After six months of writing about all things ocean, I’m more passionate than ever. I want to thank you for reading and sharing Save the Ocean Series. Without you, SOS would not exist! I’m inspired and awed by all the ocean has shown me over the past 6 months. Most of all, though, I’m grateful. We’ve covered a lot in our 26 editions, yet we’ve barely scratched the surface of Planet Ocean. I can’t wait to learn with (and from) you in the next 6 months and beyond. We are a family, related by our mutual love of the ocean and its inhabitants.
How it started
For as long as I can remember, I’ve been fascinated by the ocean. Spending summers in Montauk, NY meant exploring. Exploring the forest trails near the house on Big Reed Path that my father built. Exploring the star glittered skies at night. And most of all, exploring the lake, sound and ocean that dominate the landscape out here. Last winter I began a daily journal. I gave myself a limit of 5 minutes a day to write whatever thoughts I had each morning. After a few months, I began to feel like I wanted to share my writing with others. But what would I write about? Surely, the world didn’t need another personal blog full of navel gazing and goal setting. What value could I add? Looking out at Fort Pond Bay from our winter rental, I realized that my love for the ocean was not unique. People (like you) care about the health of Planet Ocean. Yet, mainstream media is devoid of meaningful ocean content. We might see short videos of a whale breaching near a beach or sharks swimming near surfers. These videos are awesome to watch, yet they don’t contain much substance. Seeing this gap, my idea was to search out news from each week and highlight it for you here. I start with a news article, then read the research behind it. Sometimes it’s a slog to read entire scientific studies, but it wouldn’t feel authentic to simply summarize an article summarizing those studies.
How it’s going
Living next to the ocean, I find inspiration every day. Every shell I find is a possibility. A path for curiosity. Planet Ocean needs our help. It gives so much. Now it’s time for me to give back by highlighting issues we need to address to heal the harm we’ve perpetrated for centuries. Technological advances have magnified our capacity for harm. These “advances” seem to increase logarithmically. From the development of sonar in the early 20th century to the rollout of omni sonar in this century. Larger, more efficient vessels with larger, more efficient nets scoop up greater catches from dwindling seafood populations. Every year, it seems, the scales tip further and further in favor of commercial fishermen. Regulations, slow moving and, thus, outdated, are a blunt instrument. Yet, regulations are our best tool for protecting a global resource. The tragedy of the commons lives on. By continuing to publish Save the Ocean, my hope is that I am having an impact by raising awareness to my audience. With every article, I will include a call to action that enables you to also have an impact. I invite you to participate. Together, we have power to affect positive change. To save the ocean. Thank you for continuing to read SOS. Without you, the ocean has no future.
