Tom van t'Hof
is a marine biologist recognized worldwide for his designing of marine parks. Tom is to be given credit for the design of Saba and St. Eustatius's (the more common name for our neighboring island St. Eustatius is "Statia") marine parks but also for Bonaire, Curacao and other parks from Kenya to Indonesia. Choosing Saba as his home since 1986, Tom was the original director of Saba's Conservation Foundation for its first ten years. As an active environmentalist, author and consultant, Tom is never at a loss for something to do. The Nature of Saba, Guide to the Saba Marine Park, and Guide to Saba's Nature Trails are just the books about Saba which Tom has written or co-authored.  He and artist wife Heleen own Saba's Eco-lodge Rendezvous.  Meet Tom on Wednesdays throughout the year for a pre-dinner slide presentation about Saba's rainforest given at The Rainforest Restaurant.   At Sea & Learn '05, join Tom for an interesting presentation about the design and implementation of marine parks around the globe. Who better to answer the questions of why we need marine parks, what works, what does not and why. 
Throughout the month of October 2004--except Oct 4-11 '04

Andy Caballero
manages Saba's neighboring St. Maarten Marine Park.   The organization is faced with the huge task of preserving what remains of St. Maarten's fragile natural environment while most of the island is more focused on continuous development.  The island of St. Maarten can serve as a case study for the adverse effects which occur when there is disregard to coastal development, lack of zoning laws, destruction of mangroves and the list goes on.  An ideal candidate for the job, Andy was raised on St. Maarten but studied marine biology in Miami, Florida.  As St. Maarten's first marine park manager he has made magnificent progress with the installation of moorings and the framework for protecting certain areas from fishing and anchoring.  Andy's background in corals and sea grasses has well prepared him to address the Foundation's  latest project of turtle banding and turtle nest monitoring on St. Maarten's beaches.  Join Andy and learn more about the turtles of this region, how to identify food sources and what measures are being taken to aid in their recovery so they can be enjoyed by future generations. 
Presentations and field work October 1-8 '04

Ralf Bauer
is recognized in German and international scientific magazines for his work on cacti--specifically the taxonomy of cacti or how the different species are related to each other.  Since childhood, Ralf has had a passion for plants.  Earning his living as a dentist in Germany, Ralf is able to maintain one of the largest and finest collections of epiphytic cacti and find time to publish his findings.  His second passion, scuba diving, brought him to Saba more than 10 years ago.  Saba's diverse ecosystems range from rocky desert areas to mountainous rainforest.  Plan some hiking time with Ralf and discover the interesting terrain and various species of cacti found on Saba. Ralf will be on Saba for three weeks with a number of lectures giving common insight in cacti and their strategies of surviving in different climates.  With luck, we will plan a night excursion to see, smell and photograph the night blooming Cereus, a rare huge flowering cactus known as "The Queen of the Night".
Presentations and field work October 1-22 '04

Vince Capone
began his career by studying coral reef ecology at the West Indies Laboratory in St. Croix.  For more than 20 years, Vince continued to explore the world's ocean floor using remote sensing equipment and eventually carving his niche in the marine technology field.  Vince is an independent consultant who works with a variety of interesting entities from private companies that specialize in non-invasive exploration techniques to assisting NASA in underwater search operations and various types of robotic video inspections.  When not on assignment, Vince teaches at Cornell University's marine lab on the Isle of Shoals and Doweling College.  He is a frequent lecturer on the uses of remote sensing in marine archaeology and sea floor mapping.  Join Vince on Saba as he introduces the many possibilities of marine science to Saba's youth while conducting an underwater mapping project on Saba's reefs.  In addition, Vince will air his Discovery Channel yet-to-be-announced filming of a significant underwater discovery at his Saba presentation.  Join us for this exciting Saba event:
New dates TBA:last minute cancellation due to obligations with the US Navy.

Dan Bisaccio
is the founder and director of HabitatNet an organization dedicated to teaching and training students, teachers, and nature guides global conservation through active and intensive field programs. Dan has been teaching biological field research courses for over 20 years.  While utilizing students, nature guides and teachers as researchers, he has developed field tropical ecology courses in Costa Rica, Belize, the Caribbean, and Mexico. As an adjunct researcher for the Smithsonian Institute, Dan and his participants conduct primary biological diversity monitoring research and submit annual field reports to the Smithsonian.  Dan and his affiliated high school have received a number of state and national awards for offering public school students authentic research and interdisciplinary opportunities in academic areas.  He is also a Brandwein Ecology Teaching Fellow mentoring teachers and nature guides across North America.  Join Dan for his presentation on cloud forests followed by a hike to Mt. Scenery to continue his survey of the recovering mountain mahogany trees.
Presentations and field work October 2-5 '04

John Magor
is a familiar face to those who have already visited Saba.  An owner of Sea Saba Dive Center, John has dived the waters around Saba since 1989.  Time off of Saba is often spent muck diving strange waters around the globe.  John will give an entertaining presentation explaining "muck" with fabulous photography from the Lembah Straits to South Australia, British Columbia, Papua New Guinea and of course, Saba.  An avid wild life photographer and animal lover, John has been traveling the world since his teens and diving it for more than 25 years. Enjoy John's presentation at varied venues throughout the month.  If you would like to dive some of Saba's more obscure areas, this can be arranged with Sea Saba Dive Center for planned afternoon diving.  Resident muck creatures vary with the seasons!
Presentations and muck dives  throughout the month of October '04

Pedro Rivera
was born in Tegernsee, Germany but has made Puerto Rico his home since childhood.   A professor at the University of Puerto Rico, Pedro also works as an environmental consultant as well as owning his own nursery.  Most people think of Puerto Rico as a bustling metropolis; but, there's also fabulous nature.  Pedro pursued his interest and completed his BS in Agricultural Sciences, MS in Forestry, PhD in Tropical Forest Ecology.   Pedro is also a Smithsonian Institution Research Associate and has done research and training in Gabon, Nigeria, USA, and throughout the Caribbean.  While in Western Africa, he studied the forest structures and composition of Congolian forest.  Pedro's Caribbean work includes structure and composition of forests in the islands and its relationship to natural disturbances like hurricanes, droughts and  fires.   Join Pedro and enjoy his presentations on global diversity and what threatens turtle habitats around the world. 
Presentations and field work October 1-8 '04 

Read the Daily Herald article written on Pedro's assessment of Saba's first recorded nesting site.

Richard O'barry
has worked both sides of the dolphin street--the first 10 years with the dolphin captivity industry; the past 30 against them.  Richards interesting history begins in the 1960's when he worked as a trainer with the popular American TV-series Flipper.  When one of he dolphin 'stars' died in his arms O'Barry changed his life.  He has since founded the Dolphin Project as well as One Voice.  Both programs are dedicated to educating people about the importance of dolphin protection.  In addition, One Voice, a French animal protection organization, aims at stopping the capture, confinement and commercial exploitation of dolphins worldwide.   O'Barry is presently working on projects in Antigua and Japan where he hopes to make a difference in the opinions of powers okaying dolphiquariums.  Join Richard O'Barry for an informative and entertaining multi-media presentation about the behind the scenes multi-billion dollar dolphin captivity industry.  As the nearby island of St. Maarten plans to mimic the dolphin program in nearby Anguilla, the timing of this event is critical.  For more information on these issues, visit: http://www.cdnn.info/eco/e040130/e040130.html
Exact time on Saba to be announced but look for a window of approximately Oct 17-28, 2004
 

Mary Roduner
is a South Dakota native living on Saba while husband Rich attends Saba University School of Medicine.  She received her B.S. in Horticulture from South Dakota State University in 1999.  Mary worked for 3 years as a student insect curator with Dr. Paul J. Johnson at SDSU.  It is at this time that Mary's interest in "bugs" took flight.  In 2001 she next graduated with a master's degree in Entomology, specializing in biological control of musk thistle.  Look forward to Mary's presentation on tropical insects:  "Buggy Days and Buggy Nights".  Learn what insects on Saba keep the island clean and control pest problems and which are considered detrimental and why.  Go out 'bugging' with Mary and monitor pit traps for beetles by day or night excursions to do black lighting insect collections. Since the first annual Sea & Learn on Saba, Mary has not only worked with orchid expert Stuart Chipka to determine the pollinator of the Saban Lady Lash Orchid, most importantly she has instigated locals to take a harder look at the bugs in their backyard. 
Presentations and field work throughout October 2004.
 

Mark Marks
is a research biologist living in his homeland of California.  Marks is best known for his pioneering graduate studies of the behavioral ecology and social dynamics of the great white shark off South Africa. The scientists’ focus on applying experimental biology techniques in the field outside the confines of a shark cage have provided him a unique perspective on the little known world of white shark behavior and feeding ecology. Marks’ extensive scientific background with elasmobranches (Sharks, Skates and Rays), spans more than twenty-five years, taking him to remote locations off four continents, ten countries and including research with dozens of shark species. For this extreme biologist the possibility of uncovering and elucidating new, yet undescribed shark behavior is the driving force behind exploration and expedition adventures with a distinct academic twist.
Mark is presently busy filming for Discovery Channel with Jean Michel Cousteau; actual dates for Saba may be early November

Peter Schnabel
is a professor of medical pharmacology at the Saba University medical school. During his graduate work as a California Sea Grant Fellow at the University of Utah, he investigated anticancer medicines derived from marine invertebrates, specifically sponges and ascidians. Since then he has worked as an in-house pharmacology consultant in Washington, DC for law firms assisting pharmaceutical companies in development of new medicines. He is currently working on a book about the ethno botanical and pharmacologic uses of West Indian flora.  This new research work on the uses of the local flora will be present at his lectures.  In addition, he will be leading guided excursions on Saba, pointing out the various fauna and their uses.  Join Peter for an evening of intrigue and entertainment.  You will be amazed by the numerous tropical plants found on Saba's paths which can be used as herbs or cures or which ones to steer clear of!
Presentations and field work throughout October 2004.

Mark Hagan
realizes the ocean has always played an important role in his life.  He first gained recognition for his drawing skills while working as a jazz  musician on a cruise ship in the Caribbean.  After doing portraits of the owners' children, he was appointed the ship's artist and soon thereafter  prestigious art schools on full scholarship were in the works.  Mark's  music career continued to take him to places near the ocean and the natural next step was scuba diving.  Because painting underwater seemed out of the question, he started working from his underwater photography.  The need to work directly from life rather than photos gave mark the incentive to develop the AquaSketch--the only method for permanent underwater writing and drawing.  The AquaSketch is used by members of the U.S. Army's Special Forces, researches for the Environmental Protection Administration and numerous dive instructors and artists.  Sea & Learn on Saba recognizes the importance of expression through art.  Mark will work with Saba's youth, teaching them techniques for drawing undersea creatures as well as a seminar for interested adults.  Join Mark for a pre-dive explanation of the Aquaskech, free trial usage followed by an art exhibition in cooperation with Saba's Peanut Gallery.  For more information:  www.markhaganstudios.com 
Demonstrations, underwater outing and exhibition:  September 28-October 6 '04

Read the Daily Herald article written on the first trials.

Robert Powell
is professor of biology at Avila University in Kansas City, Missouri. He has conducted fieldwork in México, Brazil, and the Hawaiian Islands, but has focused most of his attention on West Indian lizards since the mid-1980s. He is particularly interested in population and community ecology and how native species are responding to human alterations of their habitats.  Robert is author or co-author (often with his students) of well over 200 scientific publications, including four books.  Powell has collaborated on more than 30 publications with his colleague Robert Henderson, curator of herpetology at the Milwaukee Public Museum in Milwaukee, Wisconsin. Many Saba residents and visitors had the pleasure of enjoying Powell’s talk, entitled "West Indian Lizards and the Snakes that Eat Them,” in June, 2004.  Join this charismatic speaker for an interesting evening in early October.  Take a hike with Bob to understand more about Saba's racer snake, indigenous to Saba.  To read more about Bob's work, go to: 
http://www.avila.edu/departments/biology/Bobweb/1powhome.htm
Presentation and Field Work October 10-15 '04

Dean "Sharkman" Fessler
is the Education Director for the Shark Research Institute and calls Princeton, New Jersey home when not traveling.  Dean has dived and researched shark species around the world including:  Sand tiger sharks off the North Carolina coasts, Bull sharks and Caribbean reef sharks off the Bahamas, Black tipped reef sharks off Palau and White sharks off South Africa.  He has worked with the Scripps Institution of Oceanography and was recently elected in to the Explorer's Club.  In his spare time, he is authoring a children's book about white sharks.  Dean will come to Saba just after his whale shark tagging expedition in Mexico's Sea of Cortez.
Unfortunately, a last minute cancellation due to an accident--we wish Dean a quick recovery!

Susan Perkins
is a parasitologist who studies malaria in a wide array of hosts, especially lizards.   Susan did her Ph.D. at the University of Vermont looking at how malaria parasites of the Anolis lizards have colonized the islands of the Lesser Antilles. Her favorite stop during these island travels was Saba where there is a unique species of anole with leopard spots!  After a postdoc at the American Museum of Natural History, Susan was an assistant professor at the University of Colorado Boulder for three years.  This fall, Susan will return to the AMNH to take a new position as curator of microbial genomics.  In addition to work on malaria, Susan also studies bacterial symbionts that inhabit blood-feeding leeches. These research projects have taken her to Costa Rica, French Guyana, and South Africa as well as to fifteen different Caribbean islands.  Join Susan and learn more about the colorful lizards of Saba and some of their parasites.  For more information and her latest publications, go to:  http://www.colorado.edu/eeb/research/fac_perkins.html
Watch for actual dates to be announced for late October '04

Jeffrey Bozanic
has been caving since 1981, and is a Lifetime Member of both the National Speleological Society (NSS) and the NSS Cave Diving Section. He has conducted scientific research in underwater caves throughout the world, including Bahamas, Cayman Islands, Canary Islands, Australia, New Zealand, Philippines, Tonga, Mexico, Cuba, and other countries. He is active in teaching cave, wreck, rebreather, nitrox, technical nitrox, and trimix diving courses. He has published extensively on diving education topics, especially cave diving safety. He has edited/reviewed many diving textbooks, and is the author of Mastering Rebreathers. He has served on several Boards of Directors, including as Chairman of the NSS-CDS, Vice Chairman of the National Association of Underwater Instructors (NAUI), and Treasurer on the American Academy of Underwater Sciences (AAUS). Jeff is a Fellow of the Explorer’s Club, and has received the NAUI Outstanding Service Award for the promotion of safe cave diving procedures; the Silver Wakulla and Abe Davis Awards for safe cave diving; the SSI Platinum Pro 5000 Award; and has been inducted into NAUI’s Hall of Honor.  Join Jeff, along with Steve Omeroid and Saba's Leda Brewer for a special presentation following their expedition of Saba's Paris Hill--a vertical talus and fissure cave.  The team will hope to discover 'the other end' of this Saban legend.
Official dates TBA but approximately October 18-28 '04

John Ware
has made his living as the principal designer of all algorithms for steering and diving control of the US Navy's nuclear submarines.  Approximately 15 years ago, John decided to apply his engineering and mathematical skills to coral reef ecology.  He received the Master of Science degree in Zoology from the University of Maryland with a thesis that dealt with the effects of global warming on coral reefs.  Since that time, in addition to continuing to support the Navy, teach diving as a PADI Master Instructor and be part owner of a dive shop in Maryland, John has been an active researcher on the effects of global climate change on coral reefs.  John is also the Treasurer and a member of the Council of the International Society for Reef studies. Find out more about coral reef ecology and specifically on the effects of greenhouse gases and what you can do to help.  Read about John's work and correspondence with his colleagues: http://www.coral.noaa.gov/lists/doomed_thread.html

Presentations and field work October 14-21 '04

Naomi Rose
is the Marine Mammal Scientist for Humane Society International (HSI), the international arm of The Humane Society of the United States (HSUS), the nation’s largest animal protection organization. HSI pursues animal protection activities and programs in Europe, Australia, Asia, Africa, and Latin America (including the Caribbean).  The HSUS/HSI’s mission covers a broad range of concerns, including the protection of pets, wildlife (including marine mammals), farm animals, and animals used in research. Its government affairs and treaties departments lobby on behalf of animals at the international, federal, state, and local levels, while its investigators work to expose animal fighting, the fur trade, greyhound racing, and the Norwegian whaling industry, among other issues.  Dr. Rose oversees marine mammal issues and programs at HSI, including protection of marine mammals in wild and captive situations. She has been instrumental in formulating HSUS/HSI policy opposing the capture and captivity of marine mammals for public display and has been a key player in the international debate on the issue. She directs, participates, or advises in campaigns focusing on the protection of walruses, polar bears, manatees, and sea otters, as well as seals, sea lions, whales and dolphins. She is actively involved in a global campaign to address the impact of noise pollution on marine mammals and their habitat.  She has authored several articles for animal protection publications, as well as chapters in several books. Naomi will only be on Saba less than 48 hours due to her demanding schedule to address the dolphinarium issues in St. Maarten.  Join Naomi Wednesday, October 27 @ The Ecolodge to better understand the plight of dolphins.

Read the Daily Herald Aritcle on Naomi's visit
 

Steve Omeroid
is currently serving as the Administrative Vice-President of the National Speleological Society, and is the past Chairman of the NSS Cave Diving Section. He has been involved in exploration of caves in the United States, Mexico, Cuba, Belize, and other regions. He is an extremely active caver in  both dry and wet caves, and is involved in cave surveying, cave photography, and  scientific documentation of cave sites relating to both biology and archaeology. Steve has been honored by being elected a Fellow of the NSS, and has received the NSS-CDS Chairman’s Award. Join Steve, along with Jeff Bozanic and Saba's Leda Brewer for a special presentation following their expedition of Saba's Paris Hill--a vertical fissure cave.  The team will hope to discover 'the other end' of this Saban legend.
Cave Exploration and presentation:  October 19-25 '04

David Kooistra
has been the director of Saba's Marine Park since 1997.  He was born in Holland and schooled at the Royal University of Groningen, The Netherlands, where David earned his master's degree in tropical marine ecology.  Post graduate work was done in tropical sponges and microbiology.  His studies of sponges took him to Colombia where he met Pilar who later became his wife.  To list a few of David's accomplishments over the last 7 years:  David established 3 new dive sites in the Saba Marine Park; he upgraded both the hyperbaric chamber and the volunteer program that supports it.  In addition, David was instrumental in the design and building of the Saba Conservation Foundation's multi-media center and the production of the brochures and maps which greatly aid visitors to better understand Saba's offerings.  His present focus is the behind-the-scene support and coordination in Saba's policy change on free roaming goats as well as consultant for harbor improvements and their environmental issues.  In his spare time, he set up Saba's Ranger/Scouts club working with Saba's youth.   Join David for an interesting presentation about sponges and their adaptation to the marine environment.
Presentation and available for discussions throughout October '04 
Special Saba Banks research and presentation:  October 16-19 '04

Jan Post
is a Dutch marine biologist who credits his dedication to conservation back to his spearfishing days.  In 1967, Jan was chosen to represent The Netherlands  at the World Spearfishing Championships in Cuba.  Once Jan saw the devastating effects of spearfishing on Cuba's residential fish fauna, he realized his true course in life.  He traded his speargun for a camera and began his crusade.  In 1970, Jan wrote the spearfishing ordinance for Bonaire which is still in force today.  Jan's colored career spans from Israel to Holland to South American with hats worn from marine biologist to ecologist to his final position in the Environment Department of the World Bank in Washington.  Jan is officially retired but works as a consultant to Marine Program of IUCN.  The ultimate goal of IUCN is the implementation of the four volume report "A Global Representative System of Marine Protected Areas".  When not busy with marine work, he focuses on saving the rainforest through innovative forms of sustainable use.  Join Jan for two unique lectures--the first on symbiosis and the next on how poisonous dart frogs from the Peruvian Amazon can help save the rainforest.  Sign up for Jan's field trip to monitor underwater cleaning stations.  To read more about Jan's work, go to:
http://wbln0018.worldbank.org/MesoAm/UmbpubHP.nsf/0/
a965815ada065ad3852567df005c3c1a?OpenDocument
Presentations and field work October 2-10, 2004

Alex Cliffe
is a driving force with Project Seahorse, the world's source of information for the fragile yet telltale species of the oceans environmental health and well being.  As their U.K. consultant with a full-time position at the London Zoo Aquarium, Alex deals with seahorse queries from the amateur aquarist to the aquarium industry.  Although once considered adversarial to conservation efforts, large city aquariums are great contributors to global knowledge of the health and knowledge of our world's oceans.  Alex specializes in Seahorse Husbandry, Biology and Conservation.  Now located in London, he used to work at Blue Planet Aquarium in Cheshire England, an aquarium known for its exotic shark exhibit.  This same aquarium is where you can now find Gordon McCullough, former resident dive instructor on Saba from 1991-1997.  Alex is now the species coordinator for Indo-Pacific seahorses.  Look forward to an interesting presentation by Alex on these delicate creatures and understanding their importance in our ocean's realm.  Join Alex on Saba for Project Seahorse's launching of their first Caribbean program. 
Presentations and field projects October 17-31 '04

Read the Daily Herald article on Project Seahorse's pilot program on Saba.

Stewart Chipka
is now a familiar face on Saba--now known as "The Orchid Guy".  Chipka's interest in orchids began at a young age.  As a boy, Stuart accompanied his Czeh immigrant grandfather on trips through the Florida Everglades to gather various specimens.  Schooled as a structural engineer, but now approaching retirement, he has developed his love of orchids into a serious avocation. He is president of Encyclia Enthusiasts, Inc., an affiliate of the American Orchid Society, publishes in lay and scholarly journals, and facilitates courses at the International Orchid Center in Palm Beach, Florida where he also has at least 250 varieties of orchids in his own garden. He is currently preparing a book on the Encyclia species of the Caribbean Basin.  Read more about Stuart's first visits to Saba and his findings on the Local News page of Sea Saba's website:  Wild Orchids of Saba.  Stuart has created a scientific map of the location of wild orchids on Saba after locating nine species representing three genera and hopes to track down many more during his orchid population survey which is expected to take three years.  In March, Chipka launched www.sabaorchidresearch.org, a website dedicated to his program now in place on Saba. 
Presentations and field work October 25-31 '04

Roger Hanlon
has made over 5,000 research dives during his 30 years as a marine biologist. He was inspired first when an octopus on a coral reef in Panama scared him out of his wits during his junior year in college. He survived that experience - and an athletic scholarship - to receive a B.S. Degree in Biology at Florida State University. He then served as Lieutenant in the US Army for two years before obtaining the MS and PhD degrees from the University of Miami, and conducted a postdoctoral fellowship at the University of Cambridge, UK. Field work combined with laboratory experimentation has helped to satisfy his continuing curiosity about how cephalopods (squid, octopus, cuttlefish, nautilus) survive and thrive in an ocean dominated by fishes and mammals. Along the way, he has been employed in academic research centers, first at the University of Texas Medical Branch in Galveston (where he achieved full professorship in the School of Medicine) and since 1995 at the nation’s oldest marine laboratory, the Marine Biological Laboratory in Woods Hole on Cape Cod. Dr. Hanlon is a Senior Scientist in the Marine Resources Center at the MBL and still follows the mantra of Louis Agassiz, whose famous quote hangs in the library in Woods Hole: “Study nature, not books.” His underwater video that he will present - often seen on television - attests to the beauty and sophistication of these marvelous marine invertebrates.  This first trip to Saba shall serve as a reconnaissance trip for the first octopus monitoring work in the Caribbean by Hanlon.  Join Roger and become part of the Saba research team. 
Presentations and field work TBA--early December is targeted. 
 

William Slayter
is a self-proclaimed eccentric Englishman and a self-taught lepidopterist or butterfly expert.  William and his wife Karin run The Butterfly Farm in St. Maarten.  The Slayters worked in varied fields from selling computers to teaching sailing before making St. Maarten their Caribbean home eight years ago.  Early on, they noticed the lack of butterflies on an island where conditions should be ideal for the creatures.  In addition to the butterfly's beauty, butterflies are also one of nature's environmental indicators.  Slayter's Butterfly Farm now attracts 40,000 visitors per year in St. Maarten and thousands more on their website.  Join our Sea & Learn expert and find out more about butterfly life cycles, habitats and what threatens their fragile existence.  And, learn how you can enjoy more butterflies in your own backyard with simple and easy to implement methods. 
October dates TBA

Leda Brewer
chose to live on Saba as she hoped to satisfy two passions in her life:  scuba diving and rock climbing.  Leda's diverse background ranges from back country ski instructor to experienced caving both above and below the sea.  In addition, Leda is a certified Emergency Medical Technician and technical diver.  The dive shop Leda works for has been working with Saba's Tourism Office and the Saba Conservation Foundation looking to introduce rock climbing to Saba's tourism product.  Through the networking of these entities, a rock climbing weekend lead to a preliminary descent by Leda and two climbers at the Paris Hill cave.  They believe this cave is quite rare as it's a fissure cave on a volcanic island whereas most caves are found in limestone areas.   Through special micro project funding, Leda along with cavers Jeff Bozanic and Steve Omeroid plan to make a planned descent in to the Paris Hill cave.  Their objective--to find the other end of the cave. 
Cave exploration and presentation Oct 19-25 '04

Read the Daily Herald article about the Paris Hill expedition.
 

Tadas Birutis
first became interested in birds as a child studying all of nature's creatures.  He considers his transition to a 'true birder' about 20 years ago after exploring Florida and Arizona in the same month and fully realizing how vastly and wonderfully different the species were from one habitat to the next.  His underlying passion is studying how ecosystems/habitat attract specific denizens.   Tad's ornithology education has been informal but he constantly asked "Why?". His relentless pursuit of a greater understanding of birds has been accomplished by field exercises, participating in scientific projects, reading ornithological texts and articles.  Tadus's pursuit has been to share his vast knowledge of birds as an obvious, accessible and beautiful barometer of change in habitat and ecological health of a community.  While doing so, he has been able to continue his unquenchable, childlike amazement about their grace, beauty of form, color and voices.  Tad also is involved with Lifebird, a touring company that joins bird lovers with other nature enthusiasts, including scuba divers, to unique destinations.  Join Tadus on Saba to learn more about the island's Tropicbird research project and to better understand the connection of birds and nature's signaling devices.
Presentations and birding:  October 20-28 '04

Dos Winkel
is happiest going to places no one has ever been to before… risking life and limb to uncover exotic new worlds and the fantastic creatures that inhabit them. His images of wild nature have been published in magazines and books the world over and have received numerous awards.  Born in Holland, Dos grew up with a deep love of nature. A love that deepened further after he discovered diving and moved with his family to live in the Caribbean island of Bonaire.  Dos and his wife Bertie produced Saba's first coffee table book (with the help of Tom van t'Hof) The Nature of Saba.  Join Dos and the island of Saba for an evening of celebration when Dos launches his latest book Eye on St. Maarten, Statia and Saba.  This book is the latest in his series which reveal the nature, history and culture of his choice destinations.    Read about his books, learn about his adventures, and celebrate his accomplishments. 
Film and Book Signing October 20, 2004 

Mauricio Handler
is a Caribbean based marine photographer, writer and naturalist.  His work reflects his on going passion with unspoiled destinations and their unique marine wildlife. For many years he was the principal photography assistant to David Doubilet for National Geographic Magazine. Mauricio’s assignments have taken him throughout most of the Caribbean where he has photographed a myriad of images from inspiring Humpback whales to the reefs of isolated Cuba.  Mauricio teaches digital as well as film based photography.  He is the author of two books, Diving Guide to the British Virgin Islands (Lonely Planet) as well The British Virgin Islands A Photographic Portrait (Twin Light Publishing).  Enjoy our Grand Finale Celebration evening with Mauricio.  He will bring two multimedia works with him:  In the Blue with Whales, Sharks and Dolphins and Beneath the Waves of the Caribbean Sea.  In October 2003, the evening was an exciting celebration of nature and the finale of the first annual Sea & Learn on Saba.  If you can't make it this year, view Mauricio's work on his website:  www.handlerphoto.com.
Film presentations and photo tips October 28-November 2 '04.

Steve Simpson
is a tropical fish ecologist based at the University of York in England.  The question that has been bugging him most recently is how tiny larvae of coral reef fish manage to find good reefs to set up home when they have finished developing at sea.  He has isolated the noises produced by animals on the reefs as a vital navigation cue for these larvae, and recently found that they may even learn the rhythm of their reefs while still in the egg.  Steve’s work has taken him both to labs and remote islands in Eastern and Western Australia, as well as Kentucky, Mozambique, Belize and the British Virgin Islands.  Read about Steve's lecture and field work with students from Saba's Sacred Heart School during October 2003.  Steve will offer sequential lectures starting with basic reef ecology and progressing to more complex fish behavior issues.

Allison Perry
is a researcher at the University of East Anglia in Norwich, England.  She is currently working on a project to examine the vulnerability of marine fish species to exploitation, and their potential for recovery from over-fishing.  She has previously worked with Project Seahorse, in Singapore, Malaysia, Indonesia, Thailand, Bangladesh, India, and Pakistan, where she investigated seahorse fisheries and trade.  Allison has also studied the potential impacts of climate change on marine fishes, focusing on long-term climate-related distribution shifts.  At the last moment, Project Seahorse's positive impacts prevented Allison from attending Sea & Learn 2003 but we're looking forward to seeing Allison on Saba for Sea & Learn 2004

Martha "Mandy" McGhee
is a known environmentalist in the Caribbean but more known on Saba as "the Tropicbird Lady". Her foundation Island Conservation Efforts (ICE) has tackled projects both above and below the surface. For the past five years, she and husband Don have monitored Tropicbird nest sites on Saba's southern cliffs. This project is the only one of its kind in the world. Saba's dramatic cliffs and lack of coastal development make Saba not only a great place to study this bird but a key nesting area to keep the species from becoming endangered. An active is a known environmentalist in the Caribbean but more known on Saba as "the Tropicbird Lady". Her foundation Island Conservation Efforts (ICE) has tackled projects both above and below the surface. For the past five years, she and husband Don have monitored Tropicbird nest sites on Saba's southern cliffs. This project is the only one of its kind in the world. Saba's dramatic cliffs and lack of coastal development make Saba not only a great place to study this bird but a key nesting area to keep the species from becoming endangered. An active diver as well, Mandy's ICE foundation provided the funding to initiate the installation of moorings in St. Croix and St. Lucia. She and husband Don met on Sea Saba's dive boat more than 10 years ago. Together they have been involved in squid research, diving with and videoing whale sharks and most recently a trip to Antarctica studying penguins. Join Mandy and be part of a real research project!