Nathan and Aaron Crossan are fourteen years old, based in London, and in the middle of writing their second field guide to reef life. Their first was researched largely at Wakatobi. So was their second — because, as Nathan puts it, there is simply more to document here.
“The ocean is the most magical place to be…At Wakatobi you’ll see hundreds of species all at once with amazing colors all around you!”
Nathan Crossan, 14 years old
In the short film below, young authors Nathan and Aaron Crossan sit down to reflect on their time spent at Wakatobi. Through firsthand experience, they share how photographing reef life is shaping their next field guide, which is expected to be nearly double the length of their previous work and highlights the extraordinary biodiversity found at Wakatobi.
“We’ve enjoyed Wakatobi the most because it’s got a lot more species,” Nathan shares with a smile. “Just in one holiday here, we’ve recorded almost 500 species. There’s a lot more diversity which is really exciting! This makes each snorkel and dive fun because you’re always seeing something new.”
Documenting that many species would challenge even the most experienced photographers and divers. Fortunately, Nathan and Aaron were supported by Aswan and Frengki, two of Wakatobi’s dive guides whose remarkable ability to spot even the smallest marine life helps reveal what might otherwise be camouflaged to untrained eyes. With their guidance, the reef becomes easier to understand.
“Aswan and Frengki help us a lot,” the twins explain. “We’re not that good yet! Towards the end we were spotting nudibranchs and some of the bigger species we know we’re still looking for, but the guides are really, really good at spotting things.”
Hear more from the Crossan brothers in the video below, also available on our youtube channel here.
Young Explorers and Advocates of Our Oceans
In this conversation, Nathan and Aaron explain why the underwater world should be seen by everyone. By sharing their discoveries through photographic field guides, they believe even those unfamiliar with the ocean can begin to understand its importance, and why healthy reefs matter far beyond the sea.
Nathan and Aaron will be back. They have species still to find, pages still to fill, and a reef that — thirty years into Wakatobi’s careful stewardship — keeps revealing something new. That, perhaps, is the most honest measure of what protection actually looks like: a place so alive that even its youngest visitors leave with unfinished work.
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