“The Manzamo area is the type of diving spot that you can come to repeatedly and still have fresh discoveries and challenges awaiting you.”

During the dive break, Yamamoto deepened our understanding of the Manzamo ecosystem. The Kuroshio, a major current running northward along the western Pacific, is nearby and brings enormous sustenance to the corals and the mass of living organisms. The diverse underwater terrain is also a feature. It offers divers with more experience a variety of tunnels, such as the “Dream Hole,” rock overhangs, and underwater walls that go down as deep as 50 meters. Moreover, these points are close, so you do not have to spend a lot of time waiting to get to dive spots.

We soon arrived at the second dive spot covering two areas of dense coral close to the port. The first area is a series of large natural outcrops, boasting dozens of species of coral and abundant sea life. It’s the epitome of what a coral reef should look like. While very different, the second area tells a powerful story of coral recovery from a worldwide mass bleaching event that affected this reef two decades prior. Yamamoto tells us that Lagoon has been assisting the local fisheries association and scientists from the Okinawa Institute of Science and Technology in planting new fields of coral, and he is keen to show us the results.

The second dive was very interesting for Ludo. “It was as if the place was untouched by humans, and I was experiencing it all as the first person ever to have seen the corals. That is particularly amazing because this area is popular with novice divers and snorkelers, and it is very common to see coral damaged by poor fin kicking technique and unawareness of the fragility of coral.” But he was particularly struck with planted coral fields. “The corals were big, healthy, and beautiful. It didn’t look like an artificially planted area; it was if the coral had just been given a little helping hand.”

“This area is excellent because it is shallow and accessible and very dense with coral, and the sunlight highlights the natural colors and beauty of the coral. It is easy to understand how it is a teeming nursery for a whole ecosystem and doesn’t feel artificial at all.”

After hearing the explanation of coral cultivation from Yamamoto, Ludo was keen to visit the nearby coral incubation facility. He was impressed that the fishermen’s association was backing the coral regrowth and fascinated to learn the role coral plays in maintaining healthy fish stocks. Ludo was intrigued, “It is not just ecologists, but the people that actually live from natural resources that are investing in the future. It is a hopeful and inspiring action.” He made a mental note to investigate coral replantation efforts in Itoman, where he lives and works.

Ludo works for the City of Itoman, promoting sustainable tourism development and is helping to create a more harmonious balance between visitors, locals, and the precious island nature they share. More than a job, he is living the lifestyle, and not just the turtle protection activity. Ludo believes strongly in preserving the environment and, as much as possible, reduces his consumption of unnecessary goods and shops regularly at Itoman’s excellent Farmers’ Market.

“I love the local lifestyle. My work, the kids’ schools, and their daily ocean playground are all within minutes’ travel time, a world away from the long commutes and harried lifestyle in the big city.”

The realization that his family’s big city life would translate into living for weekends, away from the city and into nature, made a move to Okinawa a simple choice for Ludo. He now gets to enjoy slow breakfasts with his daughters and spend lots of time in the ocean as a family. Ludo is also gaining great meaning from becoming more intimate with the island waters. “This comes from repeated visits and understanding the cycles of nature, learning the water’s rhythms and what lives there and where to find them is immensely pleasurable. Having the chance to share this knowledge with people is a great feeling of learning and being intimate with nature. It is so far from my desensitized life in the city.” No wonder Ludo is always smiling.

Okinawa Diving Service Lagoon

Located near Manzamo Port in Onna Village, Lagoon has offered diving and snorkeling tours to small groups since 2013. They operate as an “ocean concierge” service taking care of the minutest details from the very start of your tour to the end.

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