Welcome to the December year-end edition of
Sea-gram
from
MilaBooks.com
Best wishes to all
Sea-gram readers for a Merry Christmas, a happy holiday season, and a healthy, prosperous 2018.
December found us back in Cozumel where I met up with Alison's friend, dive buddy Amanda Maguire, visiting from the UK.
Paul & Amanda, Palancar Caves, Cozumel
Photo by Fulvio Cuccurullo
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December is a great time to dive in Cozumel, since it marks the beginning of eagle ray season. The rays start showing up in late November and remain for the winter. We saw giant eagle rays sporting 6-8 foot wingspans on almost every dive. The ray in this You-Tube video let me tag along for several precious moments. Note the "fellow traveler," a remora, tucked under its wing:
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| Swimming with an Eagle Ray |
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This month's
Featured Creature is the spotted eagle ray, found in Cozumel, especially from December through March.
This month's
Story Behind the Photo features
Diveheart, a not-for-profit organization that provides scuba diving instruction, opportunities, and adventures to children, adults, and veterans with disabilities.
Their tag line:
Imagine the Possibilities. It's a great story.
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If you have a photo with an interesting story or would like to share a good dive yarn, let me know at [email protected]
and I'll be happy to include your story in a future issue.
If you know someone who would enjoy reading Sea-gram, perhaps a dive buddy in need of an overdue "dive fix," please forward Sea-gram using the link at the end of the newsletter.
To view past Sea-grams click our ARCHIVE link below:
I hope you enjoy Sea-gram !
Sincerely,
516-578-1482
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Featured Creature . . .
The Eagle Rays of Cozumel
By Paul Mila, Carle Place, NY
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Spotted eagle rays are found worldwide, but one of the best places to see them is in Cozumel, Mexico, during the winter months.
Their pig-like snouts are designed for rooting through sandy bottoms as they hunt for their favorite food, mollusks, hiding in the sand.
Paul Mila Photo, Paso de Cedral, Cozumel
Since the rays frequently dig and stir up sand, they breathe by taking in water through round spiracles located on top of their heads, just behind each eye, and venting water through gill openings beneath their wings.
Eagle rays also enjoy cruising along walls in deep water, where they patrol in formation.
Paul Mila Photo, Eagle Ray Alley, Cozumel
The rays frequently attract remoras and other hitchhikers, which hope to get a free meal when the rays feed.
In this video, one of the remoras apparently startled the ray, which tries to shake it off.
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Eagle Ray Tries to Dislodge Remora
Paul Mila Video
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Photo Equipment:
Sea Life 2000 with Wide Angle Lens; ambient light
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Story behind the Photo . . .
"Imagine the possibilities."
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I had scheduled a book signing at La Cocay restaurant in Cozumel, Mexico, for my new adventure/thriller,
Killer In Paradise.
Dive buddy Steve Plevin mentioned that he would attend and bring some of his dive buddies from the Diveheart organization, who had just arrived for a week of diving.
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Diveheart members at La Cocay restaurant, Cozumel
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I was totally surprised when a van pulled up and many Diveheart members, some walking, some using wheelchairs, lined up to buy a copy of my book and speak with me. Meeting them and listening to their stories was truly inspirational.
To find out more about the great work this organization does, take a look at their media kit:
To learn how you can make a donation, click here:
Y
ou can also visit the Diveheart folks at Beneath The Sea (BTS) 2018, March 23, 24, 25.
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| About MilaBooks.com |
www.milabooks.com
- your home for exciting dive adventure novels
and YouTube videos featuring various ocean creatures.
A
Killer Has Arrived in Paradise!
Diver and art gallery owner Dayle Standish's search for a valuable artifact brings her to the Mayan Riviera, where she crosses paths with a vicious killer seeking the same object. When the trail leads to Cozumel, Dayle's friends Terry and Joe Manetta join her in another underwater thriller.
Now available in both paperback and e-book from Amazon, and MilaBooks.com.
Click on the book cover for more information:
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To swim into my website click on the reading dolphin
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Thanks for visiting;
we'll see you next month!
Paul J. Mila
MilaBooks.com
75 Titus Avenue
Carle Place, New York 11514
516-578-1482
To forward Sea-gram,
just click the "Forward this email" link below.
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| Featured Creature: Spotted Eagle Rays Story Behind the Photo: Diveheart: Imagine the possibilities
(Stories, lower left column)
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| Quick Links |
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Updates & Miscellaneous Features
On theTube!
Last month, talk show host Bonnie D. Graham invited me back on her cable TV show,
Something To Talk About, to discuss my latest adventure novel,
Killer In Paradise.
Bonnie was remote-casting from her new location in North Carolina. Check out the link; the show was a lot of fun.
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| Something To Talk About: "Paul J. Mila's Newest Thriller Novel: Killer in Paradise." |
News From Other Oceans
From the Galapagos
Dive buddy &
Sea-gram fan Fulvio Cuccurullo went diving in the Galapagos Islands with the Aggressor operation a few months back and sent in this amazing video from his trip.
The video and music, arranged by William Michaels, is fantastic. Sit back and treat yourself to three minutes of an amazing underwater adventure:
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From Papau New Guinea
Sea-gram
fan Martha Weisberg was diving in Papau New Guinea where she took some great up-close shots of the elusive Ghost Pipe fish. This strange little creature has the head of a sea horse and the body of ... I don't know, you guess; perhaps a hummingbird?
"We were diving in Papua New Guinea at the Tawali Resort. I used my Canon S110 with Ikelite housing. I don't remember when I used my macro lens, but do know I used it on the muck dive where we found the ghost pipefish. Must have taken over eight shots to get one halfway decent photo of the pipe fish."
Thanks for sharing, Martha!
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Protecting Coral Reefs
The Coral Reef Alliance is dedicated to saving coral reefs. Learn about their
latest initiatives, and how you can help:
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New Marine Park in Mexico!
Hundreds of fish species, thirty-seven shark and ray species, four types of sea turtles, and humpback whales can be found in the Pacific region known as Revillagigedo.
Just recently, Mexico made it a national park, and the largest marine-protected area in North America.
Get the details about this story from the PEW Charitable trust:
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Sea Shepherd Update
The Sea Shepherd Conservation Organization is on the front lines protecting dolphins, whales, seals, and other marine mammals and sea life.
For the latest Sea Shepherd conservation initiatives, and for year-end donations, click here:
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Saving Whales!
The Center for Biological Diversity, Turtle Island Restoration Network, and Wishtoyo Chumash Foundation filed a notice of intent to sue
the Trump Administration for failing to protect humpback whale habitat in the Pacific Ocean, where the animals face threats from fisheries, ship strikes, and oil spills.
Click here for the entire story:
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A Great Newsletter !
Ben Davison's
Undercurrent Magazine
is informative, and always full of good tips on travel, dive equipment, and more.
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Check out my Cozumel Mexico beachfront condo on VRBO:
Condo Details
Here is the view from the condo:
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Morning at the Residencias Reef Beachfront Condo
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Fulvio and Sandra manage my
Little Slice of Paradise.
For the best scuba experience in the
New York area, contact:
Scuba Network of Long Island
Sales, Service, Basic and Advanced Dive Instruction.
Local Diving & Exotic Dive Trips:
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For the best
Cozumel diving,
check out dive operator Alison Dennis:
Contact Nancy Edwards at Cozumel Living:
or
Jaime Ramirez, at:
Post a link to your web site on Sea-gram!
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Join Our Mailing List
If a friend forwarded Sea-gram to you and you'd like to receive future issues, let us know. Click the JOIN link above, or e-mail me at [email protected]
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