Night walk in St Ouen’s Bay to help save the world’s oceans

Night walk in St Ouen’s Bay to help save the world’s oceans

Now two Jerseymen, royal photographer Matt Porteous and free diver and filmmaker Luke Hosty, are determined to ensure that the Island’s sea as well as all oceans around the world are healthy for generations to come.

To help them with their dream they have set up Ocean Culture Life – a network of ambassadors based around the globe who have a common love and respect of the ocean. The idea of OCL is to become a platform where the ambassadors, who range from free divers and surfers to ocean conservationists and charity founders, can collaborate to help steer environmental changes.

And to mark World Ocean Day, which falls on Friday, OCL is hoping to shine a light on change by hosting a lit night walk along St Ouen’s Bay.

Islanders are invited to start at any point along the bay from 9 pm and walk with a torch to the lit-up area in the middle.

The walk is being held two days before the JEP’s Coastal Clean-Up event. Islanders are invited to join the newspaper and its partners to help clean up the areas around six beaches on the north and south coasts. More details can be found at coastalcleanup.je.

Through OCL the two men hope to raise funds by selling prints and merchandise of the shots they have taken from both above and below the water. These funds as well as those from corporate sponsorship will be used to help promote the work of charities and groups that conserve the ocean.

Award-winning photographer Mr Porteous, who took pictures to mark Prince George’s third birthday, said: ‘I work in a busy commercial world.

‘My ocean life has always been my release, a personal love.’

He added: ‘I recently heard a quote, “There are two important days in our lives. The day we are born and the day we realise why.”

‘My work is built on passion, not money. I first wanted to share what I see with the world; now I want to invite ocean storytellers to join and share their stories with the world, helping shine light on ocean ambassadors and projects along the way.’

Each item of OCL merchandise holds a token value. When someone buys the merchandise they can assign the token to a particular cause, allowing OCL to know which issue the community would most like them to support.

All profit is put back into creating content for ambassadors and charities, who do not always have a marketing budget, to promote their works.

Former Royal Marine Mr Hosty, who is also known under his filmmaker’s name, Googsi, said: ‘OCL symbolises all the values in my life. Being in the ocean gives me space, both mental and physical, but free diving brought me spiritual healing.

‘It literally and metaphorically allowed me to dive into depths, discard burdens and rise into the light and life. Being in the ocean inspires my imagination and brings me true spiritual joy. It is my passion.’

The meeting point of the lit night walk is subject to change. For an update on the day log on to oceanculture.life.

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