Harbor Seals of Flat Rock Documentary by Andre Navarro of Ocean Earth Green

I'm Andre Navarro, Southern California freediver and videographer. I create ocean life awareness videos with the purpose of sharing the beautiful underwater world, and it's life with as many people as possible. I believe through sharing these amazing views and experiences will help motivate viewers to be more conservation minded in our thoughts and actions.

I've recently completed “The Harbor Seals of Flat Rock” which is my first narrated documentary featuring aerial, land and unique beautiful below the surface footage. This video is a milestone as it marks crossing over to creating fully narrated videos with educational content. When I started making my underwater videos, my plan was to never be in them. I wanted nature to be the star, not me. I want to be the messenger and artist that helps to focus and showcase what nature has provided. I've realized the majority of viewers like and expect narration which creates a story.

It's fitting this milestone project is about Harbor Seals because my first up close encounter with a Harbor Seal in the Kelp Forest off Point Fermin, San Pedro, was a major motivating factor to pursue freediving and creating underwater videos. At the time, it was a very scary experience for me as I did not know what was following me underwater. However, I kept seeing eyes watching me from down below. Finally it came up to me and I wanted to jump out of the water like a cat. I had no clue if seals were dangerous other than knowing they have pretty big teeth, like a dog.

Now my favorite place to observe and swim with Harbor Seals is at Flat Rock, which is about 100 yards offshore of Flat Rock Point in Palos Verdes Estates. Actually the seals have to come swim with me when they are approached, they take off quickly, when seeing someone coming from a distance. I have to spend about 30 minutes minimum letting them see me from far and showing them I'm not a threat. Eventually the braver and more curious seals start approaching and we watch each other peacefully with the same amount of caution. Then they get more comfortable with my presence and come right up to me. As the other Harbor Seals watch this happen, many more start approaching. The ones that don't no longer focus on me and almost accept my presence among them to within 6 to 10 feet. I feel very thankful and euphoric to share their ocean home with them, even if it's only for a brief time.

Follow my adventures and future videos:

YouTube.com/OceanEarthGreen        (Full videos) Please Subscribe !

Facebook.com/OceanEarthGreen      (Mini videos and media)

Instagram.com/OceanEarthGreen      (Mini videos and pictures)

Meetup.com/OceanEarthGreen         (Socal snorkeling tours by me)

Patreon.com/OceanEarthGreen         (Viewer funding of videos)

I am Andre Navarro, Southern California adventurer and freediver. I was born in San Pedro California and  grew up in Long Beach California where I graduated Millikan HS class of 93 and attended Long Beach City College for Art, Drawing and Painting. After obtaining an Associates Degree for Art and a semester away from transferring to Cal State Long Beach to continue in Art, I joined the LA County Sheriff's Department as a Custody Assistant (County Jail Guard). Approximately a year later I promoted to Sheriff Deputy where I worked custody and patrol assignments. After working law enforcement for roughly 9 years and having a son and daughter during this time, I came to the hard decision that long term this career was not for me. Shortly after ending the law enforcement chapter in my life, I began a new one in industrial machinery and conveyor belting distribution where I worked for 14 years in several positions including: fabrication and  installation, purchasing, business development and sales management . 

Recently in June of 2019, I left this position for another major direction change in my life. During my management years, I was sent to Mexico and the Ukraine to help recruit and train international employees. This is where I fell in love with traveling and experiencing different cultures. And this is also when I began freediving exotic locations on the weekends. I have always loved being in the ocean since a child and began bodyboarding young. Way later I began snorkeling on the downtime when there were no waves. This morphed into freediving which I do today. I also love to hike, camp and explore. In the last 3 years I began making videos of my explorations on land and now mostly in freediving. After leaving my last job of 14 years, I made the decision to spend approximately 1 year traveling, diving and making videos of my adventures while trying to figure out a possible way of making a living at this. I have realized there is an immediate and important need for ocean conservation and education while there is a major lack of understanding about our local coasts, ocean and it's life. Through my videos, my goal is to take everyone with me over land, air and into the ocean to experience all its beauty, life and importance.