ACCORDING TO THE WWF, BY 2050 THERE’LL BE MORE PLASTIC IN THE OCEAN THAN FISH. MOGAMAT SHAMIER MAGMOET IS WORKING ON CHANGING THAT. THIS IS HOW HE’S CLEANING UP THE OCEAN – ONE DIVE AT A TIME.
![Taking The Plunge](https://magarticles.magzter.com/articles/2558/335349/5c8f8be4c4140/Taking-The-Plunge.jpg)
Staring out at the ocean, with his feet in the sand, excitement filled the then-five-year-old Shamier Magmoet. Going to the beach for the first time was a rite of passage not many kids from his neighborhood experienced at his age. It’s a day he recalls quite vividly. “I remember how excited I was to see this ‘big swimming pool’,” he laughs. “I also remember being very fearful, because I saw a man drown that same day.”
Despite witnessing such a tragic event, Shamier kept going back to the beach. “It was such a peaceful and safe place,” he explains. “We would often go to escape the busy and sometimes scary scenes of our homes on the Cape Flats.”
Years later, when he resigned from his job at a structural engineering firm, Shamier returned to the one place he always felt at peace – the sea. “I liked my job, and I liked the people I worked with,” he explains. “[But] I left because I felt that I needed to spend more time with family, and experience life.”
For seven years he’d worked seven days a week. His unforgiving schedule left him with no time to pursue the things he was passionate about. Giving up his job left him with the freedom to brave the unknown and discover new parts of himself.
TESTING THE WATER
Once you experience something, you want to learn more about it. Once you learn more about it, you start to love it. And once you love something, you want to protect it with every fiber in your body. That’s exactly what happened to Shamier when he went freediving for the first time. For years he’d watched the videos the Cape Town Freediving group posted on Facebook. Now that he was unemployed, he had the time to give it a try.
This story is from the April 2019 edition of Men's Health South Africa.
Start your 7-day Magzter GOLD free trial to access thousands of curated premium stories, and 9,000+ magazines and newspapers.
Already a subscriber ? Sign In
This story is from the April 2019 edition of Men's Health South Africa.
Start your 7-day Magzter GOLD free trial to access thousands of curated premium stories, and 9,000+ magazines and newspapers.
Already a subscriber? Sign In
![THE BIG WINTER BULK-UP PLAN](https://reseuro.magzter.com/100x125/articles/2558/1686949/7_c36rTxa1720170215110/THE-BIG-WINTER-BULKUP-PLAN.jpg)
THE BIG WINTER BULK-UP PLAN
MAX OUT YOUR GYM EFFORTS NOW, REAP THE REWARDS IN SUMMER. FOLLOW THIS FOUR-WEEK BLUEPRINT TO STACK ON FULL-BODY MUSCLE, AND GROW STRONGER WHILE YOU'RE AT IT.
![HOW TO GET BY WHEN THE WORLD KEEPS GHOSTING YOU](https://reseuro.magzter.com/100x125/articles/2558/1686949/CInG4uTxL1720169885353/HOW-TO-GET-BY-WHEN-THE-WORLD-KEEPS-GHOSTING-YOU.jpg)
HOW TO GET BY WHEN THE WORLD KEEPS GHOSTING YOU
WITH GREATER DEMANDS ON OUR COLLECTIVE MENTAL BANDWIDTH THAN EVER BEFORE, IT CAN FEEL LIKE OUR FRIENDS AND COLLEAGUES ARE PERPETUALLY UNREACHABLE. HERE'S HOW TO REGAIN CONTROL WHEN EVERYONE'S TOO DAMN BUSY FOR YOU.
![WHY IS ENOUGH NEVER ENOUGH?](https://reseuro.magzter.com/100x125/articles/2558/1686949/YR3BqxHdT1720169732666/WHY-IS-ENOUGH-NEVER-ENOUGH.jpg)
WHY IS ENOUGH NEVER ENOUGH?
IN THIS ADAPTATION FROM MICHAEL EASTER'S NEW BOOK, SCARCITY BRAIN, THE AUTHOR EXPLAINS HOW OUR CAVEMAN WIRING CAN PUSH US TO WANT MORE THAN WE NEED AND TO MAKE AND REPEAT-BAD CHOICES.
![YOUR NEED FOR SPEED](https://reseuro.magzter.com/100x125/articles/2558/1686949/kMZ9B-9qD1720165384982/YOUR-NEED-FOR-SPEED.jpg)
YOUR NEED FOR SPEED
ATHLETES OF ALL SPORTS ARE NOW EMBRACING THE ART OF THE SPRINT. IF YOU WANT TO CRUSH CALORIES, BUILD STRENGTH AND SUPERCHARGE YOUR WORKOUTS, HERE'S HOW TO GET UP TO SPEED
![TRACK STARS](https://reseuro.magzter.com/100x125/articles/2558/1686949/cbF6Z2WF41720164907442/TRACK-STARS.jpg)
TRACK STARS
IF YOUR SMARTWATCH ISN'T FIT FOR PURPOSE, DON'T SWEAT IT. THE GEEKS IN THE MH LAB STRAPPED UP TO FIND THE BEST FITNESS-FOCUSED WEARABLES FOR EVERY GOAL AND BUDGET.
![OIL CHANGE](https://reseuro.magzter.com/100x125/articles/2558/1686949/KrN--WAXp1720164571821/OIL-CHANGE.jpg)
OIL CHANGE
STILL WHIPPING UP DISHES WITH WHATEVER SWILL IS WITHIN ARM'S REACH? IT'S TIME TO CONSIDER A NEW TOP-UP FOR A FLAVOUR-MAKER THAT'LL TRULY SWITCH GEARS ON YOUR EFFORTS IN THE KITCHEN.
![IT'S NOT ALL ABOUT DIET](https://reseuro.magzter.com/100x125/articles/2558/1686949/4KPqVBWxA1720164236431/ITS-NOT-ALL-ABOUT-DIET.jpg)
IT'S NOT ALL ABOUT DIET
MACRO COUNTING HAS ITS PLACE, BUT A GREAT TRAINING PLAN CAN BE TRANSFORMATIVE - NO MATTER WHAT, HOW OR WHEN YOU EAT.
![IS SWEAT YOUR SECRET SUPERPOWER?](https://reseuro.magzter.com/100x125/articles/2558/1686949/uYl-8_Ldq1720164019721/IS-SWEAT-YOUR-SECRET-SUPERPOWER.jpg)
IS SWEAT YOUR SECRET SUPERPOWER?
THE WORLD IS HEATING UP. THESE SCIENCE-BACKED STRATEGIES CAN HELP YOU USE SWEAT TO YOUR ADVANTAGE AND STAY COOL.
![RISE TO THE CHALLENGE](https://reseuro.magzter.com/100x125/articles/2558/1686949/DBtJ-l7yZ1720163805187/RISE-TO-THE-CHALLENGE.jpg)
RISE TO THE CHALLENGE
LUCKY FADZI GAVE HIMSELF JUST 100 DAYS TO REBOOT HIS RIG. HERE'S HOW HIS TRIAL BY FIRE HELPED HIM UNEARTH MUSCLE, TORCH FAT AND BLAZE NEW TRAILS FOR HIS FITNESS
![ALAN RITCHSON GOES BIG-FIT AT ANY AGE](https://reseuro.magzter.com/100x125/articles/2558/1686949/3RKrfgdyk1720163031938/ALAN-RITCHSON-GOES-BIGFIT-AT-ANY-AGE.jpg)
ALAN RITCHSON GOES BIG-FIT AT ANY AGE
Hollywood told him actors don't break past 30. But he kept working, and at 41, after decades of near misses and tiny roles, the Reacher star is busting out.