Unique Experiences

Item Description

Dr. Sylvia Earle  -  Conservationist & Honorary President of the Shark Research Institute

Dr. Earle is the ocean’s most eloquent champion!

She is Explorer in Residence at the National Geographic Society and recently led the Google Ocean Advisory Council, a team of 30 marine scientists providing content and scientific oversight for the "Ocean in Google Earth."

To date, Dr. Earle has led more 70 expeditions, logging more than 7,000 hours underwater. She was the first person to dive solo to 1,250 feet beneath the surface without being connected to a support vessel. She planted the U.S. flag at the floor of the Pacific Ocean near Hawaii during this feat. She also led a team of researchers who lived underwater for two weeks in an expedition known as Tektite II, Mission 6.

In 1990 she was appointed as Chief Scientist of NOAA (National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration) where she served until 1992. In 1992 she founded Deep Ocean Exploration and Research (D O E R), to design, operate, support and consult on manned and robotic sub sea systems.

Dr. Earle has authored more than 90 research papers and her books include Exploring the Deep Frontier, Sea Change (1995), Wild Ocean (1999) and The Atlas of the Ocean (2001). Her books written for children include Coral Reefs, Hello Fish, Sea Critters, and the award-winning Dive!

She has also participated in numerous television productions and has given scientific, technical and general interest lectures in more than 60 countries.

Additionally, Dr. Earle served on the President's Advisory Committee on Oceans and Atmosphere and serves on boards, foundations, and committees supporting marine research, policy, and conservation including the World Resources Institute, World Environment Center, the Woods Hole Oceanographic Institute, Duke University Marine Laboratory, Natural Resource Defense Council, and supports conservation groups and organizations such as Blue Vision Summit and the Shark Research Institute.

Among the more than 100 national and international honors she has received is the 2009 TED Prize for her proposal to establish a global network of marine protected areas. She calls these marine preserves "hope spots... to save and restore... the blue heart of the planet." Dr. Earle is also the founder of Mission Blue. www.thesealliance.org/

Time Magazine recognized and rightly named Dr. Earle as a “Hero of the Planet” and the Library of Congress recognized her as a Living Legend.

To read more about her many accomplishments and awards go to: http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Sylvia_Earle

Item Special Note

Being auctioned is dinner or lunch with one the world’s foremost shark experts or celebrities. It is a unique opportunity to “talk shark” face-to-face, one-on-one, with a real authority on sharks. 

How it works:

1. Bid on a celebrity, shark scientist or conservationist that lives or works in your area, unless you are willing to drive or fly to meet them in their area.

2. The winning bidder pays for the lunch or dinner and may bring as many guests as he or she wishes.

3. We will introduce the winning bidder to the celebrity, scientist or conservationist. The two of you then set a mutually agreeable  date, time and place to meet within one year of the close of the auction.

All winning bids are charitable contributions deductible from US Federal 2013 income taxes.  Funds raised by the auction will be used to support shark research and conservation programs.