World Oceans Day

Pacific Ocean - Click for larger

In 2008 the United Nations General Assembly designated June 8 as World Oceans Day. It's a day to celebrate oceans, those massive bodies of water that generate the air we breathe, control our climate, help to feed and entertain us, and support a rich biodiversity of life.

Our very own Canadian Government first proposed the international day in recognition of oceans at the 1992 Earth Summit in Rio de Janeiro. Canada is lucky in that it has shores on three of the world's five designated oceanic divisions:

The Pacific:

Pacific Ocean - Click for larger

Pacific Ocean - Click for larger

The Arctic:

Hudson Bay/Arctic Ocean - Click for larger

Hudson Bay/Arctic Ocean - Click for larger

The Atlantic:

Orby Head, PEI - Click for larger

Bay of Fundy - Click for larger

Gulf of St. Lawrence - Click for larger

Kellys beach, Kouchibouguac - Click for larger

Iceberg Alley, NL - Click for larger

I think the recent BP Oil Rig disaster off the coast of Louisiana gives this World Oceans Day even more importance. After all there may be five ocean divisions but really there is only one world ocean. Oil from this disaster may not ever show up on beaches in Canada. But still it will affect Canada and the rest of the world.

Migrating Shorebirds, NB - Click for larger