Mayotte: Guardians of the Lagoon
Chapter 1 – The First Encounter
From discovery to awakening.
This first chapter marks the beginning of the Ambassadeurs du Lagon adventure — the moment when the youth of Mayotte meet the Parc Naturel Marin team for the first time. It’s here, in the shade of mangroves and the calm of the lagoon, that ideas become missions: how to teach, observe, and protect their island’s fragile marine life. This first encounter isn’t just an introduction — it’s the spark that connects young islanders to the ocean that will define their future. Read the article →
Chapter 2 – The Next Generation Steps In
The future of the lagoon begins here.
25 young candidates. 10 selected. Behind these numbers lies a story of hope, curiosity, and determination — a group of teenagers who chose to spend their holidays learning how to protect their lagoon. Guided by the Mayotte Marine Park team, they took part in workshops, debates, and hands-on exercises designed to turn awareness into action. A day where words met the water, and where the future of the lagoon began to take shape. Read the full article →
Chapter 3 – Reading the Reef After Chido
Science, balance, and quiet resilience beneath the surface.
After cyclone Chido, the lagoon still bears its scars. Beneath the surface, coral gardens that once sheltered hundreds of species now show long, pale patches — the mark of a system shaken but not defeated. This week, Cyrielle from the Mayotte Marine Park led a field study focused on reef fish and algal dynamics, while Éloïse from the IRD documented coral resilience. Together, their teams follow the same story: when corals fade, algae move in — and when algae rise, herbivores answer. Ten days of surveys across east and west will help scientists read how the reef is rebuilding, with a follow-up planned in spring. Read the full article →
Chapter 4 – Ten Years Back in Time
From my first dive to theirs — passing the torch beneath the surface.
Ten years ago, I took my first dive — a moment that changed everything. Today, I filmed ten young Mahoran students taking theirs, the first steps of the Lagoon Ambassadors program. Between stress before jumping, wonder underwater, and quiet emotion back at the Abalone Dive Center, the same feeling remains: connection. For a few hours, phones were forgotten and screens went dark — leaving only the ocean, the silence, and a spark that could grow into something much larger. Read the full article →
Chapter 5 – First Descent
When the dolphins appeared, the ocean itself seemed to welcome them.
The day started with a gift — a group of dolphins surfacing just a few hundred meters from the dive club. For all the young Lagoon Ambassadors, it was a first glimpse of the wild ocean they were about to discover beneath the waves. Read the full article →
Chapter 6 – Learning to Breathe
Between fear and fascination, each descent is a lesson in courage.
For some of Mayotte’s young Lagoon Ambassadors, this session felt like freedom. For others, it meant facing their deepest fears — of drowning, of losing control, of not being good enough. In a place where swimming lessons are rare, learning to dive becomes a powerful act of trust and resilience. Read the full article →