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In the meantime back home in Australia ... the hard work on saving marine turtles never stops.
The Green Turtle Ella (up to the left), was released back to the wild. Almost 3 years ago Ella was coming into our Turtle Hospital, with almost no chance to make it. We grew to over 200 dedicated volunteers in recent years, and all the hard work is paying off. Ella is back to Flynn Reef, with a tracker on the back. I worked for years as a dive instructor on this particular dive site, and it's a turtle heaven. Ella high-fived me, swam a couple of circles, then said good bye, The Great Barrier Reef was calling ! The best moment for every wildlife conservationist! Just when El Nino is impacting Coral Reef around the globe, i was lucky to be hired for a commercial promo Shot and the SEASIM Australian Institute of Marine Science in Townsville.
I never knew so much research is done to get a better understanding of the impacts on the Ocean Ecosystem. Experts are working round the clock to simulate all the possible impacts our Oceans and Coral Reef are facing. Only through understanding we may have a chance to take the right steps. Coral Reefs have survived to this day, and we need to make sure they will survive us! Parley for the Oceans, founded by Cyrill Gutsch, keeps pushing forward to bring People, Artists, Leaders, Corporates and Policy makers together to work on real solutions and end Plastic Pollution.
With Nasa involved and Sylvia Earle's Deep Sea Project, the New York Times and and a list to long to continue, it feels like there is a realistic chance that an action plan is becoming not only a plan, but real! Devastating news from my Friend and ocean Warrior Shaahina. She is the one behind all the movement to eliminate Plastic and Ocean debris in her home country. Teamed up with Parley this initiative is already a huge success.
But we have pushed nature to far, and the effects are getting more evident every single day. This is the worst coral bleaching event the beautiful Maldives ever had, and it was heartbreaking to witness and document. Awareness is part of the solution, but action is what really is needed! How much mega fauna wildlife encounters can you possible ask for ?
Regardless, it will be not anywhere near what Socorro Islands will give you. I had my expectations & my hopes, but i could not even imagine what was to come. I was lucky enough to Win a trip on the Solmar V with the "Our World Underwater" Photo competition, but even more lucky when i got there. This must be the most friendly and inquisitive Dolphins and Oceanic Manta's on this planet. They will play with you so much, it makes you almost feel like us as humans don't even deserve to be treated with so much joy and respect, not after what we have done to our Oceans. A trip i will never forget ...
Our Oceans are filling up with Plastic, and finally people are coming together to do something about it. I was lucky enough to spend two weeks in the Maldives with Ocean Experts and the Creative Team of Adidas, seeing first hand the problems we are facing, and making educated decisions how to get on top of it.
The People in the Maldives are as beautiful and friendly as you can imagine, but they have struggled with the Tourism explosion, and are now left with beaches full of debris. As the Parley Filmmaker and Photographer my job was to document the beauty and the problems. I always knew, i have the best job in the world !
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