SEVENSEAS Travel Magazine – No. 124 September 2025

Marshall Islands: Pacific Ocean Time Machine

In a groundbreaking conservation move, the Marshall Islands has established its first national marine sanctuary around the remote Bikar and Bokak atolls, protecting 48,000 square kilometers of pristine Pacific waters. National Geographic’s 452-dive expedition revealed ecosystems so untouched they represent “the ocean of 1,000 years ago” – harboring the region’s largest green turtle colonies, healthiest coral reefs, and abundant deep-sea sharks. Using traditional Reimaanlok knowledge alongside cutting-edge science, this sanctuary offers hope that protection and sustainable use can coexist in our changing ocean. [Read more]

Marshall Islands’ Nuclear Exodus

Forty years ago, 350 Marshall Islanders made an extraordinary choice – abandon their ancestral home of Rongelap atoll rather than continue living with radioactive contamination from decades of U.S. nuclear testing. Operation Exodus saw Greenpeace’s Rainbow Warrior ferry an entire community 180 kilometers to safety, defying American authorities who dismissed the evacuation as environmental manipulation. This defining act of resistance put human faces on nuclear consequences and forged an enduring partnership between Pacific islanders and global activists that continues today. [Read more]

Marshall Islands Leads Pacific Climate Diplomacy

At the forefront of global climate advocacy, the Marshall Islands leverages centuries of traditional Pacific knowledge to address modern ocean challenges. President Dr. Hilda Heine’s recent address at the UN Ocean Conference in Nice demonstrated how Indigenous wisdom in weather forecasting, sustainable fisheries, and navigation offers vital solutions for a planet in crisis. Despite contributing minimally to global emissions, these island nations face existential threats from sea level rise and ocean acidification, making their voice both urgent and essential in international climate policy. [Read more]

Marshall Islands, a Pacific Sanctuary of Biodiversity

Remote and rarely visited, the Marshall Islands offer pristine lagoons, coral reefs, and uninhabited atolls teeming with marine life. Divers can explore WWII shipwrecks now transformed into living reefs, while communities balance traditional culture with the legacy of U.S. nuclear testing and the challenges of climate change. For travelers seeking biodiversity, this Pacific nation is a sanctuary like no other. [Read more]

Drowning My Ego in the Maldives

Obsessed with tiger sharks, the author traveled to Fuvahmulah, Maldives, only to find deeper lessons in fear, humility, and unexpected encounters with thresher sharks. A follow-up journey to Malapascua in the Philippines revealed these elusive predators up close in calmer waters, teaching that sometimes the ocean’s rarest wonders come not through pushing limits but through patience and presence. [Read more]

The Magnificent Coral Spawning Phenomenon

Each August, Flower Garden Banks National Marine Sanctuary in the Gulf of Mexico hosts one of the Caribbean’s largest coral spawning events—an underwater snowstorm of eggs and sperm released in perfect lunar synchrony. This dazzling display fuels genetic diversity, and critical research into how corals reproduce in a changing climate. For divers, it’s a rare chance to witness the ocean’s power of regeneration firsthand. [Read more]

Argentina’s Hidden Canyon Reveals 40 New Species (Ft. Patrick Star!)

A Schmidt Ocean Institute expedition to Argentina’s Mar del Plata Canyon stunned scientists and the public alike, documenting coral gardens, suspected new species, and even a starfish that looked like Patrick Star. Nearly 18 million people tuned in live, making it one of the most watched deep-sea explorations ever. The discovery highlighted both the ocean’s vast unknowns and the urgent need to protect them from human impact. [Read more]

Endangered Sawfish Trapped in Tampa Bay Saved by Scientists

A 7.4-foot smalltooth sawfish, trapped in a Tampa Bay wetland, was safely rescued and released by a team from Havenworth Coastal Conservation, FWC, and NOAA. The endangered fish was tagged with a transmitter to track its movements and sampled for research, offering rare insights into a species now found almost exclusively in Florida. With sawfish populations under severe pressure from habitat loss and mysterious “spinning” behavior, every individual’s survival matters. [Read more]

Two Oceans Aquarium Foundation Co-Hosts Seal Health Week

Cape Town hosted the first-ever Seal Health Week, a collaboration led by the Two Oceans Aquarium Foundation and partners to strengthen marine mammal conservation in Southern Africa. Experts trained in disentanglement, veterinary care, and monitoring, while also engaging the public on reducing plastic waste and supporting marine protected areas. The event showcased how shared knowledge and teamwork can create lasting impact for seals and wider ocean ecosystems. [Read more]

Why Healthy Oceans Are Our Best Defense Against Hurricanes

Two decades after Hurricane Katrina, one lesson stands out: healthy seas protect our shores. Wetlands, reefs, and seagrass buffer storm surge, yet the systems that safeguard them are being dismantled. As hurricanes grow stronger and more costly, investing in ocean health is no longer optional but essential for coastal resilience. [Read more]

Scientists Develop Solutions for Mining Water Contamination

Researchers in Canada have tested nature-inspired filters called permeable reactive barriers to clean toxic mining wastewater in Arctic conditions. Using gravel, iron, and wood chips, the system removed more than 95% of arsenic and trapped uranium effectively at just 5°C. While nitrate proved harder to manage, the study shows how semi-passive, low-cost treatments could protect northern waterways as mining expands across fragile Arctic ecosystems. [Read more]

Record-Breaking Waterman Sets Sail Solo for Sea Conservation

South African ocean conservationist Chris Bertish has embarked on a 2,800-mile solo journey from San Diego to Hawaii aboard The Wildcat, a 20-foot beach catamaran with no cabin or shelter. The TransCat Expedition 2025 is the first attempt of its kind, combining extreme endurance with a mission to raise funds and awareness for marine protection, reef restoration, and global education initiatives. [Read more]

The Global Ocean Development Forum Exhibits “Healing Waters”

At this year’s Global Ocean Development Forum in Shandong, China, artist Selva Ozelli’s Healing Waters series will be exhibited at the Lixian Art Museum from September 7–10. The paintings highlight conservation efforts in Chesapeake Bay and honor the extinct Maryland Darter, using art as a call to heal waters worldwide. The exhibition runs alongside the international forum on sustainable ocean development. [Read more]

Hunting and Angling Leaders Speak Out Against Senate Plan

Top voices from the hunting and angling community, including leaders from MeatEater, Trout Unlimited, and the National Wildlife Federation, have released a joint video urging the U.S. Senate to abandon proposals to sell public lands. Representing millions of hunters and anglers, they warn that once these lands are lost, they are gone forever, and call on Congress to end large-scale land sale efforts immediately. [Read more]

Population Growth Might Impact Availability and Access

A new Forum paper by Mark Cromer explores how rising population, and social media trends are making America’s open spaces harder to access. Once-public refuges are increasingly treated as luxury amenities, with overcrowding, development, and budget cuts threatening equitable access to nature for all. [Read more]