Lens-Artists Challenge #125 – Save the Ocean
This week it’s all up to us – Tina asked us to choose our subject and to share whatever it is about it that we find interesting.
I’m always interested in our planet earth. April 22 this year marked the 50th anniversary of the first Earth Day in 1970. For this post, I would like to reflect on what oceans mean to us and the part we play to save the ocean.
Oceans are the lifeblood of our planet and all the creatures that live there. They cover nearly three-quarters of the earth and hold 97% of our planet’s water. We depend on the oceans for the air we breathe, the water we drink, the food we eat and even the products that keep us warm, safe, informed, and entertained. Ocean water can give our brain and senses a rest from overstimulation, get into a mindful state, and trigger insights and ideas. It also inspires us to be more compassionate and connected.
“There’s nothing more beautiful than the way the ocean refuses to stop kissing the shoreline, no matter how many times it’s sent away.” – Sarah Kay
A morning walk with some lady friends on Huntington Beach, California.
“The heart of man is very much like the sea, it has its storms, it has its tides, and, in its depths, it has its pearls too.” – Vincent van Gogh
My husband dived in the Great Barrier Reef, Australia. His diving buddy took the photo.
“The sea knows no limits, makes no concessions. It has given us everything and it can take everything away from us.” – John Ajvide Lindqvist
Our last trip to Maui, Hawaii, on the way to Road to Hana.
“We are like islands in the sea, separate on the surface but connected in the deep.” – William James
We loved to visit Makena Beach, Maui, Hawaii.
“Dance with the waves, move with the sea, let the rhythm of the water set your soul free.” — Christy Ann Martine
This was one of the surfers paradise day with waves at 10 feet high at Newport Beach, California.
“The ocean stirs the heart, inspires the imagination and brings eternal joy to the soul.” – Robert Wyland
I was so excited to see the school of dolphins swam under our diving boat in North Carolina.
“Like the ocean that remains calm in its depths even when waves rage over its surface, and like the sun that continues shining on high even during storms, we can at each moment create value and develop our state of life, enjoying our existence to the fullest in times of both suffering and joy.” –Daisaku Ikeda
Our first day of the Ensenada cruise on the North Pacific Ocean.
Ocean Threats and Solutions
Human Activities are threatening the health of the world’s oceans. More than 80 percent of marine pollution comes from land-based activities. From coral bleaching to sea level rise, entire marine ecosystems are rapidly changing. Global warming is causing alterations in ocean chemistry and many oceanic processes, and it is threatening many species of marine animals that cannot cope with higher temperatures. Overfishing is a serious problem in many parts of the world.
Conservationists advocate creating expansive marine reserves to protect the biodiversity of the oceans. We can play our part to reduce carbon dioxide, use reusable instead of single-use plastic products, properly dispose of hazardous materials, use less fertilizer, pick up garbage and littler near beaches, and buy ocean-friendly products and eat sustainable seafood – Sustainable seafood guide.
The Economist Group’s World Ocean Initiative asked Sir David Attenborough and four other leading thinkers on ocean conservation how they would invest $1 billion to protect the ocean.
YouTube June 8, 2020 12:11 minutes
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Lens-Artists Challenge #125 – Save the Ocean
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The Showers of Blessings 
Amazing photos, Miriam and I love your quotes. I agree, we need to do something or we will end up with a dead planet.
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Exactly, Carla, right now the water level of the planet rises one inch a year. It may accelerate as more glacier melts. We can do the math.
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I went to Banff several years ago and couldn’t believe how far the glaciers had receded.
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Yes, the glacier walls collapsed sheet after sheet caught on videos. It’s frightening.
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Inspirational quotes and beautiful photos . . . blog well done!
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Thank you, Mark. The quotes are inspiring to me!
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Beautiful photos with a beautiful clause. I love ocean myself and is an avid scuba diver. I love being one with the sea.
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That’s wonderful, Kally. Do you still dive often? I like swimming but am afraid of deep water. I was told diving is different. I know divers need certain weight to dive down. I’ve seen instructor added weight to the divers.
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My last dive trip was in September. It’s monsoon period now so I’ve got to wait until March for calm seas.
Diving is very different from swimming. In fact, once you are envelope into the sea, you will feel a nice sense of calmness.
Yes, I do need weight to sink because I’m very floaty! Lol. I need around 3.5kg of weight to bring me down.
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That’s wonderful that you still can do what you love to do, Kally.
I remember seeing the photos from my sister’s family of four diving. They’re not active swimmers. They were holding the rope from the diving boat to guide them to the bottom of the sea. It sounds doable to me.
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Diving is definitely doable. If you like to give it a try but feeling unsure, try signing up for Discovery Scuba Diving (DSD).
Its a two hours trial where you get to put on all the gears and get dedicated one-to-one instructor who will guide you gently either in a swimming pool or near a shore. DSD usually are not expensive depending where you go.
This is the best way to try out to see if you like diving!
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We do have a local store where my husband went to get refreshed and renew his certification. I’ll check into DSD. Thanks, Kally.
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You’re most welcome. I do hope one day you will give it a try and if you do, tell me all about it!
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For sure, Kally. I’m curious!
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Pingback: Lens-Artists Challenge #125 – Save the Ocean – CherdyMusic
I’ve only been out on the ocean on a boat once near Wilmington, NC – and I saw dolphins too! They seem to be very friendly.
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Dolphins are friendly. My husband swam with the dolphin once when the boat went out to the diving spot.
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Yay! I would do that if I could swim very well, but I can only swim very short distances.
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Haha, I can even float, HRR. I was almost drown when I was young and I’m still afraid of water.
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Miriam, this post is purely stunning! Thank you for composing it so beautifully. I had never heard the van Gogh quote, and I love it. Have a wonder-filled weekend. Hugs on the wing.
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I completely agree! Oceans are our lifeblood, and we really need to take care of them. Thanks for raising awareness on this extremely important issue. : )
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Yes, Cathleen. Some teachers do a good job to make cleaning up the beach as a field trip. Most of the stores here don’t use the single use plastic bags and charge 10¢ each for resistable bags. So there’s less plastic gets to the trash. I’m glad to see this happened ☺️.
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A beautiful post Miriam! Your Photos are fantastic as usual! And a good message to boot!
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Thank you, Dwight. 🙂
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You are welcome!
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This is a wonderful post, Miriam. I love the photos, quotes, and information. The ocean is so beautiful and important. We really need to take good care of it. Thanks for sharing! ❤ xo
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A beautiful and important post, Miriam. Mesmerizing images of the ocean and unsettling knowledge about what is going on. To save our oceans and to save our planet will take our whole energy packet. Not listening to the scientists and acting accordingly will be disastrous. Well photographed and well done thought provoking.
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What a beautiful post, Miriam. I love the quotes that you find to accompany your photos. The dolphin photo was my favorite. What gorgeous creatures and what a beautiful shot. A lovely tribute to the life-blood of our planet. ❤
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Amazing gorgeous photographs! I love our planet, the ocean and absolutely agree with you in your post!
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I love the ocean. Grew up in Hong Kong surrounded by the sea!
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Ah so good to know 🙂
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Thank you. 🙂
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Great photos Miriam. Nature is eternally amazing.
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It is, John. It’s an amazing home to us!
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Gorgeous pictures. Hawaii has amazing beaches. I’ve only been a few times but each visit, I felt like nature rules. That’s a good feeling.
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I know, having the ocean all around makes me feel small but also feel part of a great thing. My husband wants to move there but that’s a different story that won’t happen 😃.
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I think they’re too low key for me. I like a little more stress and aggravation in my day!
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Same for me. I’m a city girl all my life. I need more cultural activities such-like as concerts and art museums and maintained parks… and easy access to many things!
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Gorgeous pictures, Miriam:) I’ve been missing the ocean and it’s great to see it here. We do have to take care of it.
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We do, Denise. We have to take care of the woods and the rainforest also. Thank you for your comment. ☺️
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Stunning photos, Miriam! Wow!
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That you very much, Jan! 💞☺️
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These are all absolutely gorgeous!!! I LOVE the ocean! Thank You so very much, Miriam!!! 💕💕💕
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I love the ocean also. I live by the water in different places all my life. Thank you for your comment!! 💞💖💞
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My pleasure! And me too!!!Water babies unite!!! 😅💕🌊💖🐬💕😊
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Wonderful! 💖 🌊☺️
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Magnificent ocean views! In February, I was in a submarine getting my own up close and personal look at the second largest coral reef system in the world (Mesoamerican Reef at Cozumel, Mexico.)
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Oh, John, I have to tell my husband about that. He dived in Australia, Hawaii, NC, and a few other places, but never thought of Mexico. What’s the first largest coral reef system? Is it Great Barrier Reef?
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The Great Barrier Reef is the largest. The Meso-american Reef system runs from Isla Roatan, Honduras, by Belize, and along the Yucatán In Mexico. We also saw parts of the reef by glass bottom boat at Roatan.
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I’m not a diver. I can go on the glass bottom boat!! We can’t wait until we can travel again.
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I am not a diver either. I have to say that the Atlantis submarine excursion was a great viewing platform. It is a submarine that holds about 40 tourist plus a crew. Unless you are claustrophobic, it is a real adventure.
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Sounds good. It’s closer than Australia which is 17 hours flight.
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An excellent choice for the challenge Miriam – and a reminder that “challenge” is exactly what is in front of us when it comes to addressing climate change, especially as related to our oceans. Your images are beautiful and a wonderful reminder of what we stand to lose if we continue to abuse the very ecosystems that support us. Well said and well shown.
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Thank you, Tina. It broke my heart to watch the beautiful corel died because the water is warmer, the whales entangled by the wastes or large plastics or got trapped by the fishing net. A large scale of education and restoration are needed to save our home on earth. ☺️
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A marvellous, thought provoking post Miriam. Thank you.
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You’re welcome, Pete. After I watched the fishermen killed the sharks, cut the fins, and dumped the sharks back to the ocean to let them die, I was angry and boycott eating shark fin soup.
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Your photos are so vivid! I really like the accompanying quotes you’ve included as well. And a good, timely reminder not to take this critical part of earth’s ecosystem for granted.
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Yeah, Liz. David Attenborough points that the conservation efforts helped part of the ocean life recover, and the animal sanctuary helped some endangered species come back. It can be done partially if not completely. Thank you for reading.
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You’re welcome, Miriam. It is encouraging that there is some recovery happening.
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Yes, Liz. We still have a long way to go but at least more officials, organizations, and individuals are on board.
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Fantastic post, Miriam. Your photos are stunning!
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Thank you so much for reading, Jill! ☺️
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Thank you, Miriam, for alerting readers to our environmental responsibility. Your ocean photos bring home how important it is to protect this incredible resource. Beautiful! 💙
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When I took my students on field trips, I always had them pick up the trash after lunch. Some teachers take the students to clean up the beach as field trips. I think education makes a difference in how we take care of the earth that’s our home. Thank you for your comment, Gwen! 💞
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Hola Miriam, What inspiring photographs! Thank you for an interesting piece. I live near the Mediterranean sea in Spain (Costa Blanca), It’s only around 8 mins drive there, and most Sundays we go and read for an hour by the shore. I love to watch the ebb and flow and listen to the sound of the sea in all its many moods. It gladdens my heart and i feel refreshed.Take care. Hugs xx
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Hi, Joy, what a delight to live so close to the sea. Ocean has a way to soften our hearts and gives us comfort. It’s gentle yet strong. It endures the storm then calms down beautifully.
Watching and listening the sound of the sea is a blissful way to spend your Sundays. Take care. 🤗☺️
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Beautiful photos, wonderful quotes and great advice, Miriam. Thank you.
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Thank you, Norah. Can you see the ocean from where you are?
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Not from here, but I like to visit it. I grew up near the ocean and could see the water from my house.
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Incredible ocean images, Miriam, and a good reminder of how important it is. Toni x
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Yes, Toni, even our local lake, when it was contaminated, the fish died. It take $1 million to renovate the lake.
The oceans and the rainforest are endangered by human activities. 😔
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Beautiful photographs, Miriam. Your message in this post is worthwhile and important. Unfortunately, a lot of people just don’t care.
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Thank goodness for days such as Earth Day that help us remember to value and respect our planet. Were these remarkable photos taken by you, Miriam?
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Yes, Pete, I post only my photos on the photo challenge. If they’re not mine, I would give credit to the photographer.
I think we finally realized that when we sane the planet, we save our mankind. If people continue to overfishing, the ocean may not have time to recover. That is why when people go fishing, they have to put the baby fish back for them to grow.
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I remember hearing Sir David Attenborough…yes Miriam this is a mattering challenge…you captured it beautifully and I love water…sending joy ☺️💫 hedy
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Watching the water draws out the gentleness of me and I appreciate it. I like when teachers take the students to clean the beach as a field trip. A practical education. Take care, Hedy ☺️🤗
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