As you’ve probably guessed, I love to travel. I’m sure it comes as no surprise that my whole family loves to travel. My daughter has traveled the world with us as we explore as much of the world as we can. Our family put together Our Family Bucket List of all the travel-related things we want to accomplish together.
Our family has six bucket list travel goals. I’ve created a series of posts that will go over those goals in more detail, which will also share with you our progress, why it’s one of our goals, our biggest challenges and our favorite things.
- Visit All Fifty States (of the United States of America)
- Visit All Ten Geographical Regions of the World
- Dip Our Toes in All Five Oceans of the World
- Visit All Seven New World Wonders
Goal 4: Dip Our Toes in All Five Oceans of the World
Progress and Status Report:
Want to know how we’re all doing on this bucket list goal? See below.
- Geek Girl: I have dipped a toe in 4 of the recognized oceans of the world. As of July 2023, I will have dipped my toe in all 5 oceans of the world.
- Geek Husband: He has dipped a toe in 4 of the recognized oceans of the world. As of July 2023, he will have dipped his toe in all 5 oceans of the world.
- Geek Daughter: She has dipped a toe in 4 of the recognized oceans of the world. As of July 2023, she will have dipped her toe in all 5 oceans of the world.
Why Did We Pick This Bucket List Goal?
There are a number of reasons we included dipping our toes into the five oceans on our bucket lists.
- To explore. Earth is covered in around 70% ocean, so it feels fitting to have a bucket list goal dedicated to the exact things that make up the majority of our Earth’s surface. Around 97% of our planet’s water is in those oceans. The rest is what we see in glaciers and icecaps. It’s wild to think about.
- A sense of adventure. Some of these oceans mean going on significant adventures. The Arctic Ocean is surrounded by the land masses of Eurasia (Russia and Norway), North America (Canada and the U.S. state of Alaska), Greenland, and Iceland. While it’s not impossible to dip a toe in the Arctic Ocean, it’s not what I’d call easy either. Or the Southern Ocean that encircles Antarctica.
- For science. The oceans are such an integral part of our ecosystem. Phytoplankton in the ocean are responsible for 50% of our oxygen. The ocean absorbs so much heat from the sun, helping to regulate our climate. So much of our food comes to us thanks to the ocean, and honestly, the ocean is likely part of a bigger solution for a more sustainable way of feeding the Earth. Also, the oceans are still such a mystery to us, filled with amazing biodiversity and so many creatures we have yet to meet. With depths of the ocean still unexplored, it’s hard not to sit back in awe of them.
- For love. Our entire family has a love affair with the water. Being near the water, for us, is energizing and calming. Now, we’ve also been near water that is violent and fairly bone-chilling, but even that water has a certain kind of hold on us. It’s just a reminder of how much our lives need water and how important water is for our planet.
Hear From the Family:
We all have different reasons for this being on our bucket list. Hear what we all have to say.
- Geek Girl: “Growing up fairly poor, one of the activities I absolutely loved was beach days. The cost to get to the beach was nominal, we could bring our own food, and there was no entry fee. That was a quick lesson that water is for everyone. Even those really exclusive beach resorts that try to create “private beaches” for the wealthy just share that same water with the folks over at the public beach. In many ways, water is the great equalizer.”
- Geek Husband: “For me, it’s the same thing as going to all the continents. Not many people have touched all five oceans, all seven continents.”
- Geek Daughter: “I think it would be fun to do this. It’s not every day someone can say they dipped their toes in all the oceans.”
What Are Our Biggest Challenges or Concerns About This Bucket List Goal?
As with anything, there can always be potential complications.
- Accessibility. The truth is that some of these oceans are far more accessible than others. The Arctic and Southern oceans require traveling to fairly remote areas in order to dip our toes in them safely.
- Funds. Remote locations generally mean more expensive when it comes to planning this kind of trip. The value has to be there beyond checking off a bucket list item.
- Safety. The water is awe-inspiring and it can also be so dangerous. Not every ocean is created equally in terms of safety and, well, ferocity. The Arctic ocean can be very cold and violent along the coast lines it touches, so it’s important to be as cautious as possible when dipping our toes in these oceans.
What Are Some of Our Favorite Things About This Bucket List Goal?
There is a lot to love about dipping our toes in every ocean. Here’s what we love.
- The adventure. The oceans are vast and cover so much of the Earth. Choosing where to go to dip our toes in these oceans is an adventure on its own.
- Southern Ocean. Dipping our toes in the Southern ocean means we’re in Antarctica and well, Antarctica is this otherworldly, once-in-a-lifetime adventure and dream.
- Cleansing. Water is healing and it’s all connected so these idea of dipping our toes into every ocean in different parts of the world but also recognizing it’s truly all the same water feels really cleansing and healing.
- The beaches. Ok, I know this one might feel silly, but we just love beaches so much. All kinds of beaches. Black sand, white sand, green sand, red sand. Rocky, calm, cold, hot. Beaches are just beautiful and photographable and even when the water is rough, they still feel so relaxing.
