Greg Mooney, 47 of Fort Lauderdale, tuned in the Academy Awards on Sunday evening just as the majority of us did: With a small group of friends at someone's home. But, his gathering took place in Los Angeles, and he watched his film, "The Cove," win an Oscar.

"It's certainly been a crazy ride," Mooney said on Monday morning. Mooney, runs Moondog Dive Outfitters and is also a marine technician for the Oceanic Preservation Society, created by "The Cove" director, Louie Psihoyos.

Dolphin activist Ric O'Barry of Coconut Grove and expedition director Simon Hutchins, of Fort Lauderdale, are South Floridians who portrayed important roles in the film. Palm Beach resident and Netscape founder Jim Clark financed the film. "The Cove," secretly filmed over a period of three years, chronicles the annual events of thousands of dolphins into a confined cove in Taiji, Japan. Some animals are transported to marine mammal exhibits around the world. The remaining are stabbed with spears, slaughtered and their meat sold for food in Japan."I'm extremely humbled," Mooney said of "The Cove" winning the Oscar against "amazing" competition in the best feature documentary category. "It's definitely a very powerful movie. The undergoing of these horrible events to animals are very important issues," said Mooney. "Everyone loves dolphins.

"Mooney said concern for the oceans activities and its resources is a huge family affair of ours. Mooney's father, Burke, a Fort Lauderdale yacht captain, designed and built bow cameras that were used in "The Cove.""My family and I and the majority of people I socialize with around town, that's our lifestyle. We take it extremely seriously, that's just who we are," said Mooney. Mooney was encouraged by reports that the film's distribution company has arranged to debut "The Cove" in Japan in May or June."This is a depleted environment," he said. "People really need to wake up and look around." He expects to return to his Ft. Lauderdale home on Tuesday, and not allowing stardom to go to his head.