There are consequences… we need to clean up

Recently, we took a trip to Bali to have a time out after a family tragedy. First up, we travelled to Lombok, an island off the coast, with the goal of visiting the nearby Gili Islands, and diving the reef surrounding the three small islands.

We stayed at the amazing Quincy Villas in Senggigi. They organised for us to take the traditional fishing boat to the picturesque islands with two experienced guides. We were not disappointed as we were up close and personal with a beautiful sea turtle feeding on sea grass within minutes of entering the water! We saw many corals and beautiful fish, with some areas of the reef being more prolific than others. I could not help but notice that the beaches were made up predominantly of small bits of broken white coral, possibly from weather events, and making the small breaking waves sound noisy with the ebb and flow of each wave. I also noticed the amount of plastic floating near the beaches, but was not surprised considering the number of small tourist boats that were packed around the islands. The water, however, was clear and stunningly green, and we saw many turtles popping up to peruse the view.

But it was on the mainland of Bali that I was shocked by the amount of rubbish that washed up on the beach. Big graders scraped up the mess in the early morning, but it made me think of what was still out at sea, washed down by rivers and streams and worsened by bad weather. There is so much to be done (through education, providing adequate rubbish bins and collection, etc) at many levels, and if we each do our bit, we can help prevent the escalation of these events. All sea life depends on this, and it has far-reaching ramifications.

This visit showed me the reality facing all reef ecosystems and it was really shocking to see firsthand. They need our support, and we can all do our bit to make a difference!

Until next time😊

Michele