Bahamas News

Beneath the Waves, Shark Week Crew Filming in Nassau with Stuart Cove Dive, Country superstar Brad Paisley playing for the science underlying stunner

Published

3 years ago

July 7, 2021

#TheBahamas, July 7, 2021 – Producers, film makers, divers and support crew fanned out across the waters off the southwest coast of New Providence recently, shooting footage for Shark Week that will air the second week in July captivating viewers in up to 88 million homes and multiple platforms in 224 countries.

The episode shot in The Bahamas featuring local divers and marine scientists like Dr. Austin Gallagher (Beneath the Waves) will air on the Discovery Channel July 13.

Headlined “The Science of Sound” it explores sharks’ reactions to the sound of music, country music in particular, thanks to the picking, plunking, playing and familiar voice of country superstar Brad Paisley who added star power to what is likely to be cone of the most watched TV shows of the year. Paisley played live on the dive boat, with his recordings lowered by divers through underwater sonar equipment and moved with them as they swam and interacted with dozens of curious nurse and reef sharks. A diver himself, the singer-songwriter spent two days experiencing the deep with local divers like Kareem Bethell and Tyson Smith.

Stuart Cove Dive provided vessels and dive gear. And every minute was filled with action. Two cameras topside, two below. Drones. For every diver, a buddy, for every producer, a back-up with a different set of eyes. Audio. Standby medical, head of emergency room operations at a major health system with his 80-lb case of everything that matters right down to a watch-size scanner capable of following the movements of internal parts. The budget for the single episode — whopping and undisclosed. But consider this: Local divers, dive boats, nearly a week of filming, executive and line producers from as far away as L.A. who also do NatGeo, Netflix, the History Channel, HGTV and the Food Network. The goal – to shoot 100% of the episode, all 43 minutes, 20 seconds of non-advertising footage, right there, where we are today off New Providence and near where they have been all week. The result: Nearly perfect, they got 98%.

“It’s a great place to shoot,” a producer tells me. “It’s safe, it’s easy to get to not like some of the places we have to do that are far out from land over fairly treacherous seas, and celebrities love it here.”

When it comes to what it takes to make Shark Week filming work, Stuart Cove is up to the task, running back and forth to deliver another diver, a different camera, to take someone off the vessel who has to get to the airport. You’d think the half hour run out to the deep would get old, but it never does.

“We have been working with Shark Week every year since the first episode was filmed in The Bahamas in 1988. And every year I think what can Discovery Channel do to top this and the next year they come up with something even more interesting or scientifically important,” says Cove, who founded and operates the country’s largest world-renowned dive business. This year, he had an additional hand, his son, Travis, a diver turned actor who doubled for another in the show.

Cove, a director of Save The Bays and active in coral reef preservation, believes Shark Week has helped sensitize the public to the value of sharks. “Jaws made us afraid, Shark Week makes us understand. Presenting the real true story of the value of sharks helps us appreciate the important role they play in the marine eco-system.”

Dr. Gallagher agrees.

“Marine scientists, including myself, give The Bahamas great credit for the country’s shark sanctuary legislation,” said Gallagher, who has been exploring and documenting marine resources in The Bahamas for more than a decade and says there is no body of water comparable to it. A proponent of naming the waters the Lucayan Sea, he cites the statistic that an individual is more likely to be struck by lightning twice than to be bitten by a shark.

“Research which we have helped contribute to demonstrates that tragically, unlike The Bahamas, there are countries where greed and avarice create a shark fin trade that claims fins from up to 73 million sharks a year,” says Dr. Gallagher, who talks respectfully of the marine creatures he has just been swimming with as he peels off a standard wet suit and unloads his dive gear from the second dive of the afternoon. “And while The Bahamas is protecting sharks and as you can see, the population out here today is healthy and active and non-threatening, sharks in many places elsewhere continue to be threatened and that is heart-breaking for anyone who studies their role in the marine eco-system.”

A Discovery Channel press release on Shark Week says a study published in Nature magazine earlier this year found that oceanic sharks and rays declined by at least 71% since 1970.

Shark Week, Discovery Channel’s most popular program, will run from Sunday, July 11 through Sunday, July 18 with the Bahamas episode on the third night, Tuesday. Discovery Channel dubs its 2021 shows a ‘jawesome lineup’ beginning with a docu-series and includes, in addition to Brad Paisley, William Shatner, JB Smoove, Tiffany Haddish and others with celebrities diving alongside marine biologists and representatives from respected science institutes like Beneath the Waves and Oceana.

Shark Week 2021 precedes the Summer Olympics and, says Discovery Channel, promises “to deliver all-new groundbreaking shark stories revealing remarkable insights into the mysterious world of these magnificent creatures.”

By Diane Phillips

Header: Producers, directors, camera and drone crew, local divers and marine scientists pile aboard a Stuart Cove Dive vessel ready to shoot another day of what will be the July 13 episode of Shark Week.

1st insert: Kareem Bethell, one of several Bahamian divers, stars in Shark Week July 13 on the Discovery Channel.

2nd insert: Ready, set, almost – A quiet moment in Coral Harbour in New Providence, Bahamas, waiting for action to start are front row David Harris and Dr. Austin Gallagher, Beneath the Waves and back row Diane Phillips, writer, and businessman Mario Carey who turned a passion for diving into a plea to save marine resources of The Bahamas and is raising funds to help monitor the waters.

3rd insert: Top Bahamian dive expert Andre Musgrove directs film crew including marine scientist Dr. Austin Gallagher and Dr. Erica Staaterman, a marine bioacoustics expert with the Department of Interior, as they prepare for the second dive of the day filming the Shark Week episode The Science of Sound. Shark Week runs July 11-18 on the Discovery Channel with the episode shot in The Bahamas set to air on the 13^th

Bahamas News

Freeport Business Expo to connect Grand Bahama businesses and entrepreneurs to expert resources

Published

16 hours ago

April 27, 2024

Deandrea Hamilton

Grand Bahama Port Authority, Limited

April 29, 2024 – Freeport, The Bahamas – In line with its mission to create a stronger, more connected Freeport economy, the Grand Bahama Port Authority, Limited (GBPA) is pleased to share details of the upcoming Freeport Business Expo: Tourism Edition, taking place on Thursday, May 2, 2024 at the Grand Lucayan Convention Center in Grand Bahama.

“As the GBPA continues its work to attract investors to Freeport, we offer this showcase of local and international businesses offering services and opportunities to potential and existing licensees,” stated Ian Rolle, GBPA President. “This Expo will not only connect unique international service providers with Bahamian entrepreneurs aiming to introduce new tourist attractions, but also bring together financing institutions to support Bahamian-owned start-ups and existing businesses in the industry.”

The emphasis on tourism at the 2024 Expo ensures that those in tourism-focused businesses are certain to benefit. The event will offer opportunities to meet potential business partners, gain insight on financial opportunities, engage with leaders in workshops and one-on-one sessions, and get answers on starting a Freeport business and obtaining a GBPA license.

“We regularly host community business expos,” said Glendia Sweeting, Manager of Quality Assurance and Special Projects. “But we recognize the significant benefit of an expo focused on enhancing tourism business offerings through connecting international service providers and Bahamian entrepreneurs. We have more than thirty local and national exhibitors taking part on May 2^nd, along with several international service providers.”

Multiple investment projects currently in progress and planned in the city of Freeport is creating anticipation for existing and potential entrepreneurs and this expo is geared towards preparing them for these opportunities. “Grand Bahama is going to experience a significant growth spurt in the next one to three years. I would strongly encourage everybody who wants to get involved in business to look at Grand Bahama as one of the top choices, especially over the next three years,” said Mr. Rolle.

The Expo opens on Wednesday, May 1^st with a welcome reception from 6:00 p.m. to 8:00 p.m. A full day of learning and networking opportunities follows on Thursday, May 2^nd. GBPA’s partners in the Freeport Business Expo include:

Grand Bahama Island Promotion Board
Ministry for Grand Bahama
Grand Bahama Chamber of Commerce
Ministry of Tourism
Bahamas Immigration
Bahamas Customs
Five Star Shipping Company
Viva Wyndham Fortuna
Bahamas Air
Grand Lucayan Hotel

Registration for access to the Expo’s exhibitors is free, and all-access passes are available for purchase. Event details and registration information may be found at freeportbusinessexpo.com.

Bahamas News

Pacesetting Cohort of Eleuthera Residents Graduate from Leading Light Programme

Published

1 day ago

April 26, 2024

Shanieka

Office of University Relations

22^nd April 2024

Eleuthera, THE BAHAMAS – A pioneering cohort of 43 Eleuthera residents graduated from the University of The Bahamas’ (UB’s) free Leading Light Programme, sponsored by Disney Cruise Line (DCL) on Friday 19^th April, 2024.

The programme, launched in February 2024 and delivered through UB’s Continuing Education and Lifelong Learning (CeLEARN), offers a series of courses to ensure Eleuthera has a proficient workforce capable of delivering unparalleled hospitality leadership as the island experiences a sharp growth in tourism arrivals. The graduation ceremony was held at the Eleuthera Chamber of Commerce Business Hub in Rock Sound, Eleuthera.

The courses focused on tourism and hospitality skills, leadership development and effective communication. They were taught by UB faculty and included guest lecturers such as former Director General of Tourism, Minister of Tourism and Secretary General of the Caribbean Tourism Organization Vincent Vanderpool Wallace and veteran hospitality professor Dr. Lincoln Marshall.

“This programme represents the mission-driven collaboration and skills-building that University of The Bahamas is committed to fostering, supported by an important industry partner like Disney Cruise Line,” noted UB President (Acting) Janyne Hodder. “Given the importance of the tourism industry to our nation, we know how vital it is that we continually equip our workforce with diverse expertise to uphold our reputation for excellence in hospitality. We are grateful for this collaboration with Disney Cruise Line which has facilitated programme delivery in Eleuthera, enabling UB to broaden access to much sought-after professional development.”

As training and skills development programming grows across the island of Eleuthera, the Leading Light Programme experience was tailored to be free of charge, accessible and conclude with participants earning a UB certification that signals the high standard of education for which the University is recognized. Students came from all walks of life and traveled from as far away as Hatchet Bay in the North, and Bannerman Town in the South to Rock Sound for classes. Programme participants also received a stipend to defray the cost of commuting and other personal expenses.

Nora Smith, a manager at the picturesque Jack’s Bay Club, yearned to increase her skills.

“I would recommend this programme to anyone because The Bahamas is known as a tourism destination. Taking this course in tourism and hospitality, can help me to go far in dealing with tourists daily in my workplace,” she said.

Graduate Javonne Richards appreciated the comprehensive curriculum and the ease of access to the courses that were offered.

“This programme not only fills a gap in our Eleuthera education offerings, but also equips participants with the tools and knowledge needed to thrive in dynamic work environments,” he noted.

Director General of Tourism Mrs. Latia Duncombe, who delivered the keynote address at the graduation ceremony, shared three essential qualities for successful tourism professionals: energy, creativity and a welcoming personality.

“Your fresh perspectives and innovative ideas are invaluable to creating unique, unforgettable customer experiences,” said Mrs. Duncombe. “While technology such as Artificial Intelligence, also have a role to play, human interaction remains essential.”

Minister of Works and Family Island Affairs and Member of Parliament for Central and South Eleuthera the Honourable Clay Sweeting commended the partnership that is supporting community growth.

“I am proud of every Eleutheran who came from near and far to take advantage of this opportunity,” said Minister Sweeting. “As Eleuthera’s economy continues to grow, especially in Central and South Eleuthera, I encourage more corporate partners to invest in the local community in innovative ways, like the University of The Bahamas and Disney Cruise Line have, so that we can continue to strengthen our local communities.”

Two additional cohorts will be offered this year, increasing the pipeline of Eleutherans who are optimally skilled as hospitality and tourism ambassadors. Registration for the summer programme will open on May 17 and the second cycle of courses begins June 17, 2024. Fall programme dates are September 23 through November 29, 2024. To learn more about the Leading Light Programme and how to enroll, please email atynes@eleutherahambercommerce.com.

Bahamas News

Royal Caribbean to open Royal Beach Club on Paradise Island in 2025

Published

2 days ago

April 26, 2024

Shanieka

FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE

April 24, 2024

By LINDSAY THOMPSON

Bahamas Information Services

NASSAU, The Bahamas – The Government entered into a Heads of Agreement with Royal Caribbean International, followed by a Ground Breaking Ceremony for the construction of Royal Beach Club on Paradise Island, at an estimated $165 million.

The agreement was signed on Monday, April 22, 2024 during a press conference at the Office of the Prime Minister.

According to Deputy Prime Minister and Minister of Tourism, Investments and Aviation the Hon. Chester Cooper, the project will further enhance the tourism product, on the heels of an estimated 9 million visitor arrivals.

He deemed it “an eventful day” with a reliable partner in RCI of more than 50 years with The Bahamas, and the continued confidence that investors have in the tourism product and economy.

He said it is a partnership with “excellence experiences” as he delighted in the fact that there will be more for the 25,000 cruise ship guests in port.

Also on hand for the activities to seal the agreement were Prime Minister and Minister of Finance the Hon. Philip Davis; Minister of Health and Wellness, the Hon. Dr. Michael Darville; Minister of Energy and Transport, the Hon. JoBeth Coleby-Davis; Attorney General and Minister of Legal Affairs, Senator the Hon. Ryan Pinder; Director of Investments Phylicia Woods-Hanna; executives of Royal Caribbean International and Royal Caribbean Group, and other officials.

“With the signing of this Heads of Agreement for the development of the Royal Beach Club on Paradise Island, we embark on a $165 million project to further enhance the vitality of our tourism product,” the prime minister said.

Spearheaded by RBC Paradise Island Ltd. and PDI Paradise Ltd., subsidiaries of Royal Caribbean Cruises Ltd., the project will galvanize entertainment and recreational offerings for Bahamians and visitors alike.

The master plan for the Royal Beach Club includes pools, cabanas, and Bahamian boutiques, offering an unparalleled on-shore experience for visitors.

“This development will prove to be a monumental step forward for Bahamian inclusion in major tourism projects that will serve as a model for others to emulate,” the prime minister said.

The prime minister then underscored the importance of what the project would mean for Bahamians in the broader scope of things.

An estimated 200 jobs will be created for Bahamians. However, an opportunity is being provided for shared ownership in this development.

It is anticipated that PDI Paradise Ltd. will hold at least 51% of the shares in the Royal Beach Club, with the remaining 49 % shares being allocated to the National Investment Fund for the benefit of Bahamians.

“Through this partnership, we will provide new employment and economic opportunities for this nation. Local businesses will see their share of opportunities as well. There will be Bahamian boutiques creating avenues for small business ownership,” the prime minister said.

The project will also encompass a joint venture with a Bahamian-owned entity for the operation of a water taxi business; it will provide transportation options for guests of the Royal Beach Club, as well as other attractions in Nassau Harbour – enhancing accessibility while creating additional avenues for economic growth within the community.

“Ultimately, this project will largely be run by Bahamians, owned by the Bahamian people, and supported by Bahamian businesses.

“When we talk about the need to ensure that major tourism projects are primarily for the benefit of the Bahamian people, these are the kinds of opportunities that we are talking about,” the prime minister said.

He observed that the Royal Beach Club represents the latest successful chapter in the story of Paradise Island’s growth as a tourism mecca. Initial negotiations for the project began under the previous administration. Royal Club Beach is expected to open in 2025.

“By signing today’s agreement, we add another world-class experience to our tourism offerings. And even more importantly, we take a bold step toward greater Bahamian empowerment in the tourism industry. This is our nation, and we must ensure that, first and foremost, our service industries serve us,” the prime minister said.

He concluded, “We are more optimistic than ever before about our economic prospects with tourism leading the way as our number one industry that continues to grow at a record-breaking pace.

At the ground breaking site just west of the Atlantis Resort, officials tilled the soil, marking the beginning of the construction process.

Jason Liberty, president, and CEO of Royal Caribbean Group said that events regarding the agreement “symbolize partnership, momentum, and continued economic development for so many Bahamian entrepreneurs and the entire community.

“We are grateful to our partners for their support, especially the Bahamian government, who stand with us here today in celebration of what is to come.”