Courtesy of WOWSA, Huntington Beach, California.
Bruckner Chase of California will visit American Samoa to raise awareness of the impact mankind has on the oceans. The passionate advocate of the oceans partnered with the National Marine Sanctuaries to complete swim expeditions at national Marine Sanctuary sites throughout the United States.
On May 14th, his first Marine Sanctuary effort will be an unprecedented 9-mile swim from Aunu’u Island to Utulei Beach.
He explains, “Our lives depend on the health and wellness of the oceans and her ecosystem.”
Chase will set off on a two-week expedition where he will help connect the local community to these remarkable marine areas and teach ocean swimming and rescue skills to island residents.
The American Samoa swim is Chase’s third stop in a three-year program to complete an endurance adventure in each of the fourteen areas in the National Marine Sanctuary Program. With the support of the Governor of American Samoa, Chase will conduct clinics combining ancestral ocean knowledge obtained from local village elders with modern ocean swimming and safety skills. He explains, “Whether you live on the Atlantic, the Pacific or landlocked in Ohio, daily choices impact the sustainability of not only the ocean’s ecosystems, but of our economy, security, health and way of life.”
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