World Oceans Day Blog-A-Thon - June 8th

I’ve decided to take a different approach to the 2009 Theme “One Ocean, One Climate, One Future” and will be providing you with some interesting ocean-related facts (the opinions expressed here are mine and are not meant to reflect poorly on anyone but myself):

• Largest Ocean - Pacific (64,186,000 square miles) and the deepest part is the Mariana’s Trench at a depth of 36,200 feet deep.

• Scariest “Ocean Related” Movie – Jaws. Being a scuba diver, I still get freaked out when I’m waiting for the dive boat to pick me up – who knows what's lurking about and will view me as its lunch.

• Scariest “Ocean Related” Book – Meg (by Steve Alten) – Similar to Jaws, but this time it’s a megalodon which has been dredged up from the Marianas Trench. While I was diving in Micronesia (close to the Marianas Trench), I thought about this book quite often. [insert theme music from Jaws]

• Best “Ocean Related” Movie – Finding Nemo. Let’s be honest, who hasn’t done an impression of Dori?

• Dumbest “Ocean Related” Movie – There are a lot of these including Open Water, The Deep and Deep Blue Sea, but I would have to say Titanic is by far the worst. I realize it was based on a true story, but pleeeease. I wanted to poke my eye out after the first 15 minutes, but that’s mostly like because I detest Kate Winslet and Leonardo DiCaprio.

• Funniest “Ocean Related” Movie Theme Song – So Long and Thanks for All the Fish (Hitchiker’s Guide to the Galaxy)

• Most Memorable “Ocean Related” Movie Theme Song – Jaws theme song (dum dum dum dum)

• Best “Ocean Related” Television Show – Sponge Bob SquarePants. I love Patrick Star! Also, Flipper and who could forget a Canadian favorite - The Beachcombers.
  

• Cheesiest “Ocean Related” Television Show – Baywatch. Yes, I admit to watching it, but it certainly was like a train wreck – you just couldn’t look away (and not for the reasons you are all thinking of)

• Best “Ocean Related” Quote – “Sponges grow in the ocean. That just kills me. I wonder how much deeper the ocean would be if that didn’t happen” (Stephen Wright)

• Cheesiest “Ocean Related” Quote - “I dropped a tear in the ocean and whenever they find it, I’ll stop loving you, only then”. (Unknown – I can’t imagine why they chose to remain unknown)

Now for the serious stuff - oceans play an integral part in everything that is our planet – from climate regulation, food sources and jobs. Oceans act like a giant sponge that soaks up extra carbon dioxide from our environment. Unfortunately, human activity is sucking the life out of it – literally.

We need to work together, doing all we can to conserve our liquid backyard – before our beaches have eroded and are non-existent, our coral reefs have been polluted and bleached beyond recognition and one of our food sources have become extinct. Future generations also deserve the opportunity to enjoy healthy, living oceans.

Photo Courtesy of My Friend - Dixie (yes, that's her real name)