Amidst rising geopolitical tensions, approximately 20,000 sailors found themselves stranded in the Persian Gulf following Iran’s actions to close international maritime trade routes and disrupt oil shipments. United Nations Secretary-General issued an urgent call for a ceasefire. Amidst these developments, life in the waters continued.
Return to the Water
Rui Li, a dive instructor, free diver Shanshan Du, and technical diver Jie Zhang, all based in the United Arab Emirates, had been unable to dive for weeks due to coastal closures. Upon the restoration of limited access following a ceasefire in mid-April, they promptly returned to the water.
This year’s theme for World Oceans Day on June 8, ‘Rethinking Our Relationship Between Humans and the Ocean,’ is far from an abstract concept for these three divers.
Du described her dive on April 18 in the narrowest part of the strait between the UAE and Oman, stating, “We were a little anxious before setting out.” This dive occurred just days after the UN announced that Iran would keep the strait open to commercial vessels during the ceasefire.
“However, it was wonderful for all of us to be able to dive again after more than two months. We encountered a pod of large dolphins. There were no traces of the war I had imagined; only peace and beauty before my eyes.”
Zhang, who dived in the area last week, noted a diversity of corals rarely encountered elsewhere. He observed soft and hard corals varying with the topography and a number of sea turtles akin to a nature reserve.
Worrying Signs Emerge
Zhang also mentioned noticing something more concerning: “There was more white debris on the seabed than I had ever seen before.” The source of this debris remained unclear. While following dolphins, he observed the water around the animals clouded with green algae, oil slicks, and floating refuse.
“I remember when I used to chase dolphins, the water was blue. It is still very sad to see this scene with my own eyes.”
Li assesses both realities simultaneously. He notes that the strait is not the world’s most biodiverse marine region, but its complex topography hosts an unusual variety of coral reefs and rare species like seahorses and whale sharks. He describes some of these reefs as being as white as “silver needles” and others as “purple as pine forests.”
Li recounted witnessing a boat captain, unable to dive and without other means of communication, reliably find a pod of dolphins that recognized him. “We would greet each other and part ways,” Li said. “This is truly a magical place.”
Potential Catastrophe
However, Li is acutely aware of what armed conflicts could do to such a place. He emphasizes that an attack on oil storage facilities could be catastrophic for marine life. “Many marine creatures are small and vulnerable. A single attack could be enough to destroy some magnificent species that have never been seen by humans.”
Zhang explicitly states the fragility of the underwater world. “No one can speak for the underwater ecosystem – the fish cannot speak, nor can the large animals.”
“We dump all disputes, wars, and pollution onto land and into the ocean, forgetting that the ocean does not have a good self-preservation ability and can only endure all the conflicts and damage caused by human activities.”
Diving has quietly removed some certainties for all three divers. Zhang says, “Underwater, the ocean has no boundaries. Oceans currents and schools of fish move freely. They are free as whale sharks meander, following fixed routes through different countries – they are free. Humanity should share this blue world instead of tearing it apart with disputes.”
Mother Ocean
Li employs a warmer, perhaps more honest, metaphor for the boundaries of human action. He likens the relationship between humans and the sea to that of a child and a parent: the ocean nourishes us, raises us, and occasionally punishes us.
“We have reached the age where we want to protect it,” he says, but adds that what we can do still feels small. “Our parents are silently waiting for us, helping us, and continuing to feed us.”
Du, diving in a country where people from dozens of nations gather, has realized that boundaries feel meaningless underwater. Communication is achieved solely through gestures. “This hobby and the ocean have created a wonderful environment for us.”
The conflicts continuing on the surface have not ended. Negotiations between Washington and Tehran remain fragile, with conditions fluctuating. But 71% of the Earth is ocean, and as Li tells all who have yet to see it: Come feel the refreshing water whenever you wish.
