Resilience, Rain, and Responsibility: The Beach Cleanup at Gili Air Harbor by Oceans 5 Gili Air

March is traditionally the month when the rainy season begins to fade in Indonesia. The skies usually clear, the seas calm, and island life returns to a sun-drenched rhythm. But this year, the gods had other plans. The wind howled through the coconut palms of Gili Air, the rain came in waves, and the harbor bore the brunt of nature’s tempestuous mood. Yet, despite the stormy weather and low season’s quiet hum, something remarkable happened: a group of passionate volunteers—divemasters, instructor candidates, and travelers—came together to clean up the harbor’s beach, led by Oceans 5 Gili Air.

This wasn’t just a one-off event or a spontaneous act of goodwill. It was part of a long-standing tradition that has defined Oceans 5 Gili Air since its inception: a commitment to conservation, education, and community empowerment.

Winds of Change: March on Gili Air

As March rolled in, many on Gili Air were hopeful that the last days of the rainy season would pass with a gentle breeze. Instead, the island experienced some of the fiercest wind and rain in recent memory. The seas surged, waves slammed into the harbor walls, and the beaches filled with debris brought in by tides and tempest. Plastics, wood, fishing lines, bottles, and packaging—rubbish from near and far washed ashore, an unsettling reminder of the environmental challenges facing our oceans.

But rather than lament the weather, Oceans 5 Gili Air took it as a call to action. The dive center’s weekly beach cleanup was needed now more than ever. And so, under gray skies and gusty winds, the team began organizing.

Volunteers Despite the Storm

The windy days didn’t deter the volunteers. Even with a thin stream of tourists visiting during low season, the harbor cleanup team quickly took shape. Instructor Development Course (IDC) candidates and divemaster interns at Oceans 5 Gili Air took the initiative—an essential part of their training, and more importantly, of becoming responsible dive professionals.

Equipped with gloves, sacks, reusable bags, and a sense of purpose, they headed to the beach. Rain ponchos flapped in the wind, wet sand clung to shoes, and the tide brought in more debris with every hour. Still, they worked with enthusiasm and determination, laughing together, sharing stories, and picking up every piece of trash they could find.

“It’s more than just cleaning,” said one divemaster candidate. “It’s about setting an example, understanding the problem, and taking responsibility. We’re training to be dive professionals, and that comes with a duty to the ocean.”

Learning Through Doing

For Oceans 5 Gili Air, beach cleanups are not just about aesthetics or public image—they’re learning opportunities. The March cleanup, like so many before it, was organized by the dive center’s divemasters and instructor candidates. They took the lead in planning, promoting, executing, and documenting the event, under the guidance of experienced staff.

This hands-on involvement gave them real-world experience in organizing conservation events: logistics planning, volunteer coordination, social media outreach, safety briefings, and data collection on the types of waste collected. These are critical skills for any dive professional who hopes to be more than just a tour guide underwater.

“This is how we build ocean ambassadors,” explained one of Oceans 5’s instructors. “It’s one thing to say we care about the environment, but it’s another to actually get your hands dirty—literally—and lead others in protecting our marine ecosystems.”

A Tradition Since 2010

Oceans 5 Gili Air isn’t new to conservation. In fact, the dive center has been organizing weekly beach cleanups since 2010, long before it became a global trend. While many dive shops around the world have started to incorporate conservation initiatives more recently, Oceans 5 was one of the pioneers on Gili Air. Their vision was simple yet powerful: make conservation a core part of everything they do.

That philosophy hasn’t changed. Over the past 14 years, Oceans 5 has involved thousands of divers, locals, tourists, and staff in their cleanups. They’ve collected tons of rubbish, educated hundreds of divers about marine debris, and helped raise awareness about plastic pollution across the Gili Islands.

It’s this consistency—this unwavering dedication—that has made Oceans 5 a pillar of sustainability in the region.

Conservation Beyond the Beach

But the impact of Oceans 5’s conservation philosophy extends far beyond the shoreline. The dive center has made environmental protection an integral part of its diving courses. Whether you’re doing your PADI Open Water course or training to become a professional, you’ll learn about buoyancy, marine life, and the importance of protecting coral reefs. You’ll also learn what not to do: touch marine life, collect shells, or damage the reef with careless fins.

Through specialty courses like Dive Against Debris, Coral Conservation, and Sea Turtle Awareness, Oceans 5 educates divers to become ocean guardians. They teach practical steps divers can take on every dive to minimize their impact. They lead by example, and their instructors and guides embody these values in every dive briefing, every course, and every ocean interaction.

Even something as simple as teaching students to stay neutrally buoyant—rather than kneeling on the sand or reef—has a profound effect on the underwater world. These are the small but powerful changes that can ripple out across the diving community.

Partnering for the Future: The University of Mataram

Perhaps the most exciting aspect of Oceans 5 Gili Air’s conservation work is their partnership with the University of Mataram. Together, they are supporting the next generation of Indonesian marine scientists. Through this collaboration, students from the university’s Faculty of Marine Science conduct field research around the Gili Islands, collecting data on coral health, fish populations, invertebrate species, and more.

Oceans 5 provides the logistical and financial support for this initiative, including access to dive boats, equipment, and mentoring. The university provides scientific expertise, and the students gain invaluable field experience—often for the first time in their academic careers.

It’s a symbiotic relationship that benefits everyone. The students gain the practical skills they need to become conservation leaders. The dive center contributes to marine science and community empowerment. And the Gili Islands benefit from increased knowledge and attention to the health of their fragile ecosystem.

This partnership, now several years in the making, is one of the few programs in Indonesia where a private dive center is actively supporting academic marine research. It’s another example of how Oceans 5 is looking beyond the next dive, the next course, or the next season—they’re investing in long-term sustainability.

Cleaning the Beach, Building Community

The beach cleanup in March wasn’t just about collecting rubbish. It was a moment of community, a spark of hope during gray skies. Locals stopped to thank the volunteers. Children came out to help. Restaurant owners offered water and snacks. It was a reminder that protecting the ocean is something that brings people together.

Even in the middle of a windy, rainy low season, the heartbeat of conservation at Oceans 5 Gili Air remained strong. The IDC candidates and divemaster interns didn’t just pick up trash—they became educators, leaders, and advocates.

And in doing so, they joined a long line of people who, since 2010, have walked that same stretch of sand with sacks and gloves, with a sense of purpose and love for the sea.

Looking Ahead: Conservation is a Lifestyle

The cleanup in the harbor of Gili Air is just one of many. Every week, Oceans 5 Gili Air organizes a new event. Every week, more people join. And every week, the message grows louder: the ocean needs us, and we can make a difference.

As the high season slowly approaches and the sunshine returns, the rubbish may lessen—but the commitment at Oceans 5 will not. Conservation isn’t something they do when it’s convenient. It’s a part of their identity. It’s woven into the fabric of their courses, their internships, their partnerships, and their daily routines.

If you’re planning a visit to the Gili Islands, don’t just come for the turtles, the sunsets, and the serene beaches. Come and be part of something bigger. Join a beach cleanup. Take a conservation course. Learn what it means to be a responsible diver.

Because the next piece of plastic on the beach might not seem like much—but when you pick it up, you’re part of a story that stretches back over a decade, and forward into the future.

And on Gili Air, that future looks a little brighter thanks to the rain, the wind, the volunteers, and the unwavering dedication of Oceans 5 Gili Air.