The recent news that the global tally of COVID-19 cases surpassed 100 million really makes everyone upset, and we learned that how frail our human beings are when confronted with nature. This profound truth has prompted us to further explore the world.
This time, the school organized the field trip to Dameisha beach which is one of the most popular beaches in Shenzhen. On Friday, we got on the bus and drove slowly to the beach through the bustling downtown, and the scene slowly developed into a magnificent sunrise over the beach which is extremely silent in winter. Compared with everyone’s stereotype of crowed Dameisha, this time, it is more like an undisturbed pure land. However, this silence also aroused our concerns about the tourism industry during the pandemic. Most of the shops were closed, fountains were stopped operating, and the parking lot was left a large area of empty space, which was a little disappointing.
After our interviews, we changed our subject from human geography to physical geography —- ocean. As a geography student, ocean is a word that is often talked about. But the truth of learning is to apply the knowledge we learnt. The most interesting activities are measuring the inclination of beach and studying the waves, which are challenging and require precise observation and clear teamwork. After work, we stood on the beach, listened to the sound of the waves, and felt the salty sea breeze.
On the second day of our trip, we embarked on the newly constructed seaside plank road. The morning sun is particularly bright, and the solar panels on the railings were doing their best to generate electricity. Next to the sea, it is a high-end villa built on top of a cliff. Many people may express envy and desire for this kind of villa.However, when we saw the concreted grid reinforcement measures to prevent landslides, and the protective net that wrapped the entire rock wall, we realized that the erosion effect of the waves will be a great threat to this villa. In addition, we also found that the stones on the coast are also unique.Where the waves can reach, the stones are basically smooth. This is because the friction of the sea water makes the edges and corners smoothed after years of scouring. Since our coast faces the south, which are exposed to sunlight during most of the day, expanding and contracting with heat, and the surface of the stone slowly separates from the core, forming deep lines.
Looking at the azure water and golden beaches on the bus, I couldn’t help thinking about what efforts people have put in to maintain such a beautiful environment. I also felt regret that such a beautiful place will be ruthlessly trampled and polluted during the peak tourist season, and shocking photos will also be published in major newspapers. In the research on the natural environment, I deeply feel that we still have a long way to go. Maybe this is the meaning of our study of geography.
