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/.

Is Stuart the "Sailfish Capital of the World?" Just ask Captain Scott Fawcett of the Boneshaker.

Are we or are we not the “Sailfish Capital of the World”? After today’s show there should be no doubt.

Captain Scott Fawcett, captain of the local charter boat Boneshaker, left no doubt that on any given day Stuart and the Treasure Coast can be the best of the best.  Example, on the opening day of the 1997 Light Tackle Tournament, 38 boats released 382 sails. The week finished with a total of 538 releases. And, last year, 17 boats fishing the Pirates Cove Sailfish Classic put 275 releases on the board in only 3 days of fishing. Now that’s SAILFISHING!

Captain Scott threw out some numbers to substantiate the claim that tournament fishing impacts our local tourism economy. If you missed his run down, download today's show--Let the (Sailfish) games being--listen, and do the math. You'll be blown away!

Captain Scott also shared the primary reason he loves the business of being a charter boat captain helping guests pursue the “Adventure of a Lifetime." His story would make a great plot for a movie.

Unfortunately, technical problems interfered with regular co-host Robin Hicks-Connors planned “Black Friday” in the field report. Talkin' Tourism's guest co-host Ed Griffith suggested it's hard work to hold a cell phone and dozens of shopping bags. He and Talkin' Toursim host Gary Guertin also joked around about Robin being at the Lakeland Mall and doing her best to not use her shopping cart as a weapon. Next show, expect a full report from Robin.

For those who have sent in Treasure Coast vacation photos for this month’s Getaway Giveaway promotion, thank you! If you haven't sent one in yet, what are you waiting for?? The winner of this tourism photo contents receives a great hotel package compliments of Caribbean Shores Resort in beautiful Jensen Beach!

Tune in next week (Friday, December 1 at 10 a.m.) for more interesting tourism talk!

Let the (Sailfish) games begin!

This weekend marks the beginning of the legendary sailfish tournament season on the Treasure Coast. As most of us know, Stuart has long had the moniker of 'Sailfish Capital of the World' and for good reason. Historically, sportfishing has long been a tourism draw for the Treasure Coast region. How long? This year marks the 56th annual Stuart Sailfish Club Light Tackle Tournament! Over five decades of the best captains and anglers in the world coming to Stuart to fish this prestigious event. What other tournaments are on the horizon? Believe it or not, between the Treasure Coast and the Palm Beaches, there are 12 sailfish tournaments from December 1 through January 23.

Scott Fawcett, captain of the charter boat Boneshaker, a top placing boat for many years, joins host Gary Guertin and guest co-host Ed Griffith, who is the general manager of the Courtyard Hutchinson Island Oceanside/Jensen Beach, in the Captain's Lounge of Harborage Yacht Club for an exciting update on this season’s tournaments. Captain Scott has lived in Stuart since 1983. He has fished professionally off the Treasure Coast, Bahamas and Mexico since 1991. And, he has logged over 2,000 days in local waters--he knows the local fishing spots well!

Where’s co-host Robin Hicks-Connors this week? Out in the field, or mall that is. Robin will be connecting with the show “on location somewhere out there” providing listeners with a live call in report on BLACK FRIDAY. Will she clue us in on best practices for getting the best shopping deals?
As always the show will be entertaining, informative and most importantly FUN. See you on Friday!
 
PHOTO CREDIT:  Boneshaker Charters.