A Bit From Under The Sea

The diving was interesting …. the visibility ranged from ok to not so great most days. Honestly, while I have attached pictures to this post (and they show you some of the amazing creatures we saw), my hope is that you will read it more than look at the pictures this time….

So here I go…
It is hard to appreciate how much a spot in the ocean is changing when you visit for just a week and never come back. It is even harder to connect to and care for something that is not part of your daily life (like the islands or any vacation spot for that matter). But we all need too. The Perhentians are suffering from the same ills as the rest of the enviornment – "development".

The coral here, like the rest of the ocean and the life it supports (fish, sharks, micro life, whales, US), is in real trouble. Afflicted by rising temperatures and increased ocean acidity from all things human (pollution, over consumption, etc.) not to mention humans thinking of the ocean as an inexhaustible resource. I have seen similar conditions in all sites I have dove in the past 12 years.

While diving in the Perhentians, I felt a number of times like there was an absence of fish/life; the feeling was confirmed by some of the dive masters later above water. Overfishing is a tremendous problem around the world, but when you are in the water, year after year, it is obvious. The waste, created by tourism expansion, was also huge. There was plastic, trash and fishing nets visible on almost every dive. Mind you, we were diving in a marine park…..

The resorts and dive operators, who rely on tourism for their livelihood, seemed to be trying but give up quickly. They shrugged their shoulders when I reminded them not to change the towels/sheets daily, kept putting straws in my drink when I asked them not too. Dive operators were also unable to help me understand why divers who couldn't control themselves underwater were allowed to dive in a marine park (I actually saw a guy knock off about 100 years of coral growth with a single fin stroke because he couldn't maintain buoyancy – he didn't even have the awareness to realize he did it!) Apparently, taking the newly certified diver to a different, less developed place OR coaching him to stay high on the reef before the dive was not an option for the dive operator (maybe they were worried he would be disappointed).

Finally, I couldn't help think it was completely ironic that after each day of diving, the same people who noticed the absence of creatures or trash present in the ocean tucked heartily into meals of the very fish they wanted to see ALIVE in the ocean while they sucked down water from plastic bottles. I kept wondering when are people going to get it and realize WHAT EACH INDIVIDUAL DOES MATTERS!

So, I will ask you, dear reader, to do me a favor for which I will be deeply greatful (you can name your price later:)…Watch one (or all) of these movies –

If you don't want to rent or download one of those movies, watch one of these thought provoking, 20 min presentations from TED – Brian Skerry or Jeremy Jackson (just click on name to view)

Most folks that know me, know that I am a passionate person – particularly on the environment, oceans and human rights. They also know I get teased for my passions (being a vegetarian, carrying my own water bottle, fighting with the grocery store baggers to use my reusable bags, etc.) but I am beyond caring.

The simple truth is that I could do more than I do today – just like everyone else. Here are websites (ideas or action) I use to figure out what more I can do or take action – I hope you find them useful.

Thanks for reading and now, I hope you enjoy the pictures….