First Hero for the Planet, Dr Sylvia Earle 

In attendance at the Ocean of Hope Workshop was the president and co-chair of Mission Blue/The Sylvia Earle Alliance, Dr Sylvia Earle. Dr Earle is an oceanographer, explorer, author and lecturer with experience as a field research scientist, government official and director for several corporate and non-profit organisations.

Through her work, she has earned several honours such as National Geographic Society Explorer at Large, Living Legend by the Library of Congress and First Hero for the Planet by Time Magazine. She has also earned the titles “Her Deepness” and “The Sturgeon General” by leading the Sustainable Seas Expedition. Many know her from the documentary film, Mission Blue, which debuted on Netflix in 2014.

Her Deepness delivered the opening remarks, in which she cautioned that we as human beings are causing Earth to move inexplicably in the direction of Mars. This warning was supported by a visual representation of Earth, “the blue planet” and Mars, “the red planet”, as Dr Earle referred to them, clearly showing Mars lacking the blue and the green that enable Earth to sustain life.

She then went on to suggest that you, we, all of us, have the best opportunity that any humans have ever had to shift the trajectory – we are armed with knowledge that is unique in our time, but we need to hurry. She added that she loves the fact that individuals can and do make a difference, and getting the youth engaged is critical.

Some advice that Dr Earle shared about how we can take a step towards conserving our oceans, “the blue heart of the planet” as she calls it, is to get learners from different schools and backgrounds across Hope Spots in different parts of the world to write letters to each other, get them talking and sharing thoughts. We need to find and protect places/ecosystems that are still in good condition, while also undertaking efforts to rehabilitate and restore those that are not, even if it means initiating action right in our own backyards.

Dr Earle reminded us that most life on Earth lives in the dark, at the bottom of the ocean. To encourage curiosity, wonder and stewardship, she emphasised the importance of getting to know our neighbours in the ocean environment, urging us to be curious about who they are and what they do, before contemplating what they can do for us. “With knowing comes caring,” she added.

Dr Earle then recalled her previous visits to South Africa, recounting her interactions with children, and engagements with communities, scientists and diverse individuals along the South African coastline, from Cape Town to Durban. She laughed as she said coming to South Africa is addictive and that she looks forward to future opportunities to work with people in South Africa, celebrate what they have, and build a message to take to the world.

Feedback from organisations 

The floor was then opened to the organisations attending to present their roles in the False Bay Hope Spot. Among the distinguished speakers and presenters were Dr Tessa Hempson, chief scientist at Mission Blue, who shared insights on leveraging the South African initiative to catalyse the Mission Blue Hope Spots network. Also in attendance was Mike Barron, co-founder of Cape RADD and False Bay Hope Spot Champion.

Dr Judy Mann-Lang, executive for strategic projects at the Two Oceans Aquarium Foundation, delivered a compelling talk, alongside Ms Swati Foster and Dr Jannes Landschoff from the Sea Change Project, Mr Robin Adams from WWF South Africa, Ms Hanli Prinsloo from I AM WATER Foundation, Mr Pierre de Villiers from Cape Nature, Mr Shamier Magmoet – a documentary filmmaker and ocean conservationist from Sea The Bigger Picture Ocean Initiative,  Ms Lauren van Nijkerk from WILDTRUST, Ms Georgina Jones from the Southern Underwater Research Group and Ms Aaniya Martin from The Beach Co-op.

Their presentations sparked stimulating discussions including engaging in dedicated roundtable breakout sessions aimed at understanding the greatest threats/challenges and opportunities in conserving South Africa’s marine ecosystems. The focus extended to exploring the potential contributions of Mission Blue, whether through policy advocacy, effective communication strategies, scientific endeavours or network strengthening.

Dr Earle concluded the proceedings by saying, “This is a time of awakening for life on Earth. Saving the ocean is a team sport. We are the cause, we are the problem, we are the solution. Have respect for what keeps you alive and use your power to give back”.

After Dr Earle’s closing remarks, the participants had an opportunity to explore the Two Oceans Aquarium and connect with the animals with her words still echoing through their minds and hearts.

Paddle Out Hope Spot Celebration 

Mission Blue additionally hosted a Paddle Out Hope Spot Celebration on 10 February. This event served as a symbolic gathering, uniting surfers, SUPers, divers, ocean lovers and ocean stewards to celebrate the ocean and raise awareness about ocean conservation. The Ocean of Hope Workshop participants had the opportunity to explore the False Bay Hope Spot with a snorkel trip led by the False Bay Hope Spot Champion, Cape RADD.