stars. Check out what we were up to a watch out for monthly updates in 2012!
January 2011-March 2011: Duncan Brake is aboard the Sea Shepherd vessel Bob Barker, filming Whale Wars Season 4 for Animal Planet. Whale Wars, is a docu drama that follows the Sea Shepherds as they travel to Antarctica to stop the Japanese whaling fleets. It is a raw and rugged climate that breaks spirits, boats and camera equipment. It is an intensive shoot with the crew being on 7 days a week for 90 days or more. READ MORE
.Jillian Morris takes the wrestling star The Undertaker and his son to Tiger Beach for a private dive trip with Incredible Adventures. READ MORE
Jillian’s photo win’s the Princeton Tec Beyond Bottom Time Photo Contest.
February 2011:Jillian Morris heads to Western Australia to film research being done in Shark Bay. Jillian first visited the area as a research assistant in 2006 and has returned to film the work that is being done there. Jillian is also assisting in the catching and satellite tagging of some Shark Bay’s massive tiger sharks. READ MORE
March 2011:
Duncan finishes the Whale Wars shoot and joins Jillian in Shark Bay for some filming and shark tagging. Jillian mother, Susan Morris, a teacher at Berwick Academy, also joined the crew for 2 weeks to get in field experience to better her ability to teach curriculum based on the work being done in the region. READ MORE
April 2011:
Duncan and Jillian head to Fiji to film a PSA for The Shark Free Marina Initiative. Beqa Adventure Divers ( BAD) are at the forefront of shark conservation in Fiji and are setting and example globally. Jillian and Duncan were able to meet the bull sharks of Beqa and wow, what a show. 40 massive sharks on one dive!!!!! READ MORE
Jordy Klein films Disney commercials at Typhoon Lagoon
May 2011: No rest for the wicked. Duncan and Jillian landed in Florida and headed to Key Largo for a shoot about coral viruses. The Florida Keys are home to some very healthy reef systems and tons of fish. It’s nice to dive in your own backyard. READ MORE
The team then headed to Bimini to film a pilot for a television show while also teaching underwater photo and video. Aboard the M/V Indigo, the crew spent a week with the wild dolphins of Bimini, sharing the amazing underwater with a great group of guests. READ MORE
Dony Zaidi joined Duncan and Jillian on the dolphin adventure and was also able to participate in a shark rescue. Exploring the island, the crew found black garbage bags that were being used as shark fishing rigs. The team was able to free one large male nurse shark and remove 2 rigs from the ocean. READ MORE
Following dolphins it was time for some sharks and a visit to Tiger Beach. Leading a day trip for Incredible Adventures, Jillian and Duncan shared their love of sharks with an eager group of first timers to the beach. IA offers cage trips, which allows anyone, even if you are not certified, to experience the world of sharks. This trip was also a success in that they were able to sign on 2 new marinas to the Shark Free Initiative. Thank you Grand Bahama Yacht Club and Port Lucaya Marina.
Matt Potenski goes on the other side of the camera as a model for Pauly Jr’s ( of Orange County Chopper fame) new clothing line.
June 2011:
Jillian and Duncan lead a Tiger Beach trip for Incredible Adventures. READ MORE
Season 4 of Whale Wars Airs on Animal Planet. Check out Duncan’s filming experience.
July-September: Duncan and Jillian head for the Shetland Islands where they will join the Sea Shepherd Vessel Brigitte Bardot and head for the Faroe Islands. Between Iceland and Scotland, the Faroe Islands are a world away and the people still actively slaughter pilot whales. Sea Shepherd will be trying to stop a “ grind” from happening and the film crews will be rolling for Whale Wars: Viking Shores. Animal Planet
July 2011:
Matt Potenski covers an Incredible Adventures Tiger Beach trip while Jillian is filming for Animal Planet in the Faroe Islands.
Jillian’s website goes LIVE. Check out Shark-Girl
Matt attends the 2011 American Elasmobranch Society meeting in Minneapolis, Minnesota.
Jillian’s tiger shark image is selected for the official 2011 postcard for the American Elasmobranch Society.
Jillian’s lemon shark image is selected for the 2011 American Elasmobranch Society Calendar.
Oceanicallstars launches its NEW PHOTOGRAPHY site
August 2011:
An evening with Matt Potenski is auctioned off to raise money for the Shark Research Institute. Highest bidder donates to a great cause and gets to chat sharks and photography with Matt.
Jordy Klein films lightening storms across the state of Florida.
Jillian receives Honorable Mention for her image of a lemon shark “smiling” in the Ocean Conservancy 2011 Photo Contest.
October 2011:
Again, no rest for the wicked and as Duncan and Jillian land back in Florida they head for the Everglades. The Everglades are an incredible ecosystem in South Florida that is home to a diverse range of species. This trip is focusing on bull sharks and alligators. READ MORE
Jillian’s article Ghetto Fishing appears in the October issue of GAFF Magazine.
Dony Zaidi speaks at City Hall on behalf of making Toronto Fin Free. Conservationists are pushing to put the ban on shark fin soup in Toronto. Success was reached on Oct. 25 when Toronto became the largest city in Canada to install the ban. It will become affective Sept. 1, 2012. This is a massive stride for shark conservation and will no doubt be an example for a global movement. WATCH IT
Duncan and Jillian visit Palmer Trinity School in Miami, Florida to speak to kids about shark conservation and underwater filming. READ MORE
Matt Potenski heads to Saba to present at Sea & Learn
November-December 2011: Duncan and Jillian finished off the year heading to Australia to prep for Whale Wars Season 5. Aboard they Sea Shepherd vessel Brigitte Bardot again, they headed to Antarctica on December 21. WATCH for it Summer 2012.
November 2011:
Duncan and Jillian visit Berwick Academy to talk to students about shark conservation. READ MORE
Matt Potenski wins Federation Internationale de l'Art Photographique 4th International Contest of Digital Photography - Theme "Nature" with the Contest Catalog
Duncan and Jillian’s footage or world champion freediver William Trubridge airs on ESPN’s E:60 RISK. WATCH IT
December 2011:
Matt Potenski covers an Incredible Adventures Tiger Beach trip for Jillian while she is on her way to Antarctica.
Jillian is named as a featured Shark Angel. The Shark Angels work globally on many levels to unite people for the common goal of saving sharks because sharks need angels too! SHARK ANGELS
Joe Deppen is named as the newest member of the Oceanicallstars Team. Joe brings an incredible amount of diving experience to the team and will be a strong presence at many an upcoming Oceanicallstars adventure. Look for website updates soon!
