If I ever see James Cameron in Malibu I'm going to ask him if he's ever been to Beqa island.  Because when I saw Avatar it seemed like the planet Pandora was inspired by a Fijian reef. Or some coral reef somewhere. 

Absolutely, the coral reef realm is unparalleled in its beauty. It reminds me so much of Avatar, particularly the vibrant healthy reefs in Fiji. 

We did a surf trip to Beqa/Bega (Ben-gah) Island and a place called Frigates Pass with Surfer Magazine back in the '90s. Chris Gallagher, Rob Machado, Adam Replogle and Jeff Divine. We were 25 miles out to sea in a crummy little boat, it was late January and it was hotter than stink. But the waves were great and we would go snorkeling around the reef and it was spectacular. "Biodiverse '' is the word I believe. From those tiny little coral polyps that pull back when you touch them to jellyfish to big sharks and rays. It's like rush hour there. When you peer over the edge of the reef. 

Fiji is home to over 390 coral species, and is also located within the Coral Triangle, which is known to be the global center of marine biodiversity.   

We saw a lot of those coral species out at Frigate’s Pass, on the end of Beqa/Bega Reef. The reef was super sharp but the Fijians would walk across it in bare feet.  

I had the opportunity to explore and assess the reefs of Beqa Lagoon, and sadly our recent observations reveal that the reefs are predominantly fluorescing, deteriorating, or completely dead. This once-thriving ecosystem is now mostly barren, and likely won't rejuvenate in the foreseeable future. 

That's hard to believe. When did this happen? How did this happen?  Had to be a natural process or some facet of climate change and global warming because there's nothing out there. Nothing but nature.

Coral degradation is a global concern. Every coral ecosystem is facing challenges from bleaching, diseases, and human-induced impacts. A significant portion of this coral decline, both globally and in Beqa Lagoon, results from climate change, particularly the rising sea temperatures. Corals thrive within a specific temperature bracket, and as our oceans warm, these reefs transition into inhospitable zones. This temperature bracket varies depending on the type of coral and location, but it is between approximately 73°F to 84°F (23°C to 29°C). Upon closer examination of the lagoon, we noted the impact that upwellings and tradewinds had on the fate of these reefs. If currents align favorably, they can bring cooler waters to the surface, offering relief to the corals.

Is it correct to say coral reefs are the canaries in the coal mine of climate change?

Coral reefs support about 25% of the population directly or indirectly through biomass production, as they are nurseries for the fish that we eat, and responsible for the protection of thousands of miles of coastline, dissipating wave energy from storms. It's undeniable that coral reefs are among the first and most responsive barometers of climate change's widespread effects. They indicate signs of environmental distress earlier than many other ecosystems. With the ongoing global coral bleaching and their decline due to warming and increasingly acidic oceans, the challenges faced by these reefs should be viewed as a precursor to more extensive and dire consequences stemming from unmitigated climate change.

The Counting Coral website states: "Coral reefs support 25% of marine biodiversity and their depletion is imminent, with 90% predicted to be lost by 2030.Through collaboration with communities heavily dependent on their reef ecosystems, these chosen reefs will develop increased resilience to the challenges brought about by climate change. By implementing an operational attraction that functions as an initial gene bank, we can redirect diver activity away from vulnerable reefs, enhance financial benefits for local communities, amplify marketing prospects, and promote awareness regarding marine conservation."

What else is jeopardized by the bleaching and dying of coral reefs?

Coral reefs support about 25% of the population directly or indirectly through biomass production, coral reefs are the nurseries for the fish that we eat, they are responsible for the protection of thousands of miles of coastline acting as a barrier that dissipates wave energy from storms.

Where are the most spectacular coral reefs you've seen? Frigates Pass was pretty impressive but this was in the 1990s.

There are so many spots that still exist in Fiji that have incredible reef systems but some of my favorites are in the Yasawa island group.

Your Counting Coral profile reads: “President & Founder Jolyon’s lifelong passions involve artistry, surfing, diving, and a profound connection to the ocean. With over three decades of expertise as an artist/designer and contractor, Jolyon has accumulated extensive skill sets that encompasses the scope of building operations, cost management, meticulous project timeline execution, and unique craftsmanship.”

Can you detail that? Where are you from originally? I hear an English accent and I’m thinking south: London or Cornwall maybe?

I was born in Torquay, South Devon, England and moved to Malibu in 1989. Amongst countless years of ocean exploration, and ocean videography, I developed my skill sets as a designer, artist, and custom home-builder. I work for high profile individuals and CEO’s across Los Angeles and Malibu, turning ideas into reality. With coral reefs taking the brunt of the worsening climate change, I decided to connect my worlds of conservation and artistry to take direct action. 

Where did the ocean put the hook in you?

Being in Malibu and having access to the ocean was where I got the hook, learning to surf at Little Dume and diving all the Channel Islands was the hook.

I got my SCUBA certification out on Catalina Island. It’s kind of like Bega down there, in a different way: Busting with life, kelp towers, lobster, garibaldi, sharks. I’ve always been curious about the other Channel Islands. Do you have any personal favorite spots? Adventure stories? It’s another century out there.

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What truly captivated me about coral was my experience as a surf videographer in Fiji, spanning a decade from 2004 to around 2014/15. Being amidst the vast ocean on a reef, devoid of any discernible landmarks, often made novices in Fijian surfing apprehensive about tackling a towering 10-foot wave in such shallow waters over knife-edged reefs. 

Yep I was that novice. It’s weird surfing out in the middle of the ocean with the closest land barely visible, 15 miles away. Beautiful but kinda sketchy. Beautiful though. Frigates Pass and Bega Reef were pristine when we were there. There was a wrecked boat way down the reef but that was it. Nothing but nature.

With my camera at the ready, I frequently found myself so engrossed in capturing the beauty of the reefs that I would sometimes get lost filming the reefs and forget about the surfers.

Where did you start surfing? 

Malibu, Little Dume and then all over the world.

What was the road that led you to Counting Coral?

Having educated myself on climate change, overfishing and the general destruction of our planet due to human activity I always knew I had to do something. I had to bide my time until I could take action, having a family and having to support that was a priority for many years but through some luck and creative investing I made it to retirement at the age of 45 at which time I started to focus all my attention on making a change in the world. 

I reflected on the state of the oceans and sought a specific focus. It quickly became evident that coral environments held profound significance for me. Merging my expertise in construction and art with my understanding of coral conservation, I established Counting Coral. The concept of underwater art installations initially emerged from simple sketches and ambitious visions. Gradually, these ideas matured both scientifically and artistically, paving the way for an innovative, artistic approach to worldwide coral conservation.

Your website states: Within the larger goal of coral conservation lies the desire to push the boundaries of conservation, aiming for effective outcomes that inspire not only conservationists but also the wider population. To do so, Counting Coral designs, donates and installs sculptural coral gene banks that are meticulously customized to revive and rehabilitate coral reefs within reef dependent communities. Counting Coral’s vision is to create marine protected areas around the world, where large, managed sculptural coral gene banks are built. These sculptural marine parks and gene banks will be managed by Counting Coral in collaboration with shareholders in the community.

Where is this being done, the re-reefing process? Any one place in particular? 

The Counting Coral team operates globally. Our sculptures are crafted in Malibu and then transported to Fiji, where our primary focus lies for the moment. We have an ambitious vision to expand to East Africa in the next three years. So far, we've set up 137 sculptures in Nalova Bay, located off Nacula Island in the Yasawa group, in collaboration with the Blue Lagoon Beach Resort. This installation took place last July.

By next February, we plan to introduce another expansive underwater sculpture, serving as a coral gene bank/marine park, off Vomo Island in the Mamanuca Islands of Fiji. For this endeavor, we're in partnership with Vomo Island Resort. While we aspire to have a global reach, we recognize that directing our efforts towards reef-dependent communities in Fiji will yield the most beneficial outcomes for the reefs. Our full circle conservation goals are to create stakeholders, create underwater sculpture gene banks, drive awareness, drive education and create opportunity for the local communities.

A GALLERY OF CORAL SCULPTURES IN THE FIJI ISLANDS

How do you create stakeholders in the environment? 

Reach out to resorts that have a house reef that may need help, offer to donate and manage a sculptural coral gene bank to restore the reef. In exchange the resort hosts the CC team with accomodation, food, boats etc. Now you have a stake holder as they are now invested in the work and the success of the project, as a big win for the resort they now have a new marketing opportunity to a wider audience offering eco diving etc.

What is the thinking behind the under water sculpture gene banks?

When it comes to coral conservation and the work that is being done it can sometimes feel pretty flat when it comes to inspiring an audience to get behind the work. We decided very early on that we have to do something different in order to raise the awareness that is so desperately needed when it comes to the coral crisis.

Coming from an artistic background we decided to make coral nurseries cool and interesting for all to enjoy and be inspiring to people. Our sculptures are designed to house superior coral genetics, AKA super coral. rare coral species and coral of opportunity. 

What is your strategy for driving awareness?

The minute we start to build a new park we share that content on all our socials from start to finish people get to see the process and the minute we sink our work into the water off a beautiful island resort we create a new activity for tourist that come to the resort on their vacation, at this moment in time there are a lot of people with Gopro's underwater cameras who share our work worldwide. This helps us drive awareness long after we have done the work.

While we are in Fiji whether it be installing our work, maintaining our work or both we always connect with the local chiefs to obtain permission to work with the local island school to come in once a week to help educate the young Fijians about their reef systems, the importance of their reef and how they can help to protect their reefs. We also employ the locals to help maintain our parks while we are not there, along with hiring local boat captains and their boats to help us with our work.

This is my long boilerplate response to climate change deniers: 

When people call BS on Global Warming and Climate Change I call BS on them thusly.

If you grew up along the Pacific coast of California you know that climate change is for real. If you know the ocean you get to know that ocean's patterns and characteristics. 

A couple of years ago I flew from Hawaii to Santa Cruz for my dad's memorial and the following things were true and completely out of whack.

1. The Monterey Bay turned turquoise from a bioluminescence bloom. It looked like the Caribbean. You could see it from space. Unprecedented and not normal. 

2. There are now more than a dozen great white sharks living between La Selva Beach and Capitola. Not normal. At all. They like water temperatures between 50 and 60° and the water has warmed up consistently over a very short time. Imagine if there were 12- 15 white sharks very visible between Malibu Pier and Point Dume. People would be freaking out. That’s how unusual that is along the inner crescent of Monterey Bay.

3. There were Orca and killer whales feeding 50 yards off of a place called Mitchell's Cove. You could have hit them with a well-flung anchovy. Not normal. Almost like polar bear walking down the streets of Ottawa.

Or penguins showing up in Torquay, England.

4. Dungeness crab season was postponed because of high water temperatures at a cost of millions of dollars.

All of that was happening at the same time. None of that was remotely normal and it has changed over years and decades - not centuries and millennia. 

Beyond bleached coral reefs, can you think of other examples you've seen that clearly show climate change and global warming are a clear and present danger? Out of place sea creatures in places they don’t belong?

During the El Nino in the early 1980s, someone caught a sailfish in the Monterey Bay. That would have blown their minds. A sailfish!

In the early 90s during an El Nino I trunked it at Asilomar Beach. Weird but great.

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If I see James Cameron around the Malibu, I will try to attract his attention. He is one of many accomplished, well-to-do, tuned in Malibu citizens who know and love the ocean. A lot of the techies are moving here, because they love the ocean. Anyone else around town you would like to involve?

Engaging with individuals who have a substantial platform and a dedicated audience, especially in the marine and environmental domain, is advantageous. Surfers in Malibu would be perfect. Laird Hamilton for example.