Watamu, Kenya, is renowned for its vibrant coral reefs and rich marine biodiversity. However, in recent years, the health of these reefs has significantly deteriorated due to environmental stressors, including increasing noise pollution from motorboats. As a scuba diver and resident of Kenya, I have witnessed the reef’s degradation and the stark contrast between the vibrant soundscapes of healthy reefs and the disruptive, jarring noises introduced by tourism.

Through scuba diving excursions and partnerships with local environmental organisations, this project gathers visual and audio recordings of the reef, emphasising the impact of tourism—specifically boat noise and anchoring—on fragile corals. By layering and contrasting recordings of a healthy reef with those of a damaged one, the work constructs an immersive audio-visual narrative that highlights this tension.

Aquatic Echoes is not just about raising awareness or documenting environmental degradation; it critically engages with the medium of underwater filmmaking and field recording to question and disrupt conventional narratives. By focusing on sound as a primary medium and employing an experimental audio-visual approach, this work interrogates the impact of noise pollution on marine environments.

This project reflects on the visual dominance in traditional marine storytelling and seeks to offer an audio-visual experimental approach to reimagine our experience of the underwater world. Through Aquatic Echoes, I aim to create an experience that challenges audiences to listen to and reflect on marine soundscapes—their beauty, fragility, and vulnerability—while exploring broader questions about interventions and the future of coral reefs.