First Year in the Books!
Wow! In December of 2022, 364 days ago, we started this journey. We have learned ALOT this year, and much of that knowledge and support has come from sometimes the most unexpected places. Classrooms where kids have not only shown their lack of knowledge about the underwater world but also the excitement of just the IDEA of being able to do something like snorkel. I’ve had a kids ask, “What do you snorkel with, a straw or metal tube”? I’ve had parents say that they wish something like Snorkel Camp was available to them as it sounds like a dream, and it really IS alot of fun! I’ve had our local underwater preserves say how they have longed to have underwater art placed here in our region for others to dive and enjoy. What an asset that would be to this community! I’ve had families reach out and thank us for starting our Life Jacket Libraries and that they enjoyed their day at the beach that much more having access to our free, life jackets.
What I want to say is.. A genuine, deep felt, thank you, to those that share in the vision that Mission Blues is working on. It may ebb and flow, frankly, as it should, but it will stay strong because the heart is in it and we are not alone. We see the impacts around the world where communities build care into their coastal towns by placing art and educating the young, and young at heart. We are no exception here in Northern Michigan, with our great bodies of water comes great responsibility to teach and enhance experiences building relationships that can change the course of our economics and livelyhoods for the greater good.
The dreams that brought us to this point were seemingly simple, the first was that we wished we would’ve discovered the underwater world earlier in life. That there were accessible ways for us to have been granted the opportunity to learn about what was below sooner, so that we could be further along in our diving career. These opportunities are growing for the young but many are still tough to access, so there is work to be done. There is an abundance of beauty in our regions waters, and we would like everyone to fall in love with it as we have. Mostly because, we want them to care for it in such a way that they will fight for it’s healthy future.
We also dream of that place, accessible to all, where families can be inspired to dive and snorkel safely with an enhanced experience. We don’t have the warm water ecosystems that steal the show for divers, but our ecosystems have so much to offer! Places where we could just spend hours looking at the sand ripples and the occasional fish swim past. Freshwater jelllies, gobies, coontail, water cerery, and so much more.
Can you imagine, going for a dive with your friends and family out to beautiful sculptures? Our sandy bottom lakes are perfect for this, and they also encourage more fish! You would see the natural growth and changes of our lakes on and around the sculptures. You would be in a safe location away from boats zipping past, and come ashore when done. Just to go back out and do it again because it was so much fun, and so relaxing, floating around, isolated by the water, safe and enjoying the scenery by both man and mother nature. Yes, we dream of these places. We know there is room for such a place in Traverse City or our surrounding communities, or both! If you share in the love for underwater experiences please reach out and tell us! Tell us your ideas, if you have a possible shore dive location in mind or would like to sponsor a Life Jacket Library, or anything! Just say Hi:)
Happy New Year to all of our fellow underwater enthusiasts, and to those that don’t know they are yet!
We hope you get out in the water soon, even if it’s just for a polar bear dip!
