Browsing Tags ocean
Lost On A Word
I was recently engaged in a debate over the stance being taken towards sharks and the decisions being made to deal with what on the surface appears to be a problem where people are coming into more frequent contact with sharks and more injuries appear to be being sustained.
The stances being taken vary greatly from kill them all, to leave them alone to I really don’t have a solution, and as I pondered the various opinions which in fairness were far more detailed than I have broadly outlined, one thing became very clear to me. We are a very selfish race and despite our intelligence we have little regard for the situations we find ourselves in unless they ultimately result in us having our own way.
One World – A Better World
I became involved in a conversation yesterday which revolved around the way humans deal with certain animal problems by culling species to reduce the risk. It was initially related to sharks and my point was that this way of thought is prevalent in much we do. It is a very sad fact indeed and it is something which I strive to educate people about without excuses and without pulling punches.
As the conversation went on it drifted from the point I was making to differentiation between different species and situations, with my point being blurred amongst it all. What I was trying to say was being eroded in some ways by offering excuses to human behaviour which is in my view not an acceptable thing to do.
When The Water Is Life.
It has been a while since I have posted a piece in my blog, not from having nothing to write about, but for finding the time and the headspace to do it in a way which is fitting for my readers.
Ove the last while I have spent at least one day a weekend underwater, washing away the cares of the world. I have spent countless moments trying to find the right direction for the next major film exploit, and at the same time have watched on, inspired by some very eye opening efforts. I am coming to realise more that my journey from taking just photographs of the marine life I see, to capturing them as a moving image is not only critical to my audience gaining a better understanding, but it is also a very difficult exercise. A photograph, a great photograph can tell a story of many words, however a great video can speak so many more. Like a photograph it still needs to be special, to be something that few may have seen or which is charged with emotion and awaits that collective wow as it wraps the audience up in its cinematic embrace. I enjoy every moment underwater, whether it be the chill of winter where 8 degree Celsius water fills my wetsuit and gives me brain freeze as my body fights to warm the parts of me critical to my own survival, or the depths of summer where the heat has your body fighting off dehydration as it produces enough sweat to cool you down before you are able to immerse yourself in the cool water. Regardless of those conditions, I can only reassure you that the marvel of life I see is wonderful to say the least and for certain worth every bit of time spent. Read More →
Sharks and Humans – Education And Respect
Today I want to share my thoughts, once again, on a subject which needs to be addressed on a well informed and sensible level.
On the weekend, a scuba diver lost his life in Tasmania. He was the victim of a shark attack. The loss of his life will be a very traumatic thing for his family and I feel deeply sorry that they must go through this.
Education, Awareness and Respect.
What is becoming of this world in which we live? What is becoming of life on the unique planet that as far as we know is the only one of its kind in the known universe?
These are the questions that I ask myself on a daily basis as I look into the not so distant future that seems shrouded with a strange but familiar fog called ignorance. My life has become one of purpose beyond that of myself, as I strive to bring all I see, all I know, to the attention of the greater community. At times it is disheartening and then there are the moments that are totally rewarding, but in a world where ignorance is commonplace every step forward must be celebrated because it is important in the overall scheme of the plans I have laid.
Each time I enter the ocean I get a rush of salt water that courses through my veins and brings me to life in a way that being on land cannot. As I swim with the marine life that calls this home, I see the beauty that life is unfold before my eyes, and at times the emotion of it overwhelms me, because I realise how fragile it all is, and can’t help but wonder what the future holds for the smallest of fish that hides amongst the weed or sand. As I look on, I question how intelligent we as human beings really are, and at the same time I ask what is intelligence and are we as wise as we think we are. Intelligence is something that we all have some level of, and through the years of schooling we further develop it until we know many things. Wisdom on the other hand comes from the heart, the mind and the soul and together they are a very powerful thing.
So what is it that I am trying to do when I put together my short films that showcase the beauty I see underwater, or share the short films that others have captured that show the wonders they see in the world? It is quite simple, my hope is that what I show you will make you wiser, make you more aware of your place in this world and how you are intertwined with all life, and lastly enable you to understand the importance of respecting it for what it is.
Right now there exists a vast void that few have dared cross. It takes courage, it takes resolve, but most of all it requires a desire to want to do something for the betterment of this big blue planet upon which we live. It is not that easy. Friends may ignore you, others may question your motives and that you have nothing to gain. There will even be those that through their own fear, challenge your beliefs with unfounded rhetoric that holds no weight except within their own minds. The light shines brightly if you choose to see it, and the clarity it brings will open the door to another world that exists inside the tiny one in which you now reside.
It may not seem like much for now, and you may seem alone, yet as each drop falls so a puddle becomes, and as the puddles collide, so they will eventually become an ocean and the wave will spread, touching the shores of our hearts until we too are consumed by all that is good, all that is life, all that is one being.
The Connection – Radio Interview.
A week and a half ago, I was extremely honoured to have my short film, Ocean and Earth – One Heartbeat, screened as a part of the Australian Ocean Film festival Melbourne sessions. It screened as a local independent film maker to full houses and it did look very nice on the big screen. As a part of the screening, I was there to do a Q & A with the audience which went down really nicely.
Whilst there I was lucky enough to meet a radio presenter, Jules Vines from radio 3MDR 97.1. She asked if I could do a radio interview for their sustainability show on the following Monday. I have attached a link here for anyone who may be interested. It is accompanied by some random film footage that I hope is not too distracting.
Please enjoy.
Where Are We At?
On the weekend I completed another rejuvenating dive in our wonderful Port Phillip Bay. Blairgowrie was the location and the amount of marine life reminded me just how healthy this place is. I have dived here on numerous occasions and as dive sites go, what can be found there is some of the most diverse ranges in the bay. Everything from numerous schools of fish, large bull rays, small rays, nudibranchs, squid, octopus, crabs, seahorses, as well as beautiful soft sponges and corals. It rarely fails to disappoint and it offers the most sheltered location in the bay, making it diveable on most every day except when very strong Northerlies blow.
Finding A Solution – Not Being Part Of The Problem.
Once again we have had a shark attack occur that has taken the life of a person, this time on the NSW coast. It is a sad situation, but is not one that needs to be dwelled upon by sensationalising it and whipping up a frenzied hysteria.
Whilst there are many more things that cause a loss of human life each day on this planet, I will not lower myself to list them, because like this, they need to be dealt with separately to reduce the possibility of reoccurrence in a responsible and sensible manner, and right now they suffer from the same condition which is ignorance of what we know, coupled with a human desire to live as we please. So instead I shall once again share my thoughts on what has happened and how we really need to address this alone.
Sharks – The Mystery Demystified.
For some time now people have been offering opinions in relation to how to deal with what appears to be a growing occurrence of shark attacks along our coast lines. Comments and solutions are offered in the heat of the moment with scant regard for the reality of the situation and usually amongst the hysteria whipped up by the media, or if not, allowed to filter through the media for want of a story that increases reader numbers. Regardless of what your opinion is, the conditions in which this is all fuelled are poor to say the least and in most cases do not provide a balanced view that would allow the people that do not know anything about the subject to form an educated opinion.
That we, humans, like to spend time in the water, which is not our natural habitat is one thing, and the ability to continue to do that must never be taken away by any other person. However this ability should also never be seen as offering us an exclusive right that is detrimental to both the environment and the marine life that does call the ocean home. Yes, the ocean is home to many other creatures that live there, and I believe they must continue to be allowed to live as they have for countless years without our intervention.