The world's oceans are sinking with problems: the chemistry of the oceans are changing...and none for the best. Cceanographers like Jean-Pierre Gattuso have predicted that the "oceans will become hot, sour and breathless" by the end of this century. Scientists and researchers understand that the radical changes in the ocean acidity risk peril for mankind as acidification directly and negatively affects the food chain.
And certain kinds of marine life thrive under these conditions. Animals such as jellyfish and urchin. So instead of tuna and halibut, perhaps spiced jellyfish salads and urchin gonads (or uni as known in Japanese sushi bars) will become a larger part of the human diet in the 22nd century?
A diet of invertebrates and gonads most definitely seems less appealing than anything currently available in contemporary restaurants and supermarkets.
How can open water swimmers help? Besides reducing our own carbon footprint on a daily basis, perhaps the propensity of open water swimmers to keep lists and maintain a regular schedule can help scientists and researchers?
Many open water swimmers are known to regularly swim in the same location and keep lists of their mileage and conditions. So if ocean swimmers in Huntington Beach, California, Cape Town, South Africa, Queensland, Australia or in Barcelona, Spain swims 100-200 times per year at the same beach, perhaps they can maintain a log of the conditions and elements they encounter? Perhaps they can take regular samples of the sea water and underwater photographs to track changes that can help give a glimpse on how shoreline areas are changing?
Perhaps that can be of use to the scientific community? The researchers just have to ask and the ocean swimmers will be more than willing to help understand and protect the areas they enjoy so much.
Just thinking out loud.
Copyright © 2012 by Open Water Source
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Thank you very much for your interest in the world of open water swimming.