World Oceans Day, in photos from Trinidad & Tobago · Global Voices
Sunset over the Caribbean Sea, ‘Down de Islands,’ Trinidad. Photo by <PERSON>, used with permission.
World Oceans Day, officially designated by the United Nations (UN) in 2008 and celebrated annually on June 8, seeks to raise global awareness of oceans’ importance to both marine and human life, thereby striving to better protect them within the framework of the UN's Sustainable Development Goals (SDGs).
Goal Number 14 focuses on the conservation and sustainable use of our oceans, seas and marine resources, since they “[drive] global systems that make the Earth habitable for humankind”:
Our rainwater, drinking water, weather, climate, coastlines, much of our food, and even the oxygen in the air we breathe, are all ultimately provided and regulated by the sea.
This vital SDG reflects the fact that the majority of the earth consists of water; humans wouldn't be able to survive without it. This is especially true for Small Island Developing States (SIDS) like the Caribbean which are, more often that not, the first to be affected by climate change impacts such as rising sea levels, a fiercer annual Atlantic hurricane season, coral bleaching, coastal water pollution, overfishing, and the heating up of seawater which has caused an overabundance of sargassum. Such ecological imbalances are also adversely affecting Caribbean fisheries, while some regional governments’ sacrificing of fragile coastline ecosystems for economic gain exacerbates the problem.
Regional environmental activists and leaders know exactly what the challenges are, but perhaps on this year's World Oceans Day, where the goal is revitalisation of our oceans, we need to be reminded of their purpose and beauty before we truly understand the importance of the collective action required to successfully defend them.
The oceans surrounding the twin-island republic of Trinidad and Tobago, to the south of the Caribbean archipelago, is a perfect example of all the ways in which the sea is meaningful — and crucial — to our very existence.
The Atlantic Ocean meets the Caribbean Sea. Photo by <PERSON>, used with permission.
The point, on Trinidad's north-east coast at the site of the Toco Lighthouse, at which the warm waters of the Caribbean Sea meet the deep blues of the Atlantic Ocean, is a poignant reminder that all the world's oceans, like all of humankind, are connected.
This beach in Paramin, along Trinidad's north coast, is a popular fishing spot. Photos by <PERSON>, used with permission.
Trinidad's north coast is a great lure for fishermen. 941
Those who do it for sport often go after tarpon, while those who do it for their livelihoods catch everything from Kingfish to Mahi-Mahi. This particular spot, accessible either by boat or via a steep hillside descending from the village of Paramin, is frequented by fishermen, emphasised by the statue of <PERSON>, the patron saint of fisherfolk, which has been erected on the sand.
Clockwise, from top left: Damien's Bay in Blanchisseuse; Toco, along Trinidad's north-east coast, and an ocean view from Chaguaramas on the north-west. Photos by <PERSON>, used with permission.
Oceans play an integral role in physical and mental health. When Trinidad and Tobago's beaches were closed for months at a time as part of the country's COVID-19 restrictions, there were many petitions asking that they be reopened so that surfers could get in some exercise, residents who live in oceanside villages (like Toco, on the north-east coast) could get their children outdoors, and hikers (like the ones who religiously climb the Tracking Station trail in Chaguaramas on the north-west of the island) could connect with nature, which has been proven to be a source of relaxation and revitalisation.
Grande Rivière beach along Trinidad's north-east coast. Photo by <PERSON>, used with permission.
At just over a kilometre in length, Grande Rivière is one of the most prolific leatherback turtle nesting sites in the country. The surrounding village, understanding how closely intertwined its livelihood is with sustainable environmental practices, tries to be as low-impact on the environment as possible, and has formal community groups that actively patrol the beach to protect the turtles and educate the visitors that come to see them during the nesting season, which runs from March to August each year.
The point at which the Nariva River meets the Atlantic Ocean on Trinidad's Manzanilla stretch along the island's east coast. Photo by <PERSON>, used with permission. 495