Paul Cater Deaton: News

Two of Paul's productions from the recent Philippines expedition have just gone live on Ocean in Google Earth. "It Takes a Village to Save a Reef" and "'Wild Reef' at Shedd Aquarium Inspired by Apo Island" are companion pieces about coral reef conservation in the Philippines, and telling taht story through a remarkable exhibit at Chicago's John G. Shedd Aquarium. See the locator pearls on Apo Island, in the Philippines, and the Shedd Aquarium.

It is my pleasure to announce that my good friend, Adham Khamis, and I are negotiating an expedition to Egypt, the Sinai and Red Sea for Summer 2010! Adham owns and operates one of the leading Egyptian tour operations, and is one of the owners of the Red Sea liveaboard dive boat, Wildcat. I have made three expeditions with Adham and WildCat, and they have my highest recommendation.

This expedition will be promoted at dive shows and film festivals this season, and schedules and costs should be posted by mid-March.

The following are some insights I have gleaned from years of travel in the country I call "The Place Where History Was Invented."

As with any expedition, ours begins at the airport. In Cairo, passport control officers and other officials are quite convivial, and we usually have to spend very little time clearing customs and immigration. Given the language difficulties, and the complexities of the city, taking a taxi from the airport is NOT recommended. What we have done in the past is to arrange our flights such that we all meet along the way (in Paris, Milan, Rome, London, or Frankfurt) and all arrive in Cairo together. I shall personally work on those logistics as the dates grow nearer and travelers get signed up.

Arriving at the airport in Cairo, we are picked up by a bus dispatched by Adham. In all likelihood, Adham himself will be there to greet us, along with his ever-present driver and assistant, Mohammed. We shall be driven through the streets of Cairo to a luxury hotel. Cairo by night is a stunning experience, a riot of color and activity. We sometimes stay at the Sheraton on the Nile, overlooking the Cairo Opera House.

All overnight accommodations and regular meals are included in the price of the expedition. This includes the hotels in Cairo, St. Catherine's and Luxor, and in Sharm El Sheikh. A day room may be provided if we travel to Nuweibah. Adham maintains positive relationships with hoteliers across Egypt, resulting in the best accommodations for the price. Our rooms in Luxor have included the beautiful Sofitel, on the banks of the Nile, and the famed Hotel Movenpick, which occupies its own island in the Nile. These accommodations are subject to price and availability.

Given the great diversity of the locations we shall visit, it is important to note that rooms vary on the luxury scale. They will always be clean, comfortable, and memorable. This is, after all, adventure travel, from which come the best stories and most enduring memories!

For example, the cabins at Daniela Village are our usual lodgings in St. Catherine's, where we rest before and after our climb up Mt. Sinai. The simple rooms are quite charming, and more than equal to our requirements. The staff are cordial and attentive, and an outdoor Bedouin "living room" provides a unique photo backdrop to remember our adventure there. While visiting St. Catherine, we can dine under the stars with Bedouin tribesmen at their Camp. Reclined on pillows on the ground, we enjoy chicken and other dishes grilled over an open fire, and drink our fill.

All travel, transfers, applicable road and air travel between destinations are also included. About the only modes of travel not included in the package are the camels we ride most of the way up Mt. Sinai. I strongly recommend spending the extra $75 or so for this experience. Another highlight at an additional cost of some $90 US is the hot air balloon flight over the Nile Valley, between that majestic river and the Valley of the Kings. No one has ever passed on this experience!

Gratuities are not included, and I must tell you that the Egyptian world revolves around tips. "Baksheesh" is the Arabic word for "share," and we shall have many opportunities to share with drivers, porters, guides, waiters and, of course, the WildCat crew. In all candor, we can expect to be approached by Egyptians who wish to provide various unsolicited services. Some will, for example, try to take our bags from us and carry them the few steps from the van to the doors of the airport, then expect baksheesh. We may politely refuse this service.

Security concerns are uppermost in the minds of many Americans considering travel to destinations near the Middle East. We must keep this in perspective. In my estimation, Cairo is as safe as Houston or St. Thomas. As in any other locale, one must exercise common sense. The overwhelming majority of people in Egypt LOVE Americans.

As I point out in my documentary, "Egypt: Karnak to Coral Reef," the Egyptian Tourism Police maintain a strong presence. These officers are highly visible at every airport, seaport, crossroads, tourist attraction, railroad crossing, ancient site and major hotel or resort in the country. Our buses are accompanied by courteous, well-trained, armed, plainclothes officers.

Buses typically travel in convoys, accompanied by police. We shall see more AK-47s than at a Kalashnikov family reunion. These officers take their jobs very seriously, and their presence is a serious deterrent. The result is that Egypt has suffered very few incidents against tourists. Not to put too fine a point on this, but my daughter has toured Egypt with me, and I place her personal security far above my own.

I hold a very strong bond with Egypt, and feel that my experiences there have changed my life. It is an extraordinary country, and the group with whom we are traveling is first-rate. Please feel free to contact me with any further questions. We shall, of course, keep in closer contact as the dates grow nearer. I look forward to our journey together.

Warmest personal regards,
Paul
Expedition Leader

Manila - Paul Cater Deaton has returned from a highly productive two-week shoot in the southern Philippines. It was his second expedition to southeast Asia. He and Monica Gephart joined legendary filmmaker Stan Waterman and famed underwater photographer Lynn Funkhouser on Negros Orientales to film the reefs of Dumaguete, and the islands of Apo and Siquijor. They also shot sequences in Manila, Tokyo and Chicago.

Footage from this expedition will become part of Paul's continuing coverage of the Coral Triangle for "Ocean in Google Earth." It will also be the basis of the next underwater film in his "One World - One Dude" series.

"The Coral Triangle - A Fragile Treasure" by Paul Cater Deaton recently went live on Ocean in Google Earth! Find the Locator Pearl in the Ceram Sea, east of Papua/New Guinea. This 60-second piece is the first of a series Paul is producing for Google Earth. Upcoming productions will include glimpses of undersea creatures, animal behaviors, and exploration of some of the most lush, pristine coral reefs on the planet.

San Francisco - The newest version of Google Earth includes video content by Paul Cater Deaton. He contributed several video compositions to the “Explore the Ocean” layer of Ocean in Google Earth. A key component of Google Earth 5.0, this feature enables users to dive beneath the surface of the sea and explore the world's oceans.

Google Earth 5.0 was launched at the California Academy of Sciences, in San Francisco. Speaking at the event were Google CEO Eric Schmidt; The Honorable Al Gore; John Hanke, Director, Google Earth and Maps; Sylvia Earle, Explorer-in-residence, National Geographic; Terry Garcia, Executive Vice President for Mission Programs, National Geographic Society; and Singer/Songwriter, Jimmy Buffett.

Deaton’s “Red Sea Shipwrecks” and “Ras Mohammed National Park in the Egyptian Red Sea” outline reef conservation and sustainability efforts in the waters off Egypt. "Pelagic Tunicates Roam the World's Oceans" is set in the Western Indian Ocean, and "Nudibranchs" focuses on the Great Barrier Reef.

Ocean in Google Earth comes closer to his Caribbean home with Deaton's "Invasion of the Lionfish” and "Protecting the Reefs of Bonaire," set in the Gulf of Mexico and Caribbean Sea.

A multiple award-winning writer, producer, director and cinematographer, Deaton lives on St. Thomas and travels the world on filming expeditions. Shooting on six continents over a career spanning 31 years, Deaton has spent thousands of hours underwater in many of the world's oceans and seas. His insights bring a unique perspective to Ocean in Google Earth.

Deaton was one of the first independent filmmakers approached to provide content for Ocean in Google Earth. His work joins that of National Geographic, the BBC, Cousteau Society, National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration and other entities devoted to global oceans.

“It has been a genuine honor to be involved in this project,” says Deaton, “and I have been asked to play a continuing role in future versions.”

Ocean in Google Earth was conceptualized by world-renowned marine scientist, Dr. Sylvia Earle, and the creators of Google Earth. When invited to participate in the initiative, Deaton leapt at the opportunity.

“Dr. Earle personifies marine discovery and conservation,” Deaton said. “Sylvia Earle and her colleagues are the platinum standard, and working alongside such titans is an unparalleled opportunity.”

Paul is currently spending a lot of time on St. Croix (the "Big Island" of the Virgin Islands), filming scenes for "The Beer-Drinking Pigs of St. Croix!" This film will premiere on 8 March at the prestigious Boston Sea Rovers show!

At the same time, he is producing a documentary on the suppression of a subterranean fire at the Anguilla landfill there. Firefighters from Texas are working closely with heavy machinery operators from St. Croix to extinguish the fire, which has been burning for several years. More news on both these films as things develop!

We want to give "big ups" to Senator Shawn-Michael Malone (Virgin Islands Legislature), Jimez "Boogie" Ashby (A-9 Trucking), Ed Buckley (St. Croix Ultimate Blue Water Adventures) and Hotel Caravelle for their participation in these productions! St. Croix rocks!