2024 will be remembered for many momentous events, from ongoing wars, to the election, to the specter of a new global virus. This year, the world also suffered a truly tragic loss in the ocean conservation world with the untimely passing of Wallace “J” Nichols.
J was a creative scientific pioneer applying empirical science with art and love towards ocean conservation. A highly trained marine biologist, J really loved to be in, on, or under the water. Sharing his experiences and love were his passion and J was effective at delivering his message in unique and compelling ways.
Through his creations including Ocean Revolution, the Blue Marble, and his book The Blue Mind, J reached millions, connecting hearts and minds to ocean conservation. The blue marbles J passed out referenced Apollo 17 Astronaut’s view of our ocean planet from space, reminding us that 71% of earth’s surface is ocean. Passing out marbles and staring through them became a passport, opening minds and hearts, and his goal was to pass out and share one million marbles to share ocean love.
I first met J as a fellow Research Associate at the California Academy of Sciences in 2005. Our shared love of science, sea turtles and Baja instantly cemented our friendship. We had a lot in common and to say J loved the ocean is an understatement. We both surfed, swam open water at the Dolphin Club and competed in the Hawaii Ironman. J’s good looks helped supplement his ocean conservation salary, and his ocean blue eyes adorned the covers of Outside, Forbes and Vogue, yet he always remained humble.
I joined J in Baja several times as he he helped build community conservation for sea turtles and the founding of Groupo Tortuguero. This grass-roots project brought children and women leaders to gather eggs, hatch and release the young turtles. These local champions helped protect sea turtles from fishermen and helped restore the tortuga negra (black sea turtle) population along the peninsula. With his youngest daughter Boo, we watched gray whales cavort in Magdalena Bay, so many whales that the four year old exclaimed ‘Daddy I am not looking at another whale!” We had a great laugh over that, because she did as the next whale came alongside our panga to be caressed by the girl.
We worked alongside on his couch at the Barn converted to a house in Davenport, a hub for ocean conservationists the world over, the home where he raised his girls Grayce and Julia with his wife Dana. This home tragically burned down in the CZU Lightening Complex Fire in 2020. The loss of the lovingly built family home in the redwoods would haunt J for the rest of his life. The book Blue mind unfolded on that couch, a novel investigation into neuroscience and ocean healing. Your Mind on Water became the conservation communities mantra as the book rose to the best seller list.
I last communicated with J in February, following our expedition to the Sea of Cortez to build stakeholder support, including fishermen, to create a community-supported model for shark protection, built on his work with sea turtles. J shared my excitement for the Baja project with Pelagios Kakunja, and we discussed him joining us in Baja.
There are so many stories, and so many lives J touched, and his untimely death left a hole in the ocean, and a deep vacancy for a generation of ocean conservationists. Together, we will work to fill that hole with whales, sharks and J’s beloved sea turtles. Like J’s shoes, its a big hole to fill. For J, lets all get to work and continue his blue legacy. I wish you water.