Hello, and welcome to Underwater Odyssey's Blog.

PADI Divemaster (#207237)

My name is Krista Dunlop. As a professional scuba diver since 1994, I have a unique perspective of the underwater world and the environmental crisis we adults have caused.

When I'm scuba diving and I see a turtles face mutilated by a boat propeller or see what was once a beautiful colored coral reef now bleached white or see a dolphins calf's tail that has fallen off because it had gotten so tightly wrapped up in a crab trap line ... all that comes to my mind is ... what have we done.  Then I find myself clearing my mask ... to wash away my tears.

As a professional scuba diver, I believe it is my personal responsibility to be a guardian of our blue planet and to remind children and adults of all that the underwater world has given us ... human survival, beauty and marine animal friendships. This is a cause that I am personally and professionally passionate about.

I invite you to join me on this exciting journey to create a Blue Planet Legacy, one we all can be proud of leaving to our children and generations to come, through corporate environmental awareness educational program fundraising initiatives.

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Author, Krista Dunlop

Introduction to the Author

It is my pleasure to introduce Krista Dunlop, author, speaker and environmental advocate. Using her own experience as a professional scuba diver, Krista has a unique perspective of the underwater world and the environmental crisis we adults have caused.  Krista strives to be a guardian of our blue planet and to remind children and adults of all that the underwater world has given us … human survival, beauty and marine animal friendships through inspirational speaking engagements, educational workshops, and Underwater Odyssey’s publication series.  She hopes to empower children through education to voice their environmental concerns and take individual responsibility and action to preserve their blue planet.

Krista is the author of Underwater Odyssey’s first environmental awareness educational activity book for children entitled:  "Sick & Injured Marine Animals Tell Their Stories", which will be available on June 1^st, 2011. A portion of Underwater Odyssey’s profits from this publication, and all future publications, will be directed to the Project AWARE Foundation (www.projectaware.org) and the Clearwater Marine Aquarium (www.seewinter.com).

Krista is the proprietor of Krista Dunlop & Associates Incorporated (www.kdainc.ca). She is a Communications Professional with 25 years experience in meeting the strategic communications planning and delivery needs of government and business clientele. Through her business communications company, Krista took individual action to sponsor a Corporate Environmental Awareness Educational Initiative - Underwater Odyssey - as a means to help preserve our blue planet.

Krista is a Divemaster and member of the Professional Association of Diving Instructors (PADI). While vacationing in Clearwater, Florida, she spends a few hours of her vacation time volunteering on the DiveTeam at the Clearwater Marine Aquarium. Also, through Underwater Odyssey’s donations, Krista has adopted all of her marine animal friends living at the Clearwater Marine Aquarium.  Krista’s marine animal friends can be viewed on the Underwater Odyssey web site at www.underwatodyssey.ca.

Krista invites corporations, groups, and individuals to join her on this exciting journey to create a Blue Planet Legacy, one we all can be proud of leaving to our children and generations to come.

Katie Kroeger

Environmental Advocate

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Photo by Budd Riker.

Underwater Odyssey Takes Action 

Underwater Odyssey’s initial environmental action plan was to adopt a family of fifteen marine animals from the Clearwater Marine Aquarium by means of a corporate donation. Our donation will be continuous throughout future years and is directed towards caring for a variety of marine animals including: turtles, otters, and dolphins. To further better the living conditions of our adopted marine animal family Krista Dunlop, Executive Director of Underwater Odyssey and PADI Divemaster, also volunteers a couple of hours a week when she vacations in Clearwater, Florida at the Clearwater Marine Aquarium. While their, Krista stops by to say "hello" to all of our marine animal family, and helps to ensure that everyone’s home is as pleasant and cozy as possible.

Now it is time for you to become involved and make a difference in a marine animal’s life! Adopt one marine animal or a corporate family, by requesting Underwater Odyssey direct $25.00 from each individual’s corporate environmental awareness program fee, and become a marine animal guardian. By adopting a marine animal, corporations, individuals, and their children are reminded we all have the power to make a difference and ensure we leave a Blue Planet Legacy to our future children. Step up ... and set an environment responsibility precedent, improving the minds of our children today and the world that they will live in tomorrow. All individual and corporate contributions receive recognition through Underwater Odyssey’s website, press releases, and Underwater Odyssey affiliates listed on our website. For corporate participants this also can translate into dollars, as many clients and suppliers are insisting on conducting business with environmentally aware and action oriented companies.

All environmental awareness workshop inquires should be directed to Krista Dunlop at kdunlop@underwaterodyssey.ca or 1-877-755-4005.

Thank you to Budd Riker, Photographer, for providing the sea turtle image. Budd's underwater and terrestrial images can be viewed at www.lightinthesea.com

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