Nikole Ordway » A Diver's Journal

About Me

I was born and raised in San Diego, California. Went to college at San Diego State University where I obtained a degree in Biology with an emphasis in Zoology. During college I achieved my dream job as a dolphin trainer for the US Navy's Marine Mammal Program. In 2007, I became a PADI Dive Instructor and worked parttime for Sport Chalet teaching classes. In 2008, I packed up and moved to Hawaii to persue a career in the dive industry. While in Oahu I started painting again and I started enjoying my time freediving. Also while I was in Hawaii I acheived another goal of mine, I became a licensed 100 Ton boat captain. At the end of 2008 I packed up again and I was off on my adventure. The rest is still unwritten...

My Passion

I was put on this earth to teach people to appreciate the ocean and the creatures within it. My mission is to use my adventures and my scuba instructor certification to bring awareness to divers and any one else I encounter in my lifetime. If I can inspire some one to get involved and seek awareness to the present issues that our oceans are facing then I've done my job. I would like to dedicate my work to Steve Irwin...he will forever be in my heart guiding me through my mission.

Along with posting stories of my adventures…I would like to update everyone who reads this with the current issues connected too ocean conservation. So please feel free to email questions, concerns, or comments…I would love to hear from you. Also if you feel like one of my updates has touched you and you want to know how to give more or do something…check out the links on this website.

Tiger Beach 2010

Thursday, July 15, 2010 Posted in Friends & Family, Scuba Diving, Travel

There’s a beach in the Bahamas that’s unlike any other in the world. It’s located 20 miles off the coast of West End, Grand Bahama, and buried like sunken treasure under crystal clear blue water. Divers from around the world go there in search of sharks….lemon sharks, reef sharks, hammerheads, and most of all Tiger Sharks! One of the most famous sharks in the world lives here at Tiger Beach. Her name is Emma, and she is 14 feet long. She is known as a “supermodel”, this means she likes to come in close to pose for the cameras, Emma could possibly be the most photographed wild animal on this planet. Tiger Sharks are very powerful creatures but if you respect them and their space they will not be the ferocious like we all think thanks to the Jaws Hollywood movies. They are truely beautiful creatures and once you get over that 10 mins of fear within the dive you learn to relax and thats when you get the best encounter and the best shots with your camera. If you’re interested in going to meet Emma please go see my friends at Jim Abernethy’s Scuba Adventures, they will take you to an experience of a life time! This was by far once of my eye opening diving experience!

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by Nikole

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Whalesharks in Danger!!!!

Tuesday, July 13, 2010 Posted in Wildlife Conservation

Heres a story from Yucatan Living today………..Its “FACTS” we dont want to think about VERY SOBERING ! This could be the LAST YEAR…..Tragic footnote to add the the Misery & Destruction cause by BP & Prolonged by the Obummer Administration!

Whale Sharks: Silent Deepwater Horizon Victims?Whale Sharks in Mexico

They feed by skimming the surface of the water and they ingest almost anything they find there. If what they swallow kills them, they sink silently to the bottom of the sea. This past week, several juvenile whale sharks were spotted within 4 miles of the origin of the Deepwater Horizon oil spill. Since some of these animals are “site specific” in their behaviors, wherever they were “hanging out” before the original blowout is where they will try to return – only this time, it is feared that, if they considered the Deepwater Horizon rig to be their home waters, then their return will be to their deaths.

The week before, a group of about 100 whale sharks were spotted off of the coast of Louisiana, but in an area where there was, as yet, no oil. What is most upsetting about this issue is that no one knows if the whale sharks along the U.S. coast and those along Yucatan’s coasts are part of the same migratory groups. In fact, no one – anywhere in the world – knows for certain what the migratory patterns of their whale sharks actually are!

Now, and with Mexico in the lead, scientists are getting serious about tracking the largest fish in the world. Since whale sharks not only skim the surface of the ocean to feed, but also dive to great depths, those in the Gulf of Mexico are at risk for death from poison and from suffocation. Finally, while researching this story, we learned another shocking piece of information. The World Conservation Union lists the whale shark as having become a vulnerable population. Yet, the U.S. does not list them as endangered or threatened, and hunting whale sharks in U.S. waters is legal! We are still attempting to decide if that knowledge is heartbreaking, infuriating, or both.

If you’ve been thinking about visiting Isla Holbox to see the whalesharks, don’t put it off any longer! Here are a few places that will help you plan your trip: Holbox Whale Shark Tours

by Nikole

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July 4th at Pro Dive

Tuesday, July 6, 2010 Posted in Friends & Family, Scuba Diving

So I got to work the day with my honey and have some fun out on the new boat we are leasing for the summer, the Scuba Bob. July 4th was a long day but I was rewarded with teaching a couple who stopped diving 5 yrs ago to have kids and are now back diving, taught Reef Check divers in the morning, and had a great time on the night boat watching the fireworks! So all in all it was a good 4th!

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