Happy World Ocean Day, ocean lovers! At Panamuna we have all dedicated our lives to protecting the ocean. In fact,the indigenous word “Panamuna” means ocean. Whether it be surfing on top of the ocean, or diving underneath the surface, we simply froth over all things ocean. 

While the ocean is the favourite playground of many of us, it also provides so much more for us than many of us are aware. So, for this World Ocean Day, rather than focus on the negative impacts that are currently happening to our oceans, we would like to focus on all the reasons why we love the ocean so much. Therefore, here are our top five reasons why we, at Panamuna, love the ocean. 

1. It produces oxygen

Being humans, we need oxygen to live, and believe it or not it is the ocean that provides us with most of that oxygen. While it is often thought that rainforests produce most of the oxygen we breathe, the truth is that the ocean produces 70% of the oxygen on Earth. In fact, no matter where you live, whether it is by the sea or far away from the ocean in the desert, for every 10 breaths you take, seven of those breaths come from the ocean. So, with every breath you take, thank the ocean.

2. Climate regulation

The ocean also plays a vital role in keeping our planet warm and therefore habitable for us. The ocean regulates the Earth’s climate by soaking up heat and transporting warm water from the equator to the poles, and cold water from the poles to the tropics. Without this regulation, temperatures on Earth would be more extreme, super-hot at the equator and frigid towards the poles, making it much less habitable. 

   3. Living things depend on the ocean 

While we mostly think of most of the life on Earth on the land, the ocean is home to the greatest abundance of life on this planet. In fact, there is more life below the ocean’s surface than there is on land. It has been estimated that there are more than 300,000 different species of living things underwater, with all of them playing an essential role in the ecosystem. However, while the oceans cover’s 70% of the surface of the planet, they are still the least explored of all the frontiers, and we technically don’t know how many species exist in the ocean. 

     4. Therapeutic properties

Did you know when we dip into the water our 'inner dolphin' gets released? This is known as our mammalian diving reflex. When our face touches water, our heart rate slows and our blood moves from the extremities to the brain, heart, and vital organs of the body. The ocean has therapeutic properties, when we see, feel, hear, smell or taste water, our bodies become more peaceful. Research has shown that the ocean can directly reduce psychological stress and improve our moods.

     5. The ocean is magical

Yes, we know this one isn’t very scientific, but whether you believe in magic or not, it is safe to say that the ocean simply feels magical. How many times have you watched the sunset over the blue horizon, or watched dolphins leap from the surf and thought how truly beautiful it is? It is hard to look at the ocean and not feel like you are witnessing something you thought you could only see in your wildest dreams.

We would love to hear what you love most about the ocean. Is it the early morning surf? Or the sparkle that can be seen out on the open ocean? Head to our latest Instagram post to tell us your favourite part of our underwater world.