The Sea and Islands Are Calling: The Power of Nature to Heal: A Qualitative Study

Abstract

For many, our ability and opportunity to experience and connect with nature, which we may have taken for granted, is dissipating. Humanity is encountering an immense shift with, according to the United Nations, most people—over half globally and approximately 4 in 5 in the United States—now live in urban areas. With more people living in urban areas, equity of access to green nature spaces (e.g., parks, forests, green open spaces) or blue nature spaces (blue spaces (e.g., lakes, rivers, oceans) is often unequal for marginalized communities. The uneven accessibility to urban nature results in lack of the positive mental health benefits and well-being for marginalized and low-income population and has become recognized as a Public Health and Environmental Justice issue. There is a vast amount of research globally on the positive mental health benefits from exposure to green space with much less on blue space. To my knowledge, there is a gap in the research on nature and well-being when experienced “in situ” (natural or original place) both green and blue spaces simultaneously, and while riding a Washington State Ferry across a large body of water such as the Salish Sea or Puget Sound. To fill this gap,17 participants were interviewed on their experiences while riding on a Washington State Ferry from Anacortes, Washington to the San Juan Islands. The interviews revealed five themes: Emotions, Safety, Awareness of Engaged Senses, Impact of Blue and Green Spaces, and Healing. All the participants reported experiences of diverse positive emotions. Some had a sense of reconnecting with nature and a healing experience. The Ferry sensations and sound were soothing, comforting and a refuge. All the participants reported feeling safe and secure riding the Ferry, event in inclement weather. These new, positive and unique findings from this study could offer a new option and generally easily accessible resource to nature from the urban areas of Seattle. As such, these findings need to come to the attention of policy makers in Public Health and Social Justice as an ecosystem services tool. This tool, a ride on a Washington State Ferry in the greater Puget Sound region, can begin to address the inequity of accessibility to nature and subsequent positive mental health benefits of marginalized communities in the urban areas of Seattle. Further research on Washington State Ferry routes leaving from the core of Seattle would expand these findings and contribute to new research. Addressing the social determinants of health of marginalized communities can foster healthier citizens and healthier communities.