2014 Florida Volunteer Updates

As the North Atlantic right whales migrate to the South Georgia/Northern Florida coast each winter volunteers help watch for and capture critical details related to this endangered species. This information helps scientists track the fate of the species and acts as a first alert system to pilots in the shipping lanes to avoid accidental killings. This blog shares the findings, photos and other pertinent information gathered from the Palm Coast Sector Volunteer Team while helping to connect and communicate the many ways we can protect the right whales and sustain our wonderful ocean life.

Saturday, November 20, 2010

The Original Lobster Float Rope Door Mats


Ok. Update on the float rope door mats. The first person to come up with the idea for this product AND continues to help the Maine lobster fishermen and the North Atlantic right whale population is David Bird and his company is called Custom Cordage. 
Buying these mats helps to safeguard the right whales, support lobstermen and protect the environment and keep the employees of Custom Cordage working all year round. So far 500,000 pounds of rope destined for landfills has been rescued by Mr. Bird’s company and they’ve reused more than 100,000 pounds in these doormats. 
You can purchase these beautiful, durable, original, hand-made door mats made from reclaimed Maine lobster fishermen's float rope at the following online retailers - one even has a sale going on this weekend!  I think I'm getting the YELLOW and green one! I mean, tis the season, right?
Yours in the ocean life. CS
Where to buy the original door mats....

  



More on how these Door Mats came to be....
And don't forget - the Right Whale Festival is today at Jacksonville Beach. Hope to see you there!

   

Tuesday, November 16, 2010

A Whale of a Solution You Can Stand On...

    David Bird - founder / owner of Custom Cordage

I'm sitting here watching a pod of dolphin roll up and over the ocean's sparkling surface reminding me that our whale watch season is just beyond the next wave. In fact, this Saturday, November 20 I'll be heading up to Jacksonville for the Northern Right Whale Festival not only to help officially kick off the season but also to check out a cool product - the amazingly beautiful and durable door mats made from the float-rope once used by Maine's lobster fishermen! That's right. Door mats hand made by the folks at Custom Cordage. 

There was a problem related to our whales up in New England. Lobstermen were using a type of rope called a float-rope to string together many traps along the ocean floor and up to the buoys. The problem was that the whales often became entangled in the ropes which led to a number of injuries and sometimes deaths. Then the state of Maine mandated the lobstermen stop using the float-rope and start using a new and safer rope called a sink-rope. But how would they convince the lobstermen to turn in their expensive rope and how would they dispose of the thousands of pounds of old rope? That's when David Bird stepped in and came up with a creative solution to reuse the rope. 

Of course there are others involved like the local government that helps motivate the lobstermen to turn in their expensive rope with a buy-back program and David's company collects and recycles the rope and turns it into beautiful and virtually indestructible...hand made door mats! So if you're heading up to Jacksonville for the festival this Saturday check out their booth and pick up a door mat or two. They make great gifts!

Yours in the ocean life, CS.
Saturday, November 20 / 10 AM - 4 PM
Jacksonville Beach, Seawalk Pavilion