International Lifestyle Magazine Issue 51 | Page 51

- Diving Belize’s Blue Hole with explorer Jacques Cousteau’s conservationist granddaughter Alexandra. - Flying in professional filming helicopters used in BBC’s Planet Earth to capture spectacular footage of dolphin pods on the hunt - Mooring an expedition yacht off a deserted archipelago as gourmet chefs prepare the catch of the day under the southern cross. - Taking the lead with an underwater camera to film a migrating speckled whale shark with a mouth the size of a VW Beetle. - Relaxing after a hard days filming by jumping into a lagoon filled with natural phosphorescence - Exploring fascinating cultures and soulful stories with chiefs of the remote fishing tribes on the Pacific islands of Sonsorol - Sipping fresh passion fruit cocktails while enjoying the rushes of the previous day’s shoot cut together by professional editors. Unlike other luxury travel, MCE bespoke each expedition to ensure its both impossible to replicate and refreshingly intimate. Participants are guaranteed diving with the world’s rarest marine life, professional film training and a lifetime’s worth of conservation expertise, interacting with leading conservation CEOs and local grassroots heroes and of course, bonding with MCE’s fun-loving team as the creative process of producing each film unfolds. Film director Ian Kellett confides, “The goal of these expeditions is two-fold: to create films and outreach events that inspire the local stewardship of marine environments, plus offer a growing niche of eco-conscious philanthropists the chance to leave the ultimate social and eco-legacy whilst taking the voyage of a life time.” “Not a day goes by without smiling as I reminisce about our adventure. - I’ve described it to friends as a lifeenriching experience” (Karen S. Expedition Belize guest) The next trip to set sail is destined for remote Palau in Micronesia in November 2013. Working the distant atolls of Palau, Executive Producers will take an active role in filming the region’s thriving shark sanctuary and join drift dives amidst WWII shipwrecks that cling to this abundant, untouched archipelago. Guests will also be invited to sail on the original sailboat The Outrigger with native fishermen, who still sail purely using the starlit night sky as their compass. What are you waiting for? [email protected] www.marineconservationexpeditions.com True to the company’s ethos, guests’ downtime comes with a sustainable thumbs up. To this end, all expedition yachts chartered comply with pollution prevention standards. Sumptuous daily catches of lobster (only when in season), freshest seafood platters, sunset cocktails, a sunken deck Jacuzzi and spacious private cabins ensure individuals can unwind in style after countless daily jaw-dropping pursuits. www.internationallifestylemagazine.com