Unique Experiences

Item Description

Richard H. Stewart IV — Ocean Explorer, Publisher and Editor, Photojournalist and Television Producer

Meet Richard Stewart for lunch or dinner in Ocala, Florida

Richard Stewart began diving at the age of eight (his father was a YMCA dive instructor) and from 1972 to 1976 operated his Stewart Camera and Dive Center. In 1974, he co-founded and was travel editor of Florida Diver magazine.  In 1976, he founded and was the publisher and editor of the nationally circulated magazine, Sport Diver (still in print as of today).

In 1980, he sold the magazine to Ziff-Davis Publishing and founded Ocean Realm Television and Publishing which pioneered the design and construction of the television industry's first underwater ENG (electronic news gathering) underwater video camera system for Sony, and in the mid 80's for Panasonic's RECAM video production system.

Throughout the 80's, Richard and his television team provided field producer and underwater video production services for HBO, PBS, ABC's Good Morning America and 20/20 with Hugh Downs and Geraldo Rivera (who he also certified in scuba).

He is also credited with co-designing, along with famed Canadian underwater housing manufacturer Val Renikins (today's Aquatica manufacturing company), the first consumer underwater video system. In addition, he launched and is currently the publisher and editor-in-chief of Ocean Realm Magazine - a coffee-table quality dive, adventure, and environmental magazine.

During those same years, he co-founded and was executive producer of OceanFest, an annual consumer dive expo in Miami, Florida, featuring Jean-Michel Cousteau, Jimmy Buffet, Scott Carpenter, and other headliners. He was co-founder of the Ocean Wilderness Society and Survival of the Sea Society and was an executive committee member of Save The Manatee with Jimmy Buffet. From 1988 to 1992, he created and published several publications including Sport Diver Trade Journal, Sport Diver Traveler, Sport Diver Underwater Photography Annual, and co-published Aqua Corps, the industry's first technical diving magazine.

In 1992, Richard founded the B2B Dive Travel Association and created and produced the industry's first Dive Travel Conference. He lectures nationwide on dive travel marketing and media and serves as a marketing consultant to the resort industry worldwide.

In 2000, he created Big Grouper Media to publish specialty titles: Splash Adventures, Caribbean Island Adventures, Out Island Adventures, Dive Travel Specialist and Watersports Retailing. The following year he founded the Planet Ocean Society and was the Executive Director until 2004.

From 2004 to present, Richard founded Ocean Realm Media to republish Ocean Realm magazine, renamed the Ocean Realm Journal, and additionally is currently publisher and editor of the EcoGuide Travel Series, The ECOJOURNAL, EcoTourism Trends, EcoImages, SCUBA LifeStyles and Watersports Biz.

Richard is also founder of the World EcoAlliance, organizer of the World Eco-Summit / State of the Oceans Summit held in Costa Rica.  

                                               www.RichardHStewartIVcom.

Item Special Note

The objective of this auction is to spotlight individuals and organizations working effectively for ocean conservation, and raise funds for field research, education and conservation projects.

Being auctioned is dinner or lunch with one the world’s foremost shark experts or celebrities. This 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 guests.
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 deductible from US Federal 2017 income taxes as Charitable Donations.