Manta Point is one of the most famous diving spots off the coast of Bali, Indonesia. It is named after the countless manta rays that are found around the area. Sadly, on a recent expedition, diver Rich Horner came across something he wasn’t expecting. This discovery broke his heart.
Instead of mantra rays, Horner was greeted by a sea of garbage. Only a few unfortunate animals could be seen nearby.
“The ocean currents brought us in a lovely gift of a slick of jellyfish, plankton, leaves, branches, fronds, sticks, etc… Oh, and some plastic,” Horner wrote online. “Some plastic bags, plastic bottles, plastic cups, plastic sheets, plastic buckets, plastic sachets, plastic straws, plastic baskets, plastic bags, more plastic bags, plastic, plastic, so much plastic!”
It is heartrending to see what Horner has managed to capture on video. The condition of those beautiful creatures trying to live around all that floating trash is chilling to say the least. Underwater creatures call the ocean their home and we are slowly destroying it.
According to Horner, currents carried the massive litter out of the area by the next day, but that is barely comforting. “The plastic is continuing on its journey, off into the Indian Ocean, to slowly break up into smaller and smaller pieces, into microplastics. But not going away.”
This is not the first time we have had a glimpse on the heart-breaking realities of ocean pollution, and it will not be the last. In a viral photo taken by wildlife photographer Justin Hofman while snorkeling off an island south of Borneo, Indonesia, we get to see a seahorse clinging to a plastic cotton swab that had sadly found its way into her habitat.
“It was literally sewage; you could smell the water change. It was disgusting,” Hofman said. “Eventually, this little scene unfolded in front of me.”
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