Paddleboarders, divers among those aware of need to safeguard nature

When 5-year-old Zhao Yunshu first saw footage on his mother's phone of people gathering marine creatures on a beach, he became totally absorbed in the scene.

The boy, who comes from the coastal city of Dalian, Liaoning province, was really curious. He said he often went to the beach to dig in the sand, but asked why he had never seen so many creatures like those in the video.

As Zhao was so interested, his mother, Jiang Xiaoye, 33, decided to take him back to a beach for him to learn more.

"Before we left, I searched online for tidal information, and I also bought some small tools such as rakes, scoops and buckets," she said.

One weekend in March, she drove Zhao 40 kilometers to a popular beach in a Dalian suburb, where more than 100 people were gathering clams, conches, crabs and other marine creatures as the tide ebbed.

Jiang said, "My mother, who came with us, initially complained that such efforts were a waste of time, but when she collected some clams, she started to enjoy the experience. Now, both my son and my mom are beach-combing fanatics.

"I guess they enjoy harvesting creatures with their own hands, along with the unpredictability of such exploration."

Located on the southernmost tip of the Liaodong Peninsula, Dalian faces the Bohai Sea and the Yellow Sea. Including islands, it boasts a coastline of 2,211 kilometers, the longest among Chinese cities.

Archaeological findings show that 6,000 to 7,000 years ago, settlements appeared on islands and in coastal areas of Dalian. In addition, bone fishhooks and stone weights for fishing nets were excavated from the ruins of two Neolithic sites in Dalian, showing that people in ancient times had mastered the art of fishing.

Now, for many local residents, the sea is no longer a way to make a living, but an opportunity to relax, have fun and get close to nature.

People enjoy the sea in a variety of ways－some like swimming, some prefer sailing or yachting, while others love diving.

Lost to urbanization

This month, the natural resources bureau in Dalian announced a list of 70 beaches in the city's urban areas to better meet increasing demand among residents to get close to the sea in their spare time.

Su Yuntao, 36, said that among the beaches on the list, he could never find the one he visited during childhood.

"I used to swim and collect various types of seafood there, but the beach has since disappeared in the process of urbanization," he said.

Su works at a yachting club in Dalian, and is a spear fishing and freediving enthusiast.

"About 10 years ago, I read a book written by Deng Gang, a well-known novelist from Dalian, that awakened my desire to explore the sea and to hunt," he said.

The novel, Shanlang Haizei, which translates as "Wolves of the Mountain and Thieves of the Sea", tells the story of haipengzi－men who dive deep into waters to catch precious seafood after taking just one breath.

When resources were in short supply before China introduced reform and opening-up in the late 1970s, haipengzi, who had no equipment, relied on their skills to catch an abundance of seafood.

Inspired by their story, Su wanted to learn more about haipengzi, so he joined a group of people who became some of the first in China to learn freediving.

Su learned these skills in 2012 from Zhao Lei, also known as Enzo, China's first freediving coach certified by the International Association for the Development of Apnea. Two years later, Su went spearfishing.

He is accompanied by three partners on such trips, and everyone in the group can dive to a depth of 40 meters in the sea by taking just a single breath.

"In Dalian, temperatures are low in winter, and we only dive from June to November," said Su, adding that he once caught a yellowtail kingfish weighing nearly 40 kilograms.

Su said many people are interested in joining him, but the cost of chartering boats, and a lack of ability to learn freediving, deter them.

"What we do is considered an extreme sport with considerable risk," Su said, adding that he regards the word "ocean "as awe-inspiring.

"We strictly abide by environmentally friendly requirements," Su said.

Green awareness

The authorities in Dalian have not issued any laws or regulations related to newly emerging marine recreational sports, but most participants try to protect the environment.

Zhao Daqian, 38, an amateur underwater photographer, leaves a marine area immediately after shooting video footage, in order to keep disturbance to aquatic life to a minimum.

At his workshop, he keeps a brochure titled The South Australian Recreational Fishing Guide, which he uses for his underwater work.

When Zhao was studying for his master's in hydrobiology at Dalian Ocean University, he attended a one-year exchange program at the South Australian Research and Development Institute in 2011.

He was deeply impressed by the well-protected marine environment in Adelaide, the South Australian state capital.

After returning to Dalian, Zhao and several other divers set up a diving club. They also started work on Dalian Marine Life, a documentary on how it looks like under the water.

Zhao, who learned to dive in 2009, has performed a total of more than 1,000 dives in China and overseas.

"In some areas, the environment was not good. The best place now is Haiyangdao township in Changhai county. The eelgrass beds are very lush there, but if I hadn't captured them on my camera, I wouldn't have believed it," Zhao said.

Every time he photographs a marine creature, he refers to a wealth of information, and when he makes a video, he discusses marine creatures' habits and other details.

"Dalian is known for its delicious seafood, which local residents adore. However, I discovered that they knew very little about marine creatures. I want to help people learn more about marine life through my explorations and discoveries," Zhao said.

He now has 30,000 followers and his videos have attracted a total of about 5 million views on social media platforms.

"As (British zoologist and conservationist) Jane Goodall said, 'Only if we understand, can we care.' I believe that when more and more people are willing to learn about marine life, these creatures will be better cared for and protected," Zhao said.

New world

Liu Yingjie, 51, said he used to have scant knowledge of the sea, even though he had swum at the coast every summer since childhood. He had never ventured out to sea until 2019, when he started kayaking. Later, he took up paddleboarding.

"It was as though a whole new world opened up for me. I used to look out to sea, but now when I'm on the paddleboard and look back at the city, this new perspective gives me a fresh view of life," Liu said.

At Yinshatan beach, about 5 km from downtown Dalian, Liu said he used to look at an island lying to the south for many times. Using a paddleboard, he can now reach the island from the beach in about 10 minutes, taking a break from bustling city life and enjoying the beauty of nature.

Each time Liu paddles to the island, he is accompanied by friends, who bring portable gas stoves for a barbecue. Sometimes, those who are adept at freediving serve up fresh seafood, including oysters, fish, sea urchins and even trepang, a precious type of sea cucumber.

"We choose to go to the island together, not only because it is more fun, but also for the sake of security," Liu said.

"It is only about 10 km from the beach, but the weather is changeable. It was sunny just now, but suddenly a thick fog came up, obscuring the coastline."

Echoing Liu's concerns, Zhao Linfeng said he has never taken his sons to sea.

"I've encountered unexpected situations such as big waves, rapid currents and fog suddenly appearing. I don't think primary school students can handle such situations by themselves. They should stay close to the shore on paddleboards, as safety is the priority," he said.

When he is not with his family, Zhao Linfeng likes to explore islands and caves.

"This is still a niche field involving only a small group of people, but it is worth exploring," he said.

Paddleboarders view Dalian as a picturesque city full of fun. They find the local skyline delightful, and the coastline even more enjoyable－with cliffs, caves and a rich landscape eroded by the sea.

When Zhang Tinghui, 47, first saw the coastal landscape south of Dalian on one of her friend's social media accounts, she was deeply attracted to the wonders of nature.

"I thought I could only see such wonderful scenery up close if I used a paddleboard," she said.

Zhang promptly bought a board and set out to explore the coastline.