A passionate adventurer with a heart as deep as the ocean and a spirit as boundless as the sea - that's Shelby Drake in a nutshell. Have you ever wished there was an easier way to identify all the ocean life you see while diving? Well, Shelby felt the same way! She created super cool Underwater Spotter Guides that are perfect for divers and explorers of all ages. Let's get to know more about her journey and the inspiration for the creation of her educational books that bring the magic of the ocean to life and make marine animal identification fun!
Why did you create the Underwater Spotter Ocean Life Guides?
Shelby's mom actually sparked the whole idea! They were on a diving trip together, and her mom wished there was a simpler way to learn about all the amazing fish they saw. So, Shelby decided to create guides that are like underwater treasure hunts – you get to learn cool facts and tick off the creatures you spot! How fun is that?
How do you find all the info for the guides?
Shelby uses a super cool resource called REEF.org. It's like a big online notebook where people from all over the world share the fish they see while diving. This helps Shelby know which fishy friends to feature in each guide! You can even become a citizen scientist and contribute your own sightings!
How do you make sure the info is accurate?
Accuracy is super important to Shelby. She checks the REEF.org data, dives herself to see the amazing creatures, and even chats with local diving experts to make sure everything is scientifically correct!
What was the trickiest part about making the guides?
Besides learning how to design and print a book (which is way harder than it looks!), Shelby had to become an underwater photographer! You can't just use any pictures, so she took many of the awesome photos you see in the guides herself. It took a few years to create all the guides we have today – there's a lot of work that goes into making them perfect!
What's your coolest diving memory?
While diving in Turks and Caicos, a dive guide told Shelby about a super rare octopus he'd never seen. Guess what? Shelby found it on a night dive with her buddy Holly! They hung out with this amazing creature for a bit and even got some incredible photos.
How do your guides help new divers?
Each Underwater Spotter guide has fish of all difficulty levels, so beginners can find some easy ones to identify. Plus, even experienced divers might be new to fish identification, so the guides help everyone learn something new!
How can your guides help protect the ocean?
By helping people learn about all the amazing fish, Shelby hopes to turn them into ocean protectors! When you know and love something, you want to take care of it, right?
What cool tech do you use for your guides?
Shelby's two main tools are her computer and her underwater camera. The computer helps her research, write, design, and print the guides. The camera lets her take all those awesome underwater photos so you can see the fish you're learning about!
Any advice for future marine enthusiasts?
Never stop dreaming! Shelby never thought she'd be a book publisher or photographer, but she followed her passion and created something amazing. So, chase your ocean dreams, no matter how big or small!
What's next for Underwater Spotter?
Shelby wants to create even more location guides and special guides featuring sharks and whales! Her goal is to inspire the next generation of ocean protectors – that's pretty awesome!
So there you have it! Shelby Drake's passion and hard work have created a fin-tastic way to explore the wonders of the underwater world. With the help of these Underwater Spotter guides, you can be an ocean expert in no time! Are you ready to grab your flippers and dive into the deep? Grab your California Guide below and let the adventures begin. For other destination guides go to https://underwaterspotter.com/discount/WATERFRONT10 for 10% off your first purchase.