Legends of Florida

Talkin’ Tourism on Florida’s Treasure Coast (and Beyond!) has gone down many roads over the last two years. Each time, new and interesting lessons are learned, friends are made and adventures unfold.

This week was no exception. Dr. Doug Noble Ph.D. was eloquent in the description of two exciting new exhibits at the Florida Museum of Natural History in Gainesville, Florida. After listening to Doug’s descriptions, you will want to gather the family and head up to the museum for a fun weekend. Cattle ranching is still big business in the Sunshine State and its roots go back 500 years.

Dr. Noble talked about Florida Cracker cattle and where they came from, along with why and how the cattle industry plays a role in land stewardship and in the protection of natural areas of critical significance.
It's not often you have a chance to speak with a living legend, but this week show hosts Gary and Robin had a fun conversation with G. Curt Whiticar, a true icon in the sportfishing and boat building industry.

Hearing firsthand accounts of the early years of the sportfishing industry in the Treasure Coast area, provides a deep appreciation for how this industry evolved. And yes, ladies and gentlemen, tourism played a huge role in having many of our local fishermen convert from commercial meat fishing to entertaining ladies and gentlemen from northern climates who wanted to pursue sailfish, dolphin and other game fish that ply our waters. Curt even touched on the old rum-running days. If you missed the live show, and you're curious to know what island in the Bahamas most of the Treasure Coast's rum came from, download last week show's audio file.

Closing out the show, Whiticar Boat Works president Jim Dragseth shared his view on the state of the marine industry and where the industry is headed. One thing is for sure, our heritage and roots in the marine tourism industry are deep, thanks to the Whiticar family and others that followed.

Hope you enjoy the show as much as we enjoyed making it happen! Be sure to check out the photo gallery below showing photos of Whiticar Boatworks Yard and the Whiticar display at the Maritime and Classic Boat Museum. See you next week, same time, same station.

Historical Perspectives from Sea Captains to Cattle Ranchers

In today's fast-paced world, full of technology, social media and instant gratification, it's rare to have the opportunity to sit back and learn from a pioneer, who has decades of perspective and insight into a niche of the tourism and hospitality industry that has played a significant role in our region.

This week, Talkin’ Tourism on Florida’s Treasure Coast (and Beyond!) is blessed with a very special opportunity to talk with G. Curt Whiticar, the founder of world-renown Whiticar Boatworks company, located right here in Stuart, Florida. Curt Whiticar, who some refer to as the "father of marine tourism," combined uncanny insight, knowledge and ability to design and build a superior sportsfishing line that is now known and revered world-wide. His wisdom and business savvy, established the basis of the Treasure Coast's marine tourism industry.

Curt will give us the chronology painting the picture of why Stuart become known as 'The Sailfish Capital of the World' and 'The Fishing Grounds of Presidents'. What makes this show even more special is that Mr. Whiticar will be celebrating his 100th birthday two days after the show. In addition to building one heck of a boat, Curt is also a prolific painter and a published author.
To provide a point-counter point to the conversation, Jim Dragseth, the president of Whiticar Boatworks, Inc. will be in the house to share with listeners his perspectives on the state of the marine tourism industry on the Treasure Coast (and beyond) and its possibilities for the future.

From sportfishing, the conversation will flow to another industry early pioneers established in Florida and beyond—cattle ranching. Making his third appearance on Talkin' Tourism Dr. Doug Noble, Ph.D., the Assistant Director of Exhibits and Public Programs from the Florida Museum of Natural History, has traveled all the way from Gainesville, Florida to share with our listeners information about two special exhibits (Florida Cattle Ranching and Florida Cowboys: Keepers of the Last Frontier) that will open at the musuem on Saturday, February 12. These FREE exhibits, which are on display through May 8, take an in-depth look at Florida’s Cattle ranching history and its continued impact on the state’s economy. If you are looking for a cultural reason to pony up-state, this is it.

Join us Friday morning (WPSL 1590 AM on your radio or http://www.wpsltv.com/) at 10:05 a.m. as we broadcast live from the Whiticar Boat Works facility on the shores of Willoughby Creek, in Stuart, Florida.

• Learn more about the history of Whiticar Boatworks

Gatorade on a Q-Tip and Art Masterpieces with Bugs

From Talkin Tourism Show Photos

Getting back together again after their travels, History Lady and Radio Man picked up like they had never been apart. Something that is bound to happen when you have close to 75 shows under your belt…or perhaps it is just talent!

With Ed Griffith in the studio, recounting his recent trip of Eleuthera with the Jensen Beach gang, it was interesting to hear the Talkin' Tourism Team actually talk about their experiences as tourists, each in a different country. So, who was the man who proposed to Robin and what do Marie Antoinette and Robin have in common? What were Ed’s reflections on his first visit to Eleuthera and is the Jensen Beach 'Sister City' relationship with Gregory Town alive and well? Are “Nature’s Little Secrets” (the British Virgin Islands) keeping any secrets about Gary and Misti’s trip to Tortola? All this and more when you download the show.

The main event was the return visit of Dr. Noble, Director of Public Exhibits at the Florida Museum of Natural History. Always a wealth of information, Dr. Noble carefully explained the uniqueness of the new exhibit entitled CSI: Crime Scene Insects. The discussion was fascinating. While this type of forensic analysis did not have legal credibility in the U.S. until the 1960’s, it has been practiced in China for over 1,200 years. How was a murder in China that long ago solved? Is it an exhibit that children will enjoy? Absolutely! Who would have ever thought that you could 'paint with maggots'! And what about our cold winter? The outdoor butterfly exhibit which houses 2,000 butterflies had to make adjustments, which they did. Believe it or not, they moved many of the butterflies into their indoor breeding areas and allowed the patrons to feed the butterflies. The butterflies food of choice? Gatorade on a Q-Tip!

It just gets better and better every week, so if you missed the show download and listen now. If you have not been to the blog in a while, check out the amazing photos of the two shows broadcast from the British Virgin Islands. You will want to travel to paradise and have a cheeseburger in paradise!

Until next week, Talkin' Tourism on Florida’s Treasure Coast…signing off!

What do CSI Insects, French Men, Pineapples, and the Caribbean have in Common?

From Blogger Pictures

Talkin' Tourism on Florida’s Treasure Coast will be talking to three experienced tourists who have recently completed three different international experiences at nearly the same time!

Getting their act together after time apart, show host Gary Guertin and co-host Robin Hicks-Connors are rejoined after a couple weeks away. Robin’s sojourn to Paris will lend some ”Je ne sais quoi” to the show. So who did propose marriage? How many croissants can you eat in a day? Is the French onion soup really that good?

Radio Man (aka Gary) and the rest of the Talkin' Tourism team headed to Tortola, British Virgin Islands for their semi-annual get-a-way. What adventures happened while they were visiting “Natures Little Secrets?” Do they have their own secrets? Was it a problem being held captive in the Caribbean due to the Spirit Airline Strike? What is the hottest bar in Road Town, Tortola? What is the magic of Foxy’s on Jost Van Dyke? Added into the mix will be Talkin' Tourism special guest host Ed Griffith. Ed accompanied the Jensen Beach contingent that tripped down to Gregory Town, Eleuthera in the Bahamas to join its sister city for its annual Pineapple Festival. What was it like? This will be the first time that Radio Man, History Lady and Don “Edwardo” Gilbert will be in the studio at the same time!

Joining the crew for the main feature of the show will be Dr. Doug Noble, PH.D, Director of Exhibits, Public Programs and Assistant in Museum Administration for the Florida Museum of Natural History, which is located in Gator Town--Gainesville. This will be a second Talkin' Tourism guest appearance for Dr. Noble. "Wow’ed" by the hospitality of the Treasure Coast on his first visit, Dr. Noble wanted to come back to the Treasure Coast and share his excitement about a brand new exhibit opening at the museum--CSI: Crime Scene Insects. This exhibit delves into the mysterious world of crime solving insects! With many TV shows focusing on crime scene investigation, the CSI: Crime Scene Insects exhibit uses hands-on activities, educational panels, and mock investigations to show visitors how maggots, flies and beetles help solve crimes every day. You will want to travel to Gainesville to see this one!

Tune in tomorrow at 10 a.m. to hear the show live. If you're on the Treasure Coast, tune your radio dial to WPSL 1590 AM. If your outside of the radio broadcast area or if you prefer to listen in via the Internet, you'll be able to listen to the live audio stream by visiting http://www.wpsl.com/.

See you tomorrow!

Snakes, Piranha and Hemingway show available for download

The December 4 Snakes, Piranha and Hemingway---It's just "Edutainment!" show is now available for download HERE.

Snakes, Piranha and Hemingway---It's just "Edutainment!"

Amazing, unbelievable, outrageous! These are just some of the words that come to mind when Talkin' Tourism on Florida's Treasure Coast show guest Dr. Doug Noble took us on our tour of the "Amazon Voyage: Vicious Fishes and Other Riches" exhibit, now on exhibit at the Florida Musuem of Natural History.

Can you believe a snake vertebrae fossils the size a grapefruit? How big would the snake have been? Go swimming in a lake with Piranha? Dr. Noble did and lived to tell about it.

These are just a small tease of what the December 4 Talkin' Tourism show was all about. The Florida Museum of Natural History is definitely a must see, especially for Florida resident's.

Today, museums truly specialize in “edutainment." What is “edutainment?" Co-host Robin Hicks-Connors calls it smart fun. If you listened to the show or if you download it for listening, you will be much more hip to the wonders of the Amazon River, one of our planet’s greatest resources. Gainsville, Florida has a lot more to brag about than just football!

Talkin' Tourism host Gary Guertin and co-host Robin also reported on the Finest Kind Quickie tournament, including who won and how much money they won, as well as the bite prediction for the Pirates Cove Sailfish Classic. According to Gary, the early prediction calls for some great sailfishing action.

Surprise guest Danielle Dunfee, Sales and Event Manager for Bimini Bay Resort and Marina, dropped in and gave a few highlights on what's happening on Bimini. Known primarily for sportfishing and also one of Ernest Hemingway’s favorites, Bimini will be the site of a Talkin' Tourism live remote after the first of the year. Talkin' Tourism hosts will explore and report on the diving and other fun activities found on this Bahamian island. Details to come.

Special thanks are in order to Kelly Donovan, Communications Specialist for the Florida Museum of Natural History, for arranging Dr. Noble’s visit, Ed Griffith, General Manager of the Courtyard Hutchinson Oceanside/Jensen Beach for providing Dr. Nobles accommodations, and the leadership of the Elliott Museum, Florida Oceanographic Society, Children’s Museum and the Maritime and Classic Boat Museum for arranging site visits for Dr. Noble during his stay on the Treasure Coast.

If you missed the show, you can listen to it or download it HERE.
See you next week!

Below, photo slideshow from Dr. Nobles Martin County Trip.



PHOTO:  Dr. Noble holding a snake vertebrae fossil the size a grapefruit.

Off to the Amazon this week!

This week Talkin’ Tourism on Florida’s Treasure Coast takes a walk on the WILD SIDE as we take a tour of the Amazon River, the most biologically diverse river in the world. Listeners will be introduced to amazing creatures includin notorious piranhas, enormous anacondas, beautiful stingrays, and mysterious pink dolphins.

Doug Noble, PH.D., Assistant Director of Exhibits, Public Programs and Assistant in Museum Administration at the Florida Museum of Natural History, is this week's scheduled guest (and tour guide). Dr. Noble will describe in full detail the museum’s current exhibit: “Amazon Voyage; Vicious Fishes and Other Riches.”

In addition to his Talkin’ Tourism appearance this Friday, Dr. Noble is in town to visit museum and cultural arts facilities in Martin County.

Co-host Robin Hicks-Connors (aka History Lady) wants listeners to know the Florida Museum of Natural History will be loaning artifacts—one, possibly two dugout canoes—to exhibit in the new Elliott Museum. Hopefully Dr. Noble's Martin County fieldtrip will be the beginning of a long collaborate cultural relationship between the Treasure Coast and the Florida Museum of Natural History.

The Florida Museum of Natural History, chartered in 1917 and located at the University of Florida, is Florida’s state museum of natural history, dedicated to understanding, preserving and interpreting biological diversity and cultural heritage. The museum has the largest natural history collection in the Southeast, and is one of the nation’s top ten natural history collections.

If you're headed north in the next month, don't miss “Amazon Voyage; Vicious Fishes and Other Riches.” The exhibit is on display at the Florida Museum of Natural History in Gainesville until January 17, 2010.

Also on Friday, get the latest on the sailfish tournament season. Who won the Finest Kind Quickie? How many boats are fishing the Pirates Cove Sailfish Classic? And much more this week on Talkin Tourism on Florida’s Treasure Coast. There may even be two special guests direct from the Amazon in the studio! Curious? Tune in this Friday, December 4 at 10 a.m. to find out who or what? Find us on your radio dial at WPSL 1590 AM or on your computer at http://www.wpsl.com/.