Viewing entries tagged
sea turtles

Talking Baja and Blue Mind with Dr. Wallace 'J' Nichols

Today we had the honor of meeting, speaking with, and interviewing environmentalist, scientist, and author Dr. Wallace 'J' Nichols. We had the opportunity to talk in length about Baja, his work and experiences there and how it pertains to The Devil's Road, his Blue Mind movement, and the ways in which he's working to inspire in others a deeper connection with nature. 

His work has been broadcast on NPR, BBC, PBS, National Geographic, and Animal Planet and featured in Time, Newsweek, GQ, Scientific American, and New Scientist. His national best selling book, Blue Mind, gives readers a deeper insight into the science behind why being in, on, under, or near water helps us lead healthier and happier lives, inspiring the Blue Mind movement and the concept of neuroconservation, merging the fields of cognitive science, human emotion, and ocean exploration and conservation. 

Please stay tuned for our full interview to come.

Learn more about Dr. Nichols and his innovative, visionary work here.

VIDEO: Julio Solis, Waterkeeper

Check out this inspirational video of Waterkeeper Alliance conservationist Julio Solis, whom the Broken Wagon Films team had the honor of meeting during the preliminary expedition. 

The MoveShake film series presents the story of Julio Solis, a sea turtle conservationist in Puerto San Carlos, Baja California, Mexico. In his youth, Julio was a poacher of sea turtles until a life changing mentor shifted his perspective about his relationship with the ocean. Julio is now working to protect the sea turtles by running a nonprofit dedicated to preserving Magdalena Bay’s natural resources. His story is one of perseverance and personal growth as he works to change the tide for the future of his community. 

Day 8 (Continued)

May 22, 2016 (Day 8)
Continued...

On the road to San Carlos, we came across yet another dead cow that had a dozen turkey vultures and a half dozen caracaras picking at the carcass. We found a spot to turn around so we could slowly creep up on them to film so as not to spook the birds. A little care was needed to get the camera in place, not scare the birds and get a good shot. We may have succeeded.

The best find along the stretch of road was a photogenic patch of creeping devil’s cactus. They look like caterpillars that very slowly creep along the ground. The back end dies while the front end keeps growing. The main stalk then sends out fine rootlets into the ground to sustain itself.

The creeping devil's cactus. 

Arriving in the small fishing village of Puerto San Carlos was a little bit of a shock. The weather was cold; the wind was still problematic. We drove around town to get a “lay of the land,” scope out the launch ramp, find a camp spot, and try to find Julio Solis, the director and manager of the Waterkeeper Alliance. One of Greg’s contacts, and the Bay Keeper, Solis keeps poaching for sea turtles in check and helps educate the watermen of the area about conservation.

For more information on the Waterkeeper Alliance, visit waterkeeper.org

We camped in a nice spot next to the mangroves and back waters of the slough in Puerto San Carlos. We had a great dinner of chicken tacos with fresh veggies. We all slept fitful.