Everyone has their own story about how they were introduced to the scuba diving scene. For most of my friends, it was through a dive club at university, or perhaps a gift for a birthday as something a little more “out there” than the usual present. I was lucky enough to have parents who both adore diving, so I grew up with the basement smelling of neoprene wetsuits, diving magazines on the coffee table, shelves of fish ID books lining our walls, and hearing of mum and dad’s marine encounters.
When I was 9, I tried the PADI Bubblemaker course and couldn’t get enough of my time beneath the surface. It blew snorkelling out of the water and I anxiously counted down the days to my next birthday so I would be old enough to get certified. Fast forward a few years and it was my brother’s turn, and he was even more excited than I was! All four of us dive together still when we get the chance and once this pandemic is behind us, it will be the first trip we make abroad.
Having been exposed to the underwater world at such a young age, it was no surprise that I decided to major in Marine Biology at university. Diving quite literally shaped my life.
After graduating, I realized that, while I loved learning about the ocean, I desperately missed being in the water, so got myself onto a Divemaster internship and started my PADI Pro adventure. What had initially been a plan to buy myself some time before deciding where I wanted to go with my career, turned into my passion. I followed the PADI Pro ladder right up to the IDC-SI (Instructor Development Course – Staff Instructor) rating and loved every minute of it.
The marine world still features heavily in my work today, and I am quite confident when I say learning to dive has had a major influence on my life and career path. I wouldn’t be the same without it!
How about you? Has scuba diving remained a fond hobby or have you incorporated the ocean into your professional life as well? We’d love to hear all about it!
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