Remembering a Blue Mind in his own words

The passing of Wallace J. Nichols brings water to our eyes

The first media reporting on the death of Dr. Wallace J. Nichols appeared Monday June 19 but over the weekend thousands of people were already sharing their remembrances, tears and blue marbles.

The first news story I saw in Lookout Santa Cruz begins:

Marine biologist, ecologist, writer and lecturer Wallace J. Nichols, author of “Blue Mind,” the 2014 bestseller about the therapeutic benefits of being near large bodies of water, has died, his family announced on Saturday. He died on June 10, but the family declined to comment on the cause of death. He was 56.

It's with sadness and heartfelt condolences to his family that I also note the passing of my friend and colleague “J” Nichols, a frequent speaker at our Blue Vision Summits, Writers for the Sea author events, many other organizations' gatherings, Blue Mind Summits that he organized plus countless moments of inspiration and grace he provided his readers and those he befriended.  His sudden absence reminds me of an Isak Dinesen quote, “The cure for anything is salt water – sweat, tears or the sea.”

A highly regarded sea turtle scientist and researcher, outdoor explorer and co-founder of the Wildcoast conservation group that operates in both the United States and Mexico, he was best known for his 2014 book ‘Blue Mind’ and the movement he built around it. The book’s subtitle, “The surprising science that shows how being in, on, or under water can make you happier, healthier, more connected and better at what you do,” sums up his belief in the redemptive value of being connected to water.  He also built enduring links between ocean conservationists, clean water advocates, water related businesses and therapeutic communities, while continuing his lifelong commitment to diversity and inclusiveness in access to and representation of our water world.

In 2020, we spoke with J. on our Rising Tide Ocean Podcast shortly after he’d lost his family home to California’s Lightening Complex wildfires along the central coast and how after getting out of his ‘fight or flight’ red mind, he evacuated to the ocean.  “Things were just so hot and still burning, and inaccessible. So, I had that fear of losing everything in the unknown, which is just torture. So yeah, straight to the ocean. You know, it buys you a little bit of clarity in a way. It turns out it's also largely free. As long as our beaches stay accessible and we don't trash the place, it's our best medicine. I wrote a book about that and it was put to the test last week in a big way…And so, if the sea can save you, and it has saved me and it's saved Vicky (Rising Tide’s co-host), and it's saved many of our friends in many ways.  So why don't we talk about that clearly? As professionals, as scientists, as leaders, why is that not part of our mission statement?

There's a lot of people who need saving right now in many different ways, including our first responders, our frontline healthcare workers, our at-risk youth, kids and families dealing with autism. So, I'm optimistic because there's this big idea that I just put a name on called Blue Mind. You can call it whatever you want, it doesn't matter, but when it becomes common knowledge, when it's taught as part of our K through 12 education it will transform healthcare and conservation. It just will. So that gives me optimism, I guess.”

One of his favorite educational tools was a blue glass marble that he’d pass out to people on condition they pass it on. He was proud of the many pictures of people holding those millions of marbles including Dr. Sylvia Earle, Jane Goodall and the Dalai Lama.   Held out at arm’s length he claimed it represented the size of our blue marble home planet as seen from the Sun 94 million miles away. Many blue marbles will be passed on in the coming days.

A memorial fund has also been set up by his family.  https://www.gofundme.com/f/Nichols-memorial-fund

J. used to sign all his letters and end his presentations with a simple salutation, ‘I wish you water.’  May his memory be a blessing.