On June 7th, the sun was blazing on the surface of Dadonghai in Sanya, Hainan, China. Underwater, another inspirational “Blue Action” was taking place. PADI Global Conservation Ambassador, famous actor Huang Bo, and PADI Global CEO Drew Richardson paired up to dive as buddies and plant 250 corals side by side with 50 certified PADI divers from all over the country. This special World Ocean Day coral planting effort was successfully completed, marked by laughter and love for the ocean.
Huang Bo & Drew Richardson: Dive Buddies, Planting “Blue Hope” Together
The most notable part of this coral planting was the buddy pairing of Huang Bo and PADI CEO Drew Richardson. Under the guidance of Professor Wang Peizheng’s team from Hainan Tropical Ocean University, they carried out a complete coral planting process. This goes from cleaning to positioning, binding, and inspection. After tying the corals with nameplates on the boat, the two completed the planting underwater.
“The ocean is an important part of life on our planet, and coral reefs are a key part of the marine ecosystem. We hope that through our actions, we can encourage more people to pay attention to marine ecological protection and contribute to the future of the ocean,” Huang Bo shared at the event.
Underwater Cooperation
Although the sun was shining bright and the heat was unbearable, every diver showed professionalism, understanding and patience. Fifty PADI divers from around the world dove into the water in an orderly manner and worked with precision. Even with so many divers, there was no chaos underwater, just like a well-trained blue formation.
Even more surprising was that the underwater visibility had been less than 2 meters (6 feet) just a few days ago. However, on the day of the event, it exceeded 10 meters (33 feet). It seemed that the Dadonghai Sea also knew that something big was going to happen that day and deliberately showed its most beautiful side. Many divers sighed as soon as they came ashore. “Today’s underwater visibility is so good, I really want to stay a little longer!” said one of them.
A Blue Action of Extraordinary Significance
After the planting, many divers gathered to share their thoughts and feelings. One said, “In the past, we would dive to see the sea, but now we dive to protect the sea.” Another said, “Although I’ve got too much sun today, planting corals is a very worthwhile thing.”
The scorching sun in Dadonghai did not deter everyone, but instead sparked a sense of unity and enthusiasm. No one complained about the heat, there were only smiling faces and hearts devoted to the ocean.
This 2025 World Oceans Day Theme Promotion Event was jointly sponsored by PADI and Dadonghai Seaside Sports Park. It was also supported by Sanya Tourism Development Group and co-organized by Hainan Youth Foundation. With the theme of “Protecting the marine ecosystem and harmonious coexistence between man and nature”, coral planting is no longer reserved for scientific research institutions. It is now a standard practice in marine environmental protection that every diver can participate in.
As PADI CEO Drew Richardson said, “This is not only a practice of ecological restoration, but also an open class about nature, responsibility and hope.”
Marine protection is not a one-person task. It is something that a group of people accomplish together, much like 50 divers collectively planting corals on the seabed.
Thank you to everyone who went into the water. Thank you to Mr. Huang Bo for taking action and advocating for environmental protection. To Professor Wang Peizheng for the scientific guidance you brought to everyone. To every diver for your dedication and persistence.
And thank you for planting hope for this blue ocean.
Underwater, we couldn’t see each other’s faces. But through every action and through cooperation, we conveyed our deepest love for the ocean.
Let’s meet again next year, bringing more friends, planting more corals, and continuing to protect this blue planet.
