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Owen Bornhorst

@owenbornhorst

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Many nature enthusiasts travel to Baja California Sur to experience its beautiful and bio diverse marine habitats and encounter wildlife. However, one ecosystem which is mostly overlooked and ignored are the mangrove forests.

Mangroves are salt resistant trees which soak up vast quantities of planet-warming carbon, produce oxygen, protect coastlines and provide a home to a multitude of species. They are truly magical! Within their network of roots we encountered so many species of fish, rays and invertebrates. Such animals rely on these ever diminishing spaces to grow and develop before being large enough to survive on the reefs and in the open sea. Sadly human activities are rapidly eradicating these safe havens.

Being able to kayak and snorkel around these precious trees with my friends was an incredible experience and one of the highlights of my trip to Baja. If ever you get the chance to explore a mangrove forest… take it!

#mangrove #saveourmangrove #bluecarbon

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Bryde’s whale, Mama and bambina 🩵

The best shot you can get hanging over the side of a boat, not good but it’s proof

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I don’t even know where to begin with this one. 🥹🌊

After months of planning, organising, problem solving, endless messages, meetings, lists, last minute changes and a whole lot of love, Laamafaru Festival 2026 actually happened.

It’s hard to explain what it felt like to finally stand there and watch everything we had been working towards come to life. Seeing so many people from across Laamu together in one place, learning, creating, connecting, celebrating and sharing the same love for our islands and ocean was incredibly special.

There were so many moments throughout the day where I just looked around and thought, we actually did this.

I’m so incredibly proud of the team behind Laamafaru. This festival took so many hands, so much hard work and so many people who were willing to step in wherever they were needed. I’m beyond grateful to every community, organisation, volunteer, partner and person who believed in what we were creating and helped us bring it to life.

Leading Laamafaru has been one of the biggest, craziest and most rewarding things I’ve ever done. It challenged me in so many ways, but seeing what we created together made every stressful moment, every late night and every bit of chaos completely worth it.

I think this one is going to stay with me for a very, very long time. 💙

Still processing it all, but for now…

WE FREAKING DID ITTTT!!! 😭💙🌊

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Without question, these have been the best few months of my life🥹❤️ For the past six months, I’ve been surrounded by some of the most passionate, loving, and uplifting people I’ve ever met, all while living surrounded by some of the most beautiful natural scenes on Earth.

I have mixed feelings about this app. I love being able to share what I’m up to with family and friends, but I HATE how social media can make everything look perfect. Without question, these have been some of the best days of my life—but they haven’t been perfect. I’ve cried. I’ve had panic attacks. I’ve felt incredibly lonely and completely lost. But reflecting up these emotions, I realize those difficult moments made the joyful ones even more meaningful. I don’t think these would have been the best few months of my life without the hardships. Sometimes, the greatest part of our joy is the struggles prior.

Every time I leave home knowing I’ll be gone for an extended period, I’m filled with fear and “what ifs.” I’m scared of what I don’t know and of stepping into the unknown. And yet, I’ve now been away from home for more than nine months. During that time, I spent three months traveling through India, Nepal, Indonesia, and the Philippines, followed by six months living and working here in the Maldives. If I’ve learned anything, it’s that stepping into the unknown and putting a little faith in myself is always better than looking back and wishing I had the courage to just take the first step.

Leaving this place has filled me with an overwhelming sense of grief. But in a strange way, I believe that grief is a blessing. To feel so deeply about closing a chapter of my life has to mean that what I experienced here mattered. Grief can feel daunting, but at its core, it’s simply an emotion that knocks on the door of memory — asking us to remember someone or something we love. And right now, I’m incredibly grateful to feel this much grief, because it means I have something special to miss.

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Postcards from Laamu’s Seagrass🌱🌊

Across the shallow lagoons of the Maldives, vast meadows of seagrass carpet the seafloor. These underwater meadows are among the planet’s most important blue carbon ecosystems, quietly supporting the health of our oceans and climate.

As someone who has been fascinated by every form of life since my early childhood, I can be completely content watching something as small as an ant go about its day. I have always been captivated by the incredible diversity of creatures we share this planet with.

Over the past few months living in Laamu Atoll, I have experienced some extraordinary moments. Yet, the place I find myself returning to time and time again is the seagrass meadow just beyond my doorstep. Having spent countless hours floating above this meadow is an absolute privilege.

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There is no better way to spend a morning than in a sharky seagrass meadow.

Not only are they absolutely stunning, seagrass habitats such as this one are important feeding and nursery grounds for many marine species. They are often frequented by several species of shark, such as these black tip and grey reef sharks. Through protecting seagrass meadows we can help to conserve sharks which play a vital role in maintaining healthy fish stocks and coral reefs.

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What an absolute blessing it is to share days like this with people I love❤️

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Island life with the best of friends. Some of my favourite memories ever were made on this day 🥹

Thanks to @harperaltschul and @owenbornhorst for the awesome photos 🤙🏼

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Não há nenhum outro lugar no mundo onde eu me sinta mais em casa, como no oceano 🌊💙

Minha paixão, meu trabalho, meu propósito, meu aconchego. Onde tudo faz sentido. Por que afinal, viemos do oceano e seguimos conectados a ele.

📸: fotos 1, 2, 3 e 4 @jemma_paradise / foto 5 @owenbornhorst
📍@sixsenseslaamu

#diadooceano #worldoceanday

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olhuveli and out 🌞

beaut days working for @maldivesunderwaterinitiative @maldivesmantaconservation @mantatrust … grateful for these dreamy scenes and the dreamier MUI team!! 🫶🏻

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🌿Some stories unfold in stillness. Others demand to be seen in motion. 🎥

Earth In Focus invites filmmakers to share stories of nature, connection, and change—through moving image.

Submit your film and explore this year’s categories. 🌏 www.earthinfocus.co/film

Regular Submissions: 1 May 2026 — 30 June 2026

We’re halfway there—don’t miss your moment.

#earthinfocus #filmfestival #filmawards

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Watching my Son Plant New Coral in the Maldives

NEW video live on my YouTube channel

I’ve always said you only understand the natural world properly when you’re part of it, not just watching from the edge.

A real proud dad moment watching my son take part in coral replanting in the Maldives, working with conservationists to help restore damaged reef systems. It’s careful, hands-on work: growing coral in nurseries, then reattaching fragments back onto the reef to give it a chance to recover.

What matters most to me is seeing young conservationists step into this space and take responsibility for it. The oceans don’t need admiration, they need action, and they need the next generation to be involved in that effort.

Huge thanks to Jemma Paradise (@jemma_paradise) for the remarkable camera work.
And extra thanks to @marteyne @owen bornhurst @mui (Maldives underwater initiative) and @sixsenseslaamu.

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