BlooSee.com, a new, free Internet service, brings Web 2.0 to ocean lovers by allowing people from all over the world to map and share information about the ocean.BlooSee It’s a bit like wikipedia, but uses Google Earth/Maps imagery and a very intuitive interface. Also, BlooSee is a social network and it’s linked to other networks such as Facebook and Twitter.

BlooSee.com assigns a URL to each ocean or coastal location—which allows users to share information via social networks. “If I want to blog, Tweet, or Facebook about a movie or a book, I can link to a website. But what if I want to blog, Tweet, or Facebook about a seal pod, a snorkeling spot, or a dangerous rip current? Or what if I want to have conversations about the ocean using social networks? Now I can do all of the above with BlooSee”, said Manuel Maqueda, VP of Community and Strategy of BlooSee.

On BlooSee user contributions are called “infopoints,” which are bits of information shown on precise geographical coordinates over satellite images of the world’s oceans and coasts.Right now users can create 110 different types of infopoints on BlooSee. Some infopoints are navigation-related (e.g., lighthouses, harbors, and Coastguard stations) while others are related to water sports (e.g., surfing and snorkeling spots, or underwater caves). Sixteen types ofinfopoints are dedicated to dangers such as rip currents, uncharted underwater rocks, or pirate attacks. Other Infopoints are dedicated to marine art and history, such as museums, monuments, and historical sites.

The ocean is the largest ecosystem on the planet, and BlooSee is also a place where users can find protected natural areas, sea turtle nesting beaches, whale watching spots, and more.In addition, BlooSee is a place to share and find practical information, such as fuel docks, chandlers, restaurants, bait shops, surfing schools, and restaurants. According to Manuel Maqueda, “In a sense, BlooSee is ‘the Yelp of the sea,’ because it allows sea lovers to find and rate the businesses and services they need.”

The BlooSee social network is synched with Twitter and Facebook, allowing Twitter followers and Facebook friends to experience the users’ activity on BlooSee. BlooSee users retain total control over how they want their BlooSee activity to be broadcast.

According to Manuel Maqueda, “BlooSee is like having Wikipedia, Google Maps, Facebook, and Yelp all in one place, focused on the enjoyment, knowledge, and conservation of the ocean.”

BlooSee is in public beta and open to all users for free.

Via EPR Network