Malama Eco Friendly Archives - And You Creations || アンドユークリエーションズ

10 Things We Learned from Our Planet High Seas Episode

Masami — Tue, 21 Jan 2025 16:00:34 +0000

The Netflix documentary series Our Planet (2019) shares some of the world’s most captivating wildlife stories with raw, stunning imagery. If you’re like us, many of the things you’ll learn will surprise you.

As ocean tour operators, we paid special attention to the Our Planet High Seas episode (Season 1, Episode 6). While it doesn’t specifically focus on Hawaii, many of the fascinating marine life facts left us in awe, especially since we encounter spinner dolphins nearly every day on our Dolphins and You tours.

This episode dives deep into the mysterious and vast open oceans, showcasing the incredible wildlife that thrives far from the shores. From the remarkable spinner dolphins that hunt in massive pods to the giant blue whales, the largest animals on Earth, the high seas are teeming with life. The episode highlights the intricate food chains and interdependencies among marine species, like how dolphins and bluefin tuna work together to hunt lanternfish. It also addresses the fragility of these ecosystems, emphasizing the impact of overfishing and the critical need for conservation to protect these vital marine environments. Stunning visuals and compelling storytelling bring the beauty and challenges of the high seas to life.

We recommend watching the full series for a well-rounded experience, but here are some fascinating facts you’ll learn from the High Seas episode:

#1: A Main Prey of Spinner Dolphins is Lanternfish

One of the reasons dolphins still thrive is because we don’t share the same taste in fish. One of dolphins’ main food sources is lanternfish, which spend most of their time in the depths of the sea. We don’t eat lanternfish because they are out of our reach.

Dolphins, however, are able to use sonar to locate the fish and drive them toward the surface for them to eat.

#2: Bluefin Tuna Use Dolphins to Find Lanternfish

Endangered Bluefin Tuna are some of the ocean’s fastest predators. But they can’t find lanternfish alone. The tuna trail behind spinner dolphins and rely on the dolphins’ sonar to help them find and eat lanternfish, too.

#3: Spinner Dolphin Pods Can Reach 10,000 Members

Spinner dolphins are very social animals. They are rarely seen alone and always travel in family groups or pods. In the high seas, these pods can reach massive proportions as multiple families join together in pursuit of their prey.

#4: Dolphins Help Fertilize the Ocean

After dolphins eat lanternfish, their waste becomes similar to an ocean manure. And the ocean’s tiniest plants – microscopic phytoplankton – use it as fertilizer to help them produce oxygen. This exchange plays a vital role in recycling nutrients from the ocean’s depths back to its surface.

#5: Phytoplankton Produce Half Our World’s Oxygen

When we think of what produces our world’s oxygen, we usually think of trees and rainforests. But in fact, the ocean’s phytoplankton produces half of the world’s oxygen. In order to create that oxygen, they convert carbon dioxide. That helps keep the temperature of our planet stable.

#6: Phytoplankton Help Form Clouds

These tiny, magnificent little plants have another trick up their sleeves. Sometimes when the ocean waves create spray, some of those water drops rise up into the sky. If phytoplankton make their way into the sky, they give clouds something to stick to in order to form. Clouds also play an important role in keeping the earth’s temperature stable, since they block some of the sun’s heat from warming the ocean.

#7: Coral Reef Exists Even in the Deep Ocean

If you’ve joined a Dolphins and You tour, then you may have snorkeled with sea turtles and tropical fish along the coral reef. But this was just offshore in shallow water. It turns out coral called lophelia are able to stay alive and form bustling communities in the dark depths, more than 1,500 feet deep.

#8: Baby Blue Whales Grow Multiple TONS Per Month

The High Seas episode contains some of the most intimate footage of blue whales ever captured. Even though these are the largest animals on our planet, we still know little about them. According to the show, a baby blue whale grows up to 3 tons per month in its first year of life.

#9: One Third of Fish Populations Are at Risk Due to Overfishing

In the high seas, there is little regulation or rules on how much people can fish. This free-for-all has led to humans wiping out a third of all fish populations. Other ocean animals, such as dolphins, whales, and sharks, rely on fish to survive. More than anything, Our Planet urges viewers to support international fishing treaties that would place a limit on how much fish can be gathered from our oceans in unregulated areas.

#10: Ocean Predators are Vital to Healthy Oceans

Whales, dolphins, tuna, and sharks are vital to healthy oceans. And in turn, healthy oceans are vital to a healthy planet and the health of humanity.

Enjoy the Ocean, Protect the Ocean

As you enjoy our Dolphins and You tours, remember that preserving the health of our oceans and its creatures starts with understanding and action.Visit ourplanet.com to learn more about protecting the high seas.

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Best Hikes In Hawaii

Aidan Boote — Tue, 14 Nov 2023 21:23:04 +0000

Is Hawaii A Good Place To Hike?

Hawai’i is the only place in the United States where you can find tropical rainforests. It is also home to some of the most exotic topography in the country, making it a fantastic place to go on hikes! With most of the jungles being located at the bases of the mountain ranges, you may just stumble upon a waterfall while making your way through the lush vegetation during your hike in Hawai’i. There are so many various hikes in Hawaii that it would take years to do every hike in Hawai’i, so if you’re only here for a limited amount of time and want to decide which ones are best for you, you have came to the right place to find the best ones for you!

Do Your Due Diligence

When you go for a hike in Hawai’i, there are many things to consider before deciding whether or not it’s the appropriate hike for you. Firstly, many hikes in Hawai’i are physically demanding, lengthy, feature lots of elevation gain, and quite frankly are dangerous. This is not intended to scare you away from enjoying a hike in Hawai’i at all, but just to recommend that you do your due diligence before wandering off into the jungle, and biting off more than you can chew. The goal of this is to ensure that you enjoy your hike to the fullest extent, and most importantly, stay safe!

The Best Hike In Hawaii For You!

Unless you’re a thrill seeker looking to climb cliff faces and scale mountains, the best hike for you is the one that you will feel most relaxed. After all, hiking is about connecting with nature and appreciating it in all it’s beauty. Especially when visiting a new area, it may be best to get some advice from a local expert or even opt for a guided hike. Electing to use a guide will give you the peace of mind you should have to take in the experience in nature. Nature and You, Waimea waterfall swimming hike and also Manoa waterfall hike are both great options. Not only are they easily accessible for people of all hiking abilities, but they are not overly strenuous or dangerous. Your guide will provide you with heaps of cultural, botanical, and historical facts that you may not know of! With meals and transportation provided, the only thing you’ll have to worry about is how you’re going to top this experience!

Get the best bang for your buck while booking a guided hiking at our ways to save page!

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Mālama ‘Āina ~ Slide-for-Life and Pokai Bay Beach Cleanup

Aidan Boote — Thu, 21 Sep 2023 02:05:55 +0000

Did you know that going down a waterslide can help keep our world’s oceans and beaches clean?

Well, maybe not just anywhere, but certainly on the Dolphins and You boat tour. Hawaii is known for its pristine white-sand beaches, however, upon taking a closer look, you will see the grim reality that many of Hawaii’s beaches are littered with trash, and the inconvenience of the garbage being an eye-sore is the least of our worries. Unfortunately, the beach is not the last stop for the garbage blowing around, it often ends up in the ocean where wildlife may become entangled in it or mistake it for food causing direct harm to these animals. So how does riding the Dolphins and You waterslide help solve this issue? Let me tell you.

Slide-for-Life

On Friday, September 8th, And You Creations held an event on the Dolphins and You tour called “Slide for Life”. This event was to encourage guests on both the 7:00am and 11:00am tours to ride our 20ft water slide as much as possible because And You Creations would be donating $5 to the Pokai Bay beach clean up that we sponsored in partnership with the Surfrider Foundation – Oahu Chapter, for every time a guest rode our slide! On the first tour of the day, the slide was ridden 88 times, amounting to $440 going towards the beach clean up! On the second tour of the day, our slide was ridden a whopping 121 times, meaning an additional $605 going towards the clean up! In total, $1,045 donated to the cause, thanks to our beloved Dolphins and You guests.

Pokai Bay Beach Cleanup

The following day, Saturday September 9th, the AYC team headed out to Pokai Bay on the Westside of O’ahu which is adjacent to where our Dolphins and You boat is harbored at! We met up with the Surfrider Foundation’s Oahu Chapter to get things started. Upon first glance, the beach seemed to look pretty clean, unfortunately after a closer look, it was evident that there were small pieces of trash all over the place, many of which were cigarettes, metal bottle caps, and glass. The AYC team, along with help from volunteers both from the Surfrider Foundation as well as members of the community, were able to remove 120lbs of trash in just two short hours!

Although 120lbs may seem like a lot, it’s only a fraction in the big picture, and we need your help restoring nature. If you or someone you know is interested in participating in a cleanup like this one, you can find one near you by contacting the Surfrider Foundation or another organization like it. We look forward to seeing you at the next one!

88 Counted Slides for First Dolphin Tour:

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NOAA Crew Meeting (National Oceanic Atmospheric Administration)

steven — Wed, 24 May 2023 23:40:50 +0000

On Tuesday, May 23, And You Creations had the pleasure of inviting Adam Kurtz, Marine Wildlife Management Coordinator from NOAA (National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration), to our monthly boat crew meeting. The purpose of this meeting was to enhance our understanding of responsible marine wildlife viewing in Hawaii and to learn how to protect marine wildlife while ensuring an enjoyable experience for our guests.

During the meeting, our boat captains and crews familiarize themselves with the rules and guidelines governing marine wildlife encounters. It was an invaluable opportunity for our AYC team to deepen their knowledge of the Hawaiian marine life we encounter on our tours and the necessary protocols for interacting with them. Our team actively engaged with Adam by asking numerous questions about the rules, regulations, spinner dolphins, humpback whales, monk seals, Hawaiian sea turtles, and more. Moving forward, And You Creations is committed to providing additional educational opportunities like this, enabling our team to become even more knowledgeable about Hawaiian marine life and offer accurate and engaging information to our guests.

Since December 2021, the National Oceanic Atmospheric Administration (NOAA) has implemented a statewide ban prohibiting swimming with dolphins within 2 nautical miles of the shore. This regulation is a response to the declining population of Hawaiian Spinner Dolphins. As one of the popular dolphin swimming tour operators on the west side of Oahu, Dolphins and You faced the challenge of adapting our operations, which we had refined over three decades. Despite our long-standing history in dolphin swimming, we embraced these changes as an opportunity to diversify our tour offerings. We formed partnerships with local naturalists to deepen our understanding of wildlife and the surrounding environment. Sharing this knowledge with our guests, along with information on sustainability efforts, Hawaiian history, and culture, has enriched the informational aspect of our tours, a change that has been well-received by our guests and fulfilling for us.

Following the change in regulations, And You Creations, including Dolphins and You, strictly adheres to the rules and shows utmost respect for Hawaiian marine life. We strive to educate our guests on these rules and the importance of viewing marine life responsibly. We emphasize the significance of following the guidelines and assuming the responsibility that comes with observing marine wildlife.

And You Creations is a tour company based in Honolulu, Oahu Island, Hawaii. Our tours include Dolphins and You (Dolphin Watching + Water Activities), Turtles and You (Waikiki Turtle Canyon Snorkeling), Nature and You: Waimea (Waimea Waterfall Hike and Swim), Nature and You: Manoa (Manoa Falls Hiking), Island and You (Oahu Circle Island tour), and Ocean and You (Waikiki Party Cruise). We prioritize environmental stewardship, cultural sensitivity, community well-being, and quality education in all our tour offerings. Recognized by the Hawaii Ecotourism Association as a Sustainable Tour provider in 2016, And You Creations is dedicated to promoting sustainable ecotourism.

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What is Reef-Safe Sunscreen?

AYC — Fri, 25 May 2018 19:53:45 +0000

Earlier this month, Hawaii became the first state in America to pass a bill banning sunscreen that contains certain chemicals in stores after studies found that the chemicals can hurt coral reefs.

It’s a win for any organization in Hawaii that advocates for marine life protection, including Dolphins and You. But more importantly, it’s a win for all of the marine wildlife that we are lucky enough to swim with here in Hawaii.

So what is “reef-safe” sunscreen?

Most commercial sunscreens contain a chemical called “oxybenzone,” which is usually listed under Active Ingredients. In 2015, a study by a team of international scientists found that oxybenzone and other chemicals in sunscreen can “bleach” coral. And it’s exactly what it sounds like. As coral loses nutrients, it turns white. Once the coral turns white, it begins to die.

The scientists also discovered that just a drop of the chemical can damage coral reefs.

In and around Hawaii’s waters, thousands of tons of sunscreen run off from people’s bodies into the ocean. In response, the state took action by passing the bill banning the sale of sunscreens that contain oxybenzone.

How can you help?

The law only impacts sales within Hawaii. Dolphins and You hosts up to 80 guests on its dolphin swim tours every day, many of whom are visiting from outside of Hawaii. And in Hawaii’s strong sun, most need to wear sunscreen to protect their skin. Luckily, there are ways to do so in a reef-friendly way.

As a Hawaii Ecotourism Association certified tour, Dolphins and You is committed to protecting the environment. Dolphins and You offers reef-safe 30 SPF sunscreen by Stream2Sea. It’s water-resistant and lasts 80 minutes of swimming. Additionally, the sizes are suitable for bringing onto an airplane.

For those who spend a lot of time in and around the ocean, there are other brands that offer reef-safe alternatives. Some examples include Kokua Sun Care Hawaiian SPF 50 Natural Zinc Sunscreen, Suntegrity Natural Mineral Sunscreen and Thinksport SPF 50 Sunscreen. Many are available at common retailers like Amazon, Target and Walmart. In addition, experts recommend using a slather sunscreen instead of a spray can. When spraying on sunscreen, the chemicals can travel through the air and into the ocean.

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Keep the ocean colorful

Coral is beautiful to look at, but it’s also a living organism. And up to a quarter of all ocean marine species depend on it to live. That means the health of coral reefs has a big impact on the health of everything living in the ocean, including Hawaii’s marvelous dolphins.

Make a positive impact on Hawaii’s vibrant ecosystem by choosing an eco-friendly certified tour provider like Dolphins and You for your visit!

We Support Reef-Safe Sunscreen. Protect Hawaii’s Coral Reefs!

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