Inventor, videographer and photographer Michael McCarthy has become world famous for his amazing shots using a combination of drones and other cameras filming wildlife in Tampa Bay. He is also the owner of the See Through Canoe Company, which was established in 2007. “We started by producing clear kayaks,” he said, “but have since expanded into producing clear paddleboards and clear boats.”
In addition to his watercraft, however, he has become world-famous for his wildlife shots from Tampa Bay and surrounding areas. Too many divers dismiss the west coast of Florida for its lack of coral reefs, but that is more than made up for by the enormous variety of animals showcased by McCarthy. Referring to himself, he said: “Getting outside, exploring, and having awesome wildlife encounters is what feeds my soul, and I enjoy sharing the places I go, and the wildlife encounters I have with others. I like to inspire others to get out and appreciate nature and these videos, as well as the clear boats, are a great way to do that.”
His footage is regularly featured online and by television stations. One video of his actually has over 35 million views and is growing. He regularly shares his nature encounters and videos on the See Through Canoe Company’s social media pages.
In one clip he discovered a manatee calf chewing on plastic and had to work diligently to convince the youngster to let it go. We’re going to be talking a lot about the dangers of plastic to marine animals during our Mermaids and Mangroves fundraiser August 2nd at No Manors Bar, but there’s no better proof of why it’s important than to watch this youngster whom McCarthy nicknamed Tater Tot play with his dangerous toy.