PADI travel incentives and a Segway adventure full of sea life

Talkin' Tourism co-host Robin Hicks-Connors with
PADI reservation specialist Lori Lacknicht.

True to her word, PADI reservation specialist Lori Lachnicht was a wealth of knowledge about the booming recreational dive industry and the role PADI plays in making every dive enthusiast’s wildest dream come true. From information on the Treasure Coast dive scene (History Lady also had a few things to add about diving historical wrecks in the area) to the diversity of diving opportunities within Florida to magnificent destinations in the Islands of the Bahamas and beyond, Lori covered it all.

Listeners who listened to Friday's show learned what special incentives are available to divers wishing to head to the Bahamas? If you missed Friday's show, listen to it now and you will be ready to pack your mask fins and snorkels. 

There are advantages to booking your trip through a PADI professional. A little rusty on your skills? Not a problem. Lori told our listeners how to get back in the game. Thanks Lori, the information was fabulous. Let’s go blow some bubbles!

Thinking about coming to Florida’s Treasure Coast for a little break? There are lots of events and activities going on this fall just right for the whole family. Ever taken a Segway Tour? Check out the show and find out where you can Segway your way to stingrays, sea turtles and edutainment on Hutchinson Island. 

Last but not least, if you are headed to The Abacos, Radio Man shared information on a great vacation cottage offering a special discount to Talkin’ Tourism fans and listeners. Here's the audio file so you can to learn more about this Abaco, Bahamas vacation opportunity.

Thanks for tuning in. See you on Friday with another action-packed show.

Revisiting a Beautiful Island: Eleuthera, Bahamas

In August, the Talkin’ Tourism on Florida’s Treasure Coast (and Beyond) team headed to the island of Eleuthera for its first broadcast from this Bahamas Out Island. The show was spectacular with guests including now former Director General of the Ministry of Tourism, Vernice Walkine, Sustainable Tourism General Manager Earlston McPhee, Member of Parliment, South Eleuthera, Hon. Oswald Ingraham, and other Eleutheran movers and shakers. The primary focus of the show was to promote the country’s Blue Flag Programme and other Bahamas related tourism initiatives.

This week, Talkin’ Tourism is back on Eleuthera! A one-hour show was just not long enough time to provide our listeners with information on all the fun things to do above and under the sea, the places to go and explore, the pristine beaches to visit, and the beautiful gin clear water to rejuvenate one’s soul. So, as they say in the Caribbean, we go to come back, and this week we're back!

Talkin' Tourism special guest co-host Ed Griffith and host Gary Guertin catch up on Friday with our friends at Cape Eleuthera Resort and Yacht Club on Powell Point, South Eleuthera, who know how to help people have a great time.

Diving enthusiasts will enjoy hearing from Neal Watson Jr., operator of Cape Eleuthera Divers. Fishing enthusiast’s attention will be grabbed by Cape Eleuthera Resort and Yacht Club’s dockmaster and local fishing guru Leon Gibson and Captain Freddy. Hungry for great conch salad? Guest Avian Morley, the head chef and conch salad master at Coco Plums Restaurant and Bar in Rock Sound, describes his enjoyment of being a restaurateur on the island.

Avian will soon be visiting Jensen Beach, Florida as the lead Junkanoo’er in the upcoming Jensen Beach Pineapple Festival! Eleuthera. Eleuthera's Tourism Manager Jackie Gibson also joined the crew and spoke about the Gregory Town, Eleuthera and Jensen Beach, Florida 20-year Sister City relationship. Representatives from the world renown Cape Eleuthera Institute and The Island School, Geoff Walton, Karla Cosgriff and Chris Maxey, spoke about their passion and work in marine science research taking place at the institute and school, including aquaculture, aquaponics, permaculture and much more.

So listeners, treat yourself to a mini vacation this Friday and join us for a little more Bahamian fun, infotainment and Treasure Coast connections!

The Treasure Coast's Undersea (and Above Sea) Treasures

Radio Man (aka Talkin' Tourism host Gary Guertin)
going "coastal."

With mask, fins and snorkels at the ready, Radio Man and History Lady took the plunge to explore the undersea treasures of the Treasure Coast. Did Gary and Robin really have mask, fins and snorkels? Just check the show photos!

Deep Six Dive and Watersports representative Glenn Hair provided listeners with his perspective on the Treasure Coast scuba scene as a diving professional. Relatively new to the Treasure Coast region, Glenn shared with show listeners why he made the move to the Treasure Coast. Glenn’s perspective as to WHY this region could be so popular was very interesting. No, we do not always have “gin clear water” and no, the water temperature is not always 82 degree, but you can see some of the same marine life as you can see in Cozumel or the Bahamas? Yes you can! The key to our region’s uniqueness is marine diversity.



History Lady, Robin Hicks Connors, gives the
Talkin' Tourism camera a thumbs up.



From marine ecosystem diversity and water temperature variations to bottom configurations and artificial reefs, the Treasure Coast offers great dive adventures. Radio Man revealed some interesting numbers on the economic impact of our offshore reef systems. These "did you know's" make for great cocktail party talk when the conversation dries up.

So, what you don’t see can’t hurt you. Right? Out of sight, equals out of mind. Wrong! For the next topic covered on the show, what you can't see does hurt and it needs to be top of mind, especially when out enjoying our waterways. As we all have witnessed, debris from many various sources, finds its way to our near-shore and offshore coastal environments. Perhaps you don’t see it when gazing out upon a beautiful blue sea at sunset or sunrise, debris that accumulates on the bottom of the sea, lakes and rivers has a disastrous impact on marine life. Retrieving this debris requires the work of skilled and trained divers. Captain Don Voss, head of the Marine Clean Up Initiative, shared his plan to eradicate this problem with the help of trained volunteer divers. By the time you read this, we'll know if he set a world-record with his planned flotilla in the Ft. Pierce Inlet turning basin.

So, ladies and gentlemen, from near and far, grab your dive gear and head on down to experience some of the most diverse diving opportunities to be found anywhere, right here on Florida’s Treasure Coast.

Here's the audio link to Talkin' Tourism's "The Underwater World of the Treasure Coast" show. Enjoy!