team in The Bahamas for a week of hands-on research! Shane’s application was balanced with passion, professionalism and a deep hunger to gain more experience working in the field of shark research. Shane had worked with sharks before, however they were mostly small and he was eager to work with some larger species. During the weeklong expedition Shane quickly became part of the team and was fortunate to assist with the capture/tagging of many sharks, including a Great hammerhead and three tiger sharks. Shane was a true asset and we wish him all the best as he moves on to start work on his Masters Degree.
Beach Clean - Andros Island, The Bahamas.
During almost every visit to Andros, The Bahamas, Saving the Blue aim’s to clean a beach or mangrove habitat, During the clean we use compostable bags and focus on plastics, including bottles, discarded fishing gear, cosmetic containers, straws, cutlery, and more.
This simple act has immediate, rewarding results that truly make a difference to the environment and its inhabitants. We are excited to continue our efforts on every visit to Andros!
School Visit - Florida, U.S.A.
We set out with a simple goal, to introduce young children age seven to ten, to the marine world, though photography, videography, scientific equipment, and fun novel objects! We hoped to spark or grow the children’s interest with the ocean by talking passionately, while providing engaging visuals.
Annie met with six different classrooms and over 140 children. She described a number of different shark species and spoke about the importance of shark research. Annie ignited the children’s imaginations with her photography and provided examples of satellite tracks (shark movements) which the children really enjoyed! Due to the age group, the emphasis was placed on peaceful, respectful interactions with wildlife rather than the technical aspects of science, however by the end of our sessions the children were hooked and certainly more excited than scared when they heard the word ‘shark’! Weeks later Annie received over 30 thank you notes illustrated with beautiful shark drawings.
Children are the future for our oceans and we hope our talks and presentation help to not only inspire them to learn more about the worlds incredible marine life, but also protect them, and their habitats.
Five Female Students Given Research Opportunities - U.S.A. and Mexico
Each year Saving the Blue sponsors a number of positions to join research expeditions. We welcome minority groups, youth, service members, and veterans and their families for sponsorship opportunities.
During multiple expeditions throughout 2024 we welcomed and supported young female marine science students, Hannah, Jennifer, Malia, Morgan and Sydnee. All assisted with equipment creation and deployment, data capture, securing sharks, measuring, tagging, and more. The intense expeditions they joined undoubtedly improved their hands-on skills as they gained greater experience working with a variety of shark species, during the day and over night.
Toothbrush Donation - Andros Island, The Bahamas.
Our objective was simple, to provide each child at a Bahamian school a gifted bamboo toothbrush. Could this simple gift inspire the children to look at conservation in a new way, and spark an interest in protecting the natural world?
On arrival to the school our team presented an educational talks on green living and sustainability, whilst gifting the students their gifts. - Mable kindly donated over 50 tooth brushes, which was enough for one brush each, for all students at a local primary school.
As we grow within the local community, our outreach will only gain in momentum. Our long term vision includes regular toothbrush donations to all children in Andros, starting with the northern island. The total number of children on northern Andros is approximately 1,000, with an average school size of 80. If you would like to donate a toothbrush gift to an entire school along with an educational presentation please purchase this gift HERE. If you would like to adopt a school long term, please contact us directly. We truly value all support.
Fisheries Conference - Nassau, The Bahamas.
Saving the Blue team members Dr. Tristan Guttridge and Khrys Carroll recently attended the 76th Gulf and Caribbean Fisheries Institute conference in Nassau, Bahamas. The theme of the conference was sustainable fisheries and they presented our work on “Fisher perceptions of shark management and shark-depredation events in the Bahamas”.
Snippet from our abstract: The Bahamas is a premier shark diving destination and has been a global leader in shark conservation due to progressive management efforts. However, community support for sharks is eroding with fisher's anecdotally reporting increased depredation (sharks taking or damaging their catch), fear of personal safety, and a desire to harvest sharks for food/economic benefit. There is an urgent need to understand fishers’ perception of sharks and the shark sanctuary, in addition to shark-fisher interactions, to protect the welfare of fishers while promoting sustainable, long-term shark conservation. Here we conducted in-person interviews with 375 fishers (recreational, commercial, and subsistence) in the Bahamas to understand their i) experiences with sharks, ii) perceptions and attitudes towards sharks, and iii) opinions of shark management. Results will inform strategies to mitigate shark-fisher interactions; improve dialogue between fishers, researchers and other stakeholders; and identify areas for collaborative research, including depredation reduction methods and continued conservation of sharks. This work will be published shortly.
Special thanks must go to The Dashlight Foundation, Storm Story and the Lackland Foundation for supporting this incredibly important project. Thank you all for trusting and believing in our work.
Bahamian Research Experience - Andros Island, The Bahamas.
Each year Saving the Blue sponsors a number of positions to join research expeditions and over the last few years our relationship with The Bahamas Agriculture and Marine Science Institute (BAMSI) has seen us collaborate and offer their students many opportunities.
Late 2023 we welcomed two marine science students Kristin and Quintes. Both assisted with equipment creation and deployment, data capture, securing sharks and rays, measuring, tagging, and more. These experiences are often the students first time in or on the ocean conducting research and we’re forever grateful to all who donate and make this opportunities possible.
Santa’s Seaplane - The Berry Islands and Andros, The Bahamas
What could be more rewarding than delivering gifts to children during the holiday season? The Bahamas is home to hundreds of islands and small schools, many of which are extremely hard to access. Their remoteness often results in supply chain difficulties and inflated pricing, which in turn can result in the holiday season being demanding and expensive. During December 2023, our mission was to fly Santa into the Bahamas and have him hand deliver as many gifts to as many children as possible! The event was a huge success with over 250 high quality, eco-friendly gifts given to children. This initiative was generously supported by Fraser Yachts and Tropic Ocean Airways.
The Berry Islands
Andros Island
LEARN MORE IN OUR BLOG, FOUND HERE
World Ocean’s Day - Florida, U.S.A.
On the lead up to World Ocean’s Day 2023 Saving the Blue member Veronica walked local beaches and collected trash as she conducted multiple beach clean ups. This initiative was not only impactful by removing trash, there was also regular updates on our social media to inspire and educate others.
Veronica focused on small and micro plastics and was able to fill many bags of waste that would otherwise enter our oceans. Some plastics take over 400 years to degrade (such as water bottles) so never feel disheartened when clearing up ANY plastics. Every single piece of trash removed is a win and could save an animals life.
School Visit - Florida, U.S.A.
Our goal was to introduce young children age seven to eleven to the marine world though photography and scientific equipment. We hoped to spark or grow the children’s interest with the ocean by talking passionately and providing engaging visuals.
Annie met with many different classrooms reaching ~150 children. She spoke about a variety of shark species, in addition to introducing them to the topic of shark research. Annie ignited the children’s imaginations with stunning photography and provided examples of satellite tracks (shark movements) which the children loved! By the end of our sessions the children were hooked and certainly more excited than scared when they heard the word ‘shark’!
Bahamian Research Experience - Andros Island, The Bahamas.
Each year Saving the Blue sponsors a number of positions to join research expeditions. We welcome minority groups, youth, service members, and veterans and their families. We hope this program, started in 2019, will provide opportunities to those that may never afford an adventure similar to this, or perhaps are unaware a research trip like this exists.
During our expedition we welcomed marine science students Skye and Bianca. Both assisted with equipment creation and deployment, data capture, securing sharks and rays, measuring, tagging, and more.
Please view some news coverage HERE.
Book Donation - Abaco, The Bahamas.
After completing our school visits throughout Andros we moved further north to the islands of Abaco. The first day had us visit a school with over 650 students in one assembly! The energy in the room was electric with so many children excited to hear Annie speak, and to receive their own copy of the book. Overall, we distributed ~1500 books in just a few days - Team members Annie Guttridge, Khrysdovãn Carroll, Gabby Lozada and Leila Molle visited every public school on the main island and nearby cays. The team also handed the books to any child they saw in the community that was too young to be in school. On our last day we finished up our trip with a visit to an area referred to as The Muds. Here we knocked on doors handing out books to children unable to attend school and living in distressing conditions. An additional ~100 books were distributed here.
Reusable Sandwich Bag Donation - Andros Island, The Bahamas.
We set out with a simple goal, to inspire young Bahamian children. We hoped to grow the children’s interest in conservation by talking passionately about marine life and how trash can and does affect many living things.
The children were given a talk by team member Khrysdovãn Carroll. Khrys spoke on sustainability and then gifted each child a reusable sandwich bag, provided by Lunchskins! Reusable sandwich bags are perfect for kids to place sandwiches or other snacks in, and the students were all very excited to see and use this novel product! No student had seen or used a reusable bag like this before and were only familiar with plastic Ziplock’s that are often used only once. This comparison presented an opportunity to discuss not only single use items, but also how trash can be hazards to wildlife. In summary, the school visit was a huge success and the children left empowered with additional knowledge on single plastics and the need for conservation.
Veteran Research Experience – Sponsored Position
Each year Saving the Blue sponsors a number of positions to join research expeditions. We welcome minority groups, youth, service members, and veterans and their families. We hope this program will provide opportunities to those that may never afford an adventure similar to this, or perhaps are unaware a research trip like this exists.
We selected and welcomed veteran Brianna to join our team in The Bahamas! Brianna’s application was overflowing with love, passion and kindness. She has adored sharks since a child and this trip was her first opportunity to spend time with them in and on the water! During our weeks expedition Brianna quickly became part of the team and developed a variety of skills, while also diving and sharing space with wild sharks; a dream she always wanted to make a reality.
We would like to highlight that Brianna had previously applied for a sponsorship role with us and was unsuccessful (by a whisker) on that occasion. Please never give up chasing your dreams, and please be inspired to always apply. Thank you always to those who have served and sacrificed. Never ever forgotten.
Reusable Bottle Donation - Andros Island, The Bahamas.
We can all make better choices and decisions, however, many of us are ill-informed, uninformed, or simply unaware of the alternatives available to the everyday products we’re used to. Children look up to those around them for advice and guidance, so we decided to start a conversation centered around conversation and education, starting with something as simple as a reusable water bottle.
This simple, yet effective project not only gave the children an eco-friendly gift, it informed them of sustainable alternatives, and encouraged them to start a conversation with the adults in their lives, encouraging them to consider the environment in their product choices. Our hope was for the children and teachers to not only use the bottles, but to also open a conservation discussion with their friends and family.
Our team spoke on reusable alternatives, including refillable water bottles. The children were asked questions on single use plastics and enjoyed a fun, educational talk on conservation including how both children and adults can reduce their single-use plastic habits. Our team gifted over 60 colorful Bahamian themed water bottles to the children and their teachers.
Minority Sponsorship Opportunity - U.S.A.
Saving the Blue offers a number of sponsored opportunities for a variety of projects and earlier this year we excitedly offered @bcamm_photo a sponsored, photographic mentorship with @shanegrossphoto.
"In my experience, chances to learn from ocean photographers have been few and far between, so receiving this mentorship through Saving the Blue is an incredible opportunity. From advice on how to run a business to insightful photo critiques, being able to speak with Shane Gross each month has been a fantastic experience. Moving forward, I’m hoping to apply Shane’s wisdom to my photographic practices in order to tell important stories and navigate the industry more efficiently." – Ben Cammarata
Ben is an incredibly talented young man who has already achieved so much in his early career. We believe his future in photography and photojournalism is extremely bright, and with the talented Shane Gross there to guide him this year, we simply cannot wait to see how his work develops and prospers. You can view Ben’s work HERE
Book Donation - Southern Andros Island, The Bahamas.
After completing our visits in northern Andros we moved further south, to other, more remote parts of the island.
Team members Annie Guttridge and Khrysdovãn Carroll regularly visits schools in Andros and presents and gifts our book to the children. So far we have gifted over 1,300 books to the children in The Bahamas! Children are the future for our oceans and we hope our talks and presentations help to not only inspire them to learn more about the worlds incredible marine life, but to also protect them, and their habitats.
Research Experience – Sponsored Positions.
Each year Saving the Blue sponsors a number of positions to join research expeditions. We welcome minority groups, youth, service members, and veterans and their families. We hope this program, started in 2019, will provide opportunities to those that may never afford an adventure similar to this, or perhaps are unaware a research trip like this exists.
For this expedition we welcomed Sarah Harris, a Marine Biology Student for the University of NOVA, and youth shark conservationist Cade. Both Sarah and Cade assisted with equipment creation and deployment, data capture, securing sharks, measuring, tagging, and more.
Library Support - Vermont, U.S.A.
Last summer Saving the Blue, alongside Fahlo, supported Cutler Memorial Library’s Summer Readers camp through a donation of goods.
In keeping with their Oceans of Possibilities theme, readers received a shark bracelet and a shark to track (Fahlo) and a Saving the Blue children’s book for reaching their goal! Summer reading participation more than doubled and children and youth increased their book circulation by 140% as compared to pre-pandemic book circulation! We are so grateful to all who support us as that in turn helps us support and inspire others.
Androsian Research Project - Andros Island, The Bahamas.
Saving the Blue has worked with Bahamian marine science student Khrys since 2020. Khrys was a student of The Bahamas Agriculture and Marine Science Institute (BAMSI) and during 2021 was offered a sponsored project opportunity which resulted in an impactful poster presentation, and scientific publication.
This ongoing project aims to improve smalltooth sawfish conservation in Andros through education, outreach, and in-situ data collection that bolsters community and national support for species-specific legislation, protection of critical habitats and the reduction of destructive practices. You can learn more about this project under Khry’s TEAM PROFILE or our SAWFISH RESEARCH page.
Androsian Internship - Andros Island, The Bahamas.
Saving the Blue regularly collaborate with The Bahamas Agriculture and Marine Science Institute (BAMSI). During 2022 Saving the Blue offered and funded a full internship for BAMSI student, Tayshaun who we worked with previously, back in 2019.
Tayshaun learnt research techniques for surveying sharks and rays including setup, deployment and maintenance of block rigs, polyball fishing and baited remote underwater videos (BRUVs). In addition, he observed and participated in shark processing, including safely securing animals for measurement, sex determination, biological sampling and tagging (e.g. individual identification and tracking). Tayshaun also gained knowledge in species identification, took environmental sampling: including taking water temperature, salinity and dissolved oxygen, he also improved his boat safety and seamanship. Lastly, he assisted with data recording and data entry specifically pertaining to BRUV methods which allowed him to preliminary visualize, analysis and interpret data ready for his student presentation.
Beach Clean - Andros Island, The Bahamas.
During almost every visit to Andros, The Bahamas, Saving the Blue aim’s to clean a beach or mangrove habitat, During the clean we use compostable bags and focus on plastics, including bottles, discarded fishing gear, cosmetic containers, straws, cutlery, and more.
This simple act has immediate, rewarding results that truly make a difference to the environment and its inhabitants. We are excited to continue our efforts on every visit to Andros!
Book Donation - Mid Andros Island, The Bahamas.
With over 5,000 books printed we have enough items to gift a copy to every child in Andros, and beyond! The book highlights six islands and habitats found in The Bahamas, and we visit schools as often as we can. We have completed our visits in northern Andros and now plan to move further south to other parts of the island.
Team member Khrysdovãn Carroll regularly visits schools in Andros and presents and gifts our book to the children. So far we have gifted over 1,000 books to the children!
Beach Clean - Florida, U.S.A.
For Earth Day 2022 Saving the Blue visited two schools and also walked a local beach to collect trash and conduct a beach clean up!
The group focused on small and micro plastics and were able to fill bags of waste that would otherwise enter our oceans. Some plastics take over 400 years to degrade (such as water bottles) so never feel disheartened when clearing up ANY plastics. Every single piece of trash removed is a win and could save an animals life.
Conservationist Research Experience – Sponsored Position.
Each year Saving the Blue supports a number of sponsored research assistant positions. Successful applicants join our team for six nights and assist with tasks such as research, outreach and education. For this particular position Saving the Blue launched an online application seeking a person over 50 years of age for our Bonnie and David Scholarship opportunity. With over many worthy applications received, shortlisting was extensive. Once finally reduced to a selected ‘top five’, all were contacted via email and then phone, until finally we had our person, Karen!
Karen is an ambitious conservationist with a wealth of passion and knowledge. Karen started a waterwomen group in Miami and one of her main goals is to get more women in and on the water! Throughout the week Karen dived with a variety of fish, rays and sharks, assisted with a beach clean-up and visited a local school where she gifted copies of Annie’s Bahamian themed book. We are truly grateful to have met Karen, and wish her well with her goals and dreams for the future.
Book Donation - Northern Andros Island, The Bahamas.
During 2020 Saving the Blue president Annie Guttridge wrote and designed a children’s book which was inspired by The Bahamas, for the children of The Bahamas. Over 5,000 books were printed and we excitedly had enough books to gift a copy to every child in Andros, and beyond!
The book highlights six islands and habitats found in The Bahamas, including: The mangroves, the sand flats, a ship wreck, a coral reef, the open ocean and a blue hole! The book also includes fun facts, conservation concerns and suggestions, an introduction to trophic hierarchy and ‘find and seek’ games!
To kick start this project team members Annie Guttridge and Khrysdovãn Carroll visited two schools and presented to 10 classes, reaching over 150 children! They focused on Bahamian habitats and wildlife as they presented, and then gifted all children a copy.
Written and Designed by Saving the Blue President Annie Guttridge, illustrated by Chris Adams. We must acknowledge the Save Our Seas Foundation who generously supported this important project. Thank you for believing in our vision. Visit www.saveourseas.com to learn more about their incredible work.
School Visit - Florida, U.S.A.
We set out with a simple goal, to introduce young children, age two to nine, to the marine world, though photography, videography, scientific equipment, and fun novel objects! We hoped to spark or grow the children’s interest with the ocean by talking passionately, while providing engaging visuals.
Annie met with four different classrooms where she presented on the sharks and rays of The Bahamas, in addition to introducing them to the topic of shark research. Annie ignited the children’s imaginations with her photography and provided examples of satellite tracks (shark movements) which the children loved envisaging! Due to the age group, the emphasis was placed on peaceful, respectful interactions with wildlife rather than the technical aspects of science. By the end of our sessions the children were hooked and certainly more excited than scared when they heard the word ‘shark’!
Children are the future for our oceans and we hope our talks and presentation help to not only inspire them to learn more about the worlds incredible marine life, but also protect them, and their habitats.
Beach Clean - Andros Island, The Bahamas.
Every time our team visits Andros, The Bahamas, we aim to clean a beach, and 99% of the time, we’re successful! During each beach clean our team walk the beach in one direction first to enjoy and appreciate the view, to then collect trash on the return leg. This practice allows us to assess the discarded litter and in turn helps us plan and target items on the walk back. Fillings bags with trash is regrettably far too easy, and this technique avoids not only damaging our fragile (compostable) bags during two walks, but also allows us to be efficient and specific with trash collection, especially with limited bag space. We offer sponsored beach cleans and this clean was supported by innovative and eco-friendly brand, Earth Breeze! Thank you Earth Breeze for supporting our work, and for your kind encouragement.
For this clean our team focused on plastics, including bottles, discarded fishing gear, cosmetic containers and bags. Every team member has their own personal preferences, often they include: plastic bottle tops, netting and balloons. It can be overwhelming viewing what appears to be an endless amount of trash on the ground, however we remove as much as we can, as often as we can! Our motto is ‘every item removed, is one less’. Of course the more we remove the better, however every piece of trash collected, is a win for us and our oceans.
Conservationist Research Experience – Sponsored Position.
Each year Saving the Blue supports a number of sponsored research assistant positions. Successful applicants join our team for six nights hands on research, in addition to supporting our outreach efforts. These positions are open to everyone, however priority is given to minority groups, youth, service members, and veterans and their families. For this particular position Saving the Blue launched an online application, and with over 100 worthy applications received within a week, shortlisting was extensive. Once finally reduced to a selected ‘top ten’, all were contacted via email and then phone, until finally we had our new research assistant, Hannah!
Hannah is an ambitious conservationist with a wealth of passion and knowledge. Throughout the week Hannah assisted with all areas of our research, including drum-lining; this technique includes working with the sharks to help secure, measure and tag them. In addition to conducting research, Hannah assisted with a beach clean-up and visited a local school where she gifted some copies of her new and inspiring book. We are truly grateful to have met Hannah, and wish her well with her goals and dreams for the future.
Beach Clean - Andros Island, The Bahamas.
Cleaning a beach can feel overwhelming, and unachievable with so much trash regularly washing up on our coasts. Saving the Blue however believe every piece of trash collected makes a true difference. One unnatural, unwelcome item collected is always considered a win!
Saving the Blue took to a local beach in Andros to conduct a clean-up. With a focus on plastics the team got to work and relentlessly filled their bags with trash. We use compostable bags, as, unlike regular bags, compostable bags quickly degrade in almost any environment.
We have cleaned this beach many times, and will continue to do so. The regular items we find include: single use plastic water bottles and cutlery, shampoo and cosmetic bottles, toothbrushes, bottle caps, plastic bags, balloons, and an endless stream of micro plastics. We, the consumers can help reduce our plastic output with mindful purchasing. Using a reusable drinks cup, swapping a shampoo bottle for a packaging free bar, or carrying bamboo, or similar cutlery when eating takeout’s. Every little really does help.
Bahamian Research Experience – Sponsored Position.
Each year Saving the Blue sponsors a number of positions to join research expeditions. We welcome minority groups, youth, service members, and veterans and their families. We hope this program, started in 2019, will provide opportunities to those that may never afford an adventure similar to this, or perhaps are unaware a research trip like this exists.
During our expedition Tayshaun assisted with equipment creation and deployment, data capture, securing sharks, measuring, tagging, and more. Tayshaun had never swam in the open ocean, nor had he assisted with shark research before and he blew us away with his confidence and fearless attitude! It was a true pleasure to have Tayshaun join us, and know with certainty that we’ll work with him again!
Mask Donation - Andros Island, The Bahamas.
Environments all over the world are too often littered with trash, and now, with COVID restrictions and requirements, single or reduced use items such as disposable/surgical masks and gloves are being found discarded on land, and in our oceans.
Saving the Blue President Annie organized for hundreds of youth masks to be hand printed and shipped to Andros. Once in Andros, team member Khrys collected the masks and prepared to visit local schools. He’s mission was simple, to provide educational talks on green living and sustainability, whilst gifting the students a reusable face covering.
Over 200 masks were given to young Bahamian children. Face coverings aren’t always readily available in The Bahamas, and those that are, often display inflated prices given the islands remoteness. We are thankful to all who donate to us, making these gifts possible. This simple, yet effective project not only gave the children an ecofriendly alternative to single use masks, it informed them of sustainable alternatives, and encouraged them to start a conversation with the adults in their lives, encouraging them to consider the environment in their product choices.
School Visit - Florida, U.S.A.
We set out with a simple aim, to introduce young children, age two to seven, to the marine world, though photography, videography, scientific equipment, and fun novel objects. We hoped to spark an interest in the ocean by talking passionately while providing engaging visuals.
The children were given wetsuits, rash guards, masks, snorkels, fins and more. They were then asked to identify the items and guess their uses. The children thoroughly enjoyed handling the gear and learning what’s done with it! Annie spoke about the importance of sun protection for the skin, the warmth a wetsuit provides, the need for a mask to see underwater, a snorkel to breathe, and fins to reduce fatigue. Lastly she spoke about taking a large breath of air to fill your lungs before making a freedive!
When Annie discussed the art of freediving, most of the children found it fascinating, and very relatable. Most of the students enjoy swimming while wearing goggles so could imagine what diving in the ocean with sharks, rays, and turtles would be like! With the children’s imaginations ignited, Annie introduced her cameras and a selection of images, explaining the techniques used to capture the moments, and the importance of being quiet in the water. Due to the age group, the emphasis was placed on peaceful, respectful interactions with wildlife rather than the technical aspects of underwater photography. The children were hooked!
Children are the future for our oceans and we hope our talks and presentation help to not only inspire them to learn more about the worlds incredible marine life, but also protect them, and their habitats.
Beach Clean - Andros Island, The Bahamas
During all of our beach cleans our team focus on a variety of items, including: plastic bottles, discarded fishing gear, cosmetic containers and plastic bags. We set our early to clean a local beach and was rewarded with some great progress! We offer sponsored beach cleans and this clean was supported by innovative and eco-friendly brand, Earth Breeze! Thank you Earth Breeze for supporting our work, and for your kind encouragement.
We hit the beach and began to remove item after item. It’s often overwhelming viewing what appears to be an endless amount of trash on the ground, however we remove as much as we can filling compostable bags and placing large items directly in the truck bed ready for disposal.
A cleaner beach and a successful morning! You too can help; cleaning up trash on a beach is a great way to make a positive difference. Please wear gloves and be extremely cautious when handling trash, particularly items you can’t clearly see; glass or other dangerous items could be hidden and may become harmful.
Experience Day - Andros Island, The Bahamas.
Saving the Blue provides creative educational opportunities in marine science to the public, including experiential and instructional programs to the international community. These opportunities include offering sponsored research expedition positions, holding open days, and more. BAMSI (Bahamas Agriculture and Marine Science Institute) are a Bahamian institution specializing in agriculture and marine science. BAMSI are based on Andros and during early 2021 Saving the Blue collaborated with this incredible group to provide a marine science experience day for their students.
The groups met on a nearby beach, then split into two smaller subgroups. Half visited a shallow mangrove habitat where they set one of our standardized gillnets, while the other group set drumlines on a shallow reef. All BAMSI students assisted with setting and checking the equipment, in addition to processing the sharks caught! Both activities were a huge success and all students left with some firsthand shark experience!
This collaboration was the start of a long-term partnership with BAMSI and we are extremely excited to share our knowledge and experience with the marine students of The Bahamas!
Please view some news coverage HERE, HERE, and HERE.
Toothbrush Donation - Andros Island, The Bahamas.
Our objective was simple, to provide each child at a Bahamian school a gifted bamboo toothbrush. Could this simple gift inspire the children to look at conservation in a new way, and spark an interest in protecting the natural world?
Success
Mable kindly donated over 70 tooth brushes, which was enough for one brush each, for all students at a local primary school. Once the toothbrushes had landed in Andros, Khrys set out to distribute the gifts to the students. He’s mission was to provide educational talks on green living and sustainability, whilst gifting the students their own bamboo toothbrush.
On arrival to the school Khrys was able to present his talk and say a few words on product choices, followed by engaging the students with a fun quiz! Finally Khrys presented the gifts to the children, all of which were excited to see and feel the novelty of a different kind of toothbrush!
Be the change
As we grow within the local community, our outreach will only gain in momentum. Our long term vision includes regular toothbrush donations to all children in Andros, starting with the northern island. The total number of children on northern Andros is approximately 1,000, with an average school size of 80. If you would like to donate a toothbrush gift to an entire school along with an educational presentation please purchase this gift HERE. If you would like to adopt a school long term, please contact us directly. We truly value all support.
Marine Biologist, Research Experience – Sponsored Position
Each year Saving the Blue supports a number of sponsored research assistant positions. Successful applicants join our team for six nights hands on research, in addition to supporting our outreach efforts. These positions are open to everyone, however priority is given to minority groups, youth, service members, and veterans and their families. For this particular position Saving the Blue launched an online application process where candidates applied to join our team. Over 100 applications were received within a week, and with a magnitude of eligible hopefuls the shortlisting process was extensive. Once finally reduced to a selected ‘top ten’, all were contacted via email and then phone, until finally we had our new research assistant, Lily!
Lily is an ambitious marine biologist, masters student and creative drone pilot and she hit the ground running demonstrating her skills from day one! Throughout the week Lily assisted with gillnetting and drum-lining, in addition to working with the sharks to help secure, measure and tag them. We are truly grateful to have met Lily, who has gone on to became a Saving the Blue asset!
Beach Clean - Andros Island, The Bahamas.
Cleaning any beach can feel disheartening when you’re faced with more trash than you can remove. Saving the Blue believes every piece of trash collected makes a true difference and so we try to clean at least one part of a beach every time we visit. When we’re unable to visit, we employ a local team of Bahamians to conduct the clean on our behalf.
Success
Khrys, Saving the Blue’s Community Outreach and Education adviser, eagerly led a team to a local beach in Andros to conduct a clean-up. The regular items we find are: single use plastic water bottles and cutlery, shampoo and cosmetic bottles, toothbrushes, bottle caps, plastic bags, balloons, and an endless stream of micro plastics. With a focus on plastics the team got to work and relentlessly filled their bags with trash. After hours of cleaning and once all bags were filled the team relocated the garbage to a local dump for processing.
Bahamian Research Experience – Sponsored Position
Each year Saving the Blue supports a number of sponsored research assistant positions. Successful applicants join our team for six nights hands on research, in addition to supporting our outreach efforts. These positions are open to everyone, however priority is given to minority groups, youth, service members, and veterans and their families.
Success
For this particular position Saving the Blue offered the experience to local Bahamian, and marine science student, Khrys. Khrys’s creative, fun and upbeat personality was warmly welcomed by our team. In addition, Khrys demonstrated an appetite for marine research with a passion to learn and work hard! During our weeks expedition Khrys went from strength to strength. Taking data, securing sharks, measuring, tagging, and more. Khrys became extremely skilled in a variety of duties he thought he may never experience! Saving the Blue sponsored Khrys’s position, and in return was rewarded with an exceptional team player who truly thrives in a marine setting.
Be the change
It’s important to us that every person be given an opportunity to join a trip like this. If you or someone you know would like to be considered, or if perhaps you would like to sponsor a position on an expedition, please reach out, we’d love to hear from you! contact@savingtheblue.org
Sawfish Outreach - Andros Island, The Bahamas.
Sawfish (family Pristidae) are among the world’s most threatened marine fishes, and some species are found in Andros, The Bahamas. Saving the Blue seek to educate all on the importance of these remarkable animals, and inspiring children with an educational presentation, and a handful of fun gifts initiated some important conversations with children and teachers alike.
Armed with a small budget Saving the Blue purchased sets crayons, fun sawfish decals from Scientific Seas, and created an amusing sawfish illustration in collaboration with Culpeo S. Fox. These gifts, given to each student, would start a talking point and gave the children something to take home, and share with others.
On arrival to the school our team set up to present to the children. All children listened on as Saving the Blue science team members Dr. Phil Matich and Dr. Simon Dedman lead a talk on the value of sawfish, and the important role they play within healthy marine systems. The children were engaged, asking questions and eager to learn more. This project came together quickly and was truly a delight to deliver. If sawfish in Andros have local children campaigning for their future we believe their populations stand a chance in recovery.
Beach Clean - Andros Island, The Bahamas.
Cleaning a local beach can feel overwhelming, and unachievable with so much trash regularly washing up on our coasts. Saving the Blue however believe every piece of trash collected makes a true difference. One unnatural, unwelcome item collected is a win, always!
Success
Saving the Blue took to a local beach in Andros to conduct an extensive clean up. With a focus on plastics the team got to work and relentlessly filled bag after bag of washed up trash. We use compostable bags, as, unlike regular, or even biodegradable bags, compostable bags quickly degrade regardless of their environment. We have cleaned this beach many times, and will continue to do so. The regular items we find are: single use plastic water bottles and cutlery, shampoo and cosmetic bottles, toothbrushes, bottle caps, plastic bags, balloons, and an endless stream of micro plastics.
Be the change
We, the consumers can help reduce our plastic output with mindful purchasing. Using a reusable drinks cup, swapping a shampoo bottle for a packaging free bar, or carrying bamboo, or similar, cutlery when eating takeouts. Every little helps. Be the change.
For more information on consumer choices, please click HERE.
Community Outreach - Andros Island, The Bahamas.
When Saving the Blue was founded the board were united on involving the local people of Andros; we hoped to include all that wished to join our adventures. Offering a chance to join a research expedition, a snorkeling trip or to see sharks in the wild were just some of the opportunities we visualized.
Bahamians are typically very afraid of sharks, and the many cannot swim. With this in mind, and with our many years experience, we knew finding people keen to explore with us, wouldn’t be easy. Since our arrival on Andros we’ve spoken to a wealth of individuals keen to join, however with words are easy to say, and actions hard to deliver. We knew gaining peoples trust slowly was key.
Over the last few years we’ve been fortunate to share our time tagging sharks with a number of Bahamians, including two who tagged the shark themselves! We also introduced two local girls to the ocean, one of which was 15 years old and had never been on a boat before. She went on to snorkel with us and finally saw life beneath the waves with a reassuring team firmly by her side.
“If you do what you've always done, you'll get what you've always gotten.” Saving the Blue believe in pushing boundaries, and simply offering opportunities to those that appear keen to take them. Changing opinions and perspectives take time, and we are committing to a lifetime of encouragement and perseverance.
Veteran Research Experience – Sponsored Position
Each year Saving the Blue sponsors a number of positions to join research expeditions. We welcome minority groups, youth, service members, and veterans and their families. We hope this program, started in 2019, will provide opportunities to those that may never afford an adventure similar to this, or perhaps are unaware a research trip like this exists.
During our second expedition we welcomed veteran Skylar to join our team. Skylar is a passionate, adventurous and humble former marine with heaps of humor and charisma. Saving the Blue were proud to invite him, and were honored he said yes! During our weeks expedition Skylar quickly became part of our team. Taking data, securing sharks, working on sample taking, tagging, and more. Skylar became extremely skilled in a variety of duties he thought he would never experience! Saving the Blue sponsored his position, and in return was rewarded with an incredible team player, helping us process sharks like a pro!
Primary School - Andros Island, The Bahamas.
In collaboration with The Silent Hunter Group.
We can all make better choices and decisions, however, many of us are ill-informed, uninformed, or simply unaware of the alternatives available to the everyday products we’re used to. Children look up to those around them for advice and guidance, so we decided to create a special movement centered on conversation and education, starting with something as simple as a toothbrush.
Success
Saving the Blue president Annie Guttridge had previously worked with MABLE, an eco-friendly, bamboo toothbrush company, and after a number of discussions together they hatched a plan. Annie created a campaign on her social media platforms, and her objective was simple: to offer each child at a Bahamian school a bamboo toothbrush of their own. Could this simple gift inspire the children to look at conservation in a new way, and spark an interest in protecting the natural world?
Success! Within just a few days, over 70 MABLE brushes were secured, one for every child attending the school. On arrival to the Bahamas, Annie was able to say a few words on sustainability and product choices to each class, before she and guests presented the gifts to the eager children. The excited children opened the brushes immediately, as they’d never seen a wooden toothbrush before. Annie pointed out the texture of the MABLE brush, and how different it is from that of typical plastic toothbrushes. She also noted the biodegradable paper packaging and the lack of negative impact the brush itself would have to the environment of their small island once its useful life had ended.
Be the change
This simple, yet effective project not only gave the children an ecofriendly gift, it informed them of sustainable alternatives, and encouraged them to start a conversation with the adults in their lives, encouraging them to consider the environment in their product choices Our hope was for the children and teachers to not only use the brushes, but to also open a conservation discussion with their friends and family.
Pre-School - Florida, U.S.A.
In collaboration with The Silent Hunter Group.
Art is a powerful medium for inspiring passion and communicating the beauty and diversity of our natural world. Art touches adults and children today as it has for centuries. Underwater photography is especially captivating, as it brings the undersea world up onto dry land. Being surrounded by this imagery on a daily basis, and contemplating the impact of visual art caused us to ask ourselves some questions. Could we influence a group of small children by simply displaying wildlife imagery on a classroom wall? Would the children enjoy viewing the pictures, and would they feel motivated to learn more about life beneath the waves?
Annie and Tristan have two young children of their own, and are extremely aware of the impact adults have on the children around them. With this in mind, Annie combined her passion for photography with her passion for education, and set out to buy canvases to hang in the science lab of a local school. Annie donated her time and imagery, and in the process of realizing this project, found CanvasFab, a printer willing to bring the images to canvas at their cost to support the cause. This partnership brought seventeen amazing images of underwater wildlife to the main working classroom of the Kids for Kids Academy in Miami, Florida.
Success
Annie and Tristan chose to use their social media platforms to gain interest in the idea, and within a few days had secured the work needed for the project. Within just a few weeks of announcing their vision, Annie was hanging the work on the walls of the school, with the children eager to view the new and exciting additions to their work space. The children absolutely loved the new imagery, and enjoyed being surrounded by sharks, rays, turtles, and more. They asked endless questions about the sea life, and particularly enjoyed talking about the human freedivers pictured.
Be the change
This exciting project came together quickly, but offers long term results. The experience of the children attending daily classes at the lab will be enhanced by the stimulating imagery, and this will continue as new children come and go in the future. This constant progression will see hundreds, if not thousands of students enjoying the wildlife images for many years to come.
