For some, the sea is a childhood ritual. For others, it is a near-drowning experience, a race against the wind, a quiet romantic date, an escape. But to you, what is it about? Drawn from a youth survey, these stories remind us of our sometimes forgotten connections with the water.

 

Peaceful

🚩New Zealand
📅2018
👤Winky
🖊Healing time during my solo trip

 

The Old Man and the Sea

🚩Hakodate, Japan
📅2024
👤Valerie
🖊 I thought soaking in a saltwater open-air bath would let me embrace a moment of tranquil bliss, but I was caught off guard by nature’s unfiltered gaze — a seagull landed by the pool, with its look of disdain. Only after dressing and standing by the sea did I realise how easily human dignity crumbles before all living beings.

 

Ocean toys

🚩Tai Mei Tuk, Hong Kong
📅2022
👤Lily
✒️I went to Tai Mei Tuk with a group of young people to do beach clean-ups. We picked up strange things, and none of them belonged to the ocean. Many of the plastic bottles, fishing nets, plastic bags, and even mahjong tiles we picked up that day went to the garbage dump. But I took this little toy back to my office, and it’s been sitting on my desk ever since.

 

On the Beach

🚩Sai Kung, Hong Kong
📅2021
👤Michelle
✒️I could work from home and from anywhere when I was still with my previous company. Every Friday, for a change of scenery, I would work at the beach to reset and relax.

 

See See Sea

🚩Taitung, Taiwan
📅2017
👤Nimo
✒️When I first travelled to Taitung as a travel journalist, I was amazed by this sea. I thought to myself: doing what I love, seeing the scenery I love, and the weather is so nice. It was such a wonderful moment!

 

Ferry Me Across

🚩Sai Kung
📅2025
👤Aimee
✒️Last year, during the long-distance race, the Sai Kung Sea was completely calm. This photo is proof of the tranquillity I felt while sailing alone in my small boat.

 

Under the Sea

🚩Stanley
📅2023
👤Sam
✒️This underwater photo was taken when the camera at the stern of the sail fell into the water. So this is what windsurfing looks like from underwater.

 

Challenge

🚩Texel, the Netherlands
📅2024
👤Rafeek
✒️The 2024 WingFoil Racing Marathon World Championships was challenging. By trying different launch techniques and seeing top sailors struggling too, I found the energy to push through and finished 9th overall in the race. This photo captures the moment when I completed the race. It reminds me of the amazing force of nature and the human spirit that refuses to give up. No matter how tough it gets, you can overcome it when you adapt and keep going.

 

White Noise

🚩Stanley
📅2024
👤Celia
✒️I was practising long jump on a random Stanley beach when I found precious sea shells. The picture captured the scene of me looking down at the glittery sand and the scattered, weird-looking seashells.

 

One with the Sea

🚩Miura Peninsula, Kanagawa, Japan
📅2025
👤Seiya Oshima
✒️ This photo was taken by my dive buddy during a dive in Miura Peninsula, about 90 minutes away from Tokyo. Tokyo Bay is often murky and faces serious pollution. But just a short distance away from the busy city coastal area, there is the beauty of coral, fish, and a quiet life thriving beneath the surface — something that gave me hope as I hovered above the corals.

 

When did you first start feeling connected to the sea?

  • When I was younger, I almost drowned during a summer swim. That scared me, but the memory stayed with me. Instead of turning away from the sea, I became curious about its power, movement, and the life within it. Over time, that fear slowly became respect, which later grew into a connection.
  • Swimming with friends at Stanley Beach.
  • Through watersports and windsurfing.
  • My grandfather was a sailor, and my father enjoys swimming. My parents took me to the beach every summer for a swim, and those were among my fondest childhood memories.
  • Taking the ferry when I was little.
  • When I was young, I lived close to the seaside. I would walk and spend time by the shore. The sea watched over me throughout my early childhood.
  • Going on a beach date with my partner.

 

What have you learned from the sea?

  • We cannot control the ocean. It has its own rhythm. Fight it, you will feel weak. Stay calm and move with it, you can understand it better. The sea teaches me to listen, adjust, and go with the flow. You must fear the ocean, but with respect and wonder. Not that it makes you run away, but that keeps you humble. When I enter the water, I remember that I am a guest.
  • Nothing in life truly matters as much as we think. The things we cannot get over or let go of, that trap us, are insignificant in the eyes of nature. Realising this brings me a sense of relief.
  • The immense power of the sea: we must learn to understand and move in harmony with it.
  • Patience and peace.
  • Storms in the sky are unpredictable; human fortunes can change overnight.
  • The sea is vast and ever-changing.
  • Maintain a sense of awe.

 

What do you think has changed most in the way people connect to the sea?

  • Today, we are focused on city life, status and success. We sometimes forget that we are also part of nature. When we enter the water, we relax with our diving reflex. People used to worship nature with humility because of its power and mystery. Now, it’s a more distant relationship. We often just look at the sea from buildings or through screens. I’ve seen sea turtles swimming in Tokyo Bay – incredible in such a dense city – yet many people pass by without noticing. We just need to pause, look, and remember that we belong to the sea.
  • The sea has never left me, even though I spend less time with it now. As we grow older, our minds mature, and our reflections deepen. The sea stays constant, but its role shifts from a companion to a guiding light and mirror, allowing us to see how we have changed.
  • The connection is fading because of reclamation and urban development.
  • It’s like a beautiful postcard meant only for viewing. It forms the backdrop of our lives; we are within it, yet unfamiliar with its temperature and touch.
  • It’s a bit like animals in a zoo. It doesn’t feel closely integrated into our daily lives.
  • Hong Kong people love the sea and watersports, especially in summer, so the relationship may seem closer. However, there is still a lack of genuine reverence.
  • Probably not much has changed, because our understanding of the sea has not deepened much.

 

What would the ideal relationship between us and the sea look like?

  • Not to control it, but to live beside it. Coastal cities would grow in harmony with the ocean, not at its expense. My major is English Literature, but I believe I still have a role in protecting the sea.
  • An easy, everyday connection: effortless access, peaceful moments, and the ocean as a place of healing amid busy lives.
  • The ocean gives me true freedom and rare relief. It’s a place to breathe deeply and ride the waves. I dream that one day we can all feel the same — that the sea is not merely scenery, but a source of calm, escape, and renewal in our fast-paced lives.
  • Connect with the sea and appreciate its power; protect it and treasure what it has given us.
  • Remind ourselves of our maritime past and reconsider how we can reconnect with the sea.
  • “Receiving and safeguarding.” While enjoying its gifts, treasure them with reverence.
  • Keep the ocean clean. If I go into the water, I try to use reef-safe sunscreen.
  • Regarding the ocean as our home, just as we keep our own homes clean.

 

We do not have to fit into one box to make a difference. Whether someone is a scientist, an artist, an athlete, or simply someone who loves the ocean, we all have something to contribute. — Seiya Oshima  ■