Diving Into Courage: Overcoming My Fears to Become a Coral Reef Gardener

When I was eight years old, my first experience with scuba diving left me terrified. It was supposed to be a memorable underwater adventure, but during my confined water dive, the equipment failed, and I found myself in a situation that triggered lasting feelings of claustrophobia. After that, I avoided diving for years, afraid of repeating the experience. Despite being drawn to the ocean, the fear of small, enclosed spaces and of not being able to escape easily weighed heavily on me.

As the years passed, my fear lingered. Even as I grew older and developed a deep love for marine conservation, the thought of getting back into the water, particularly for diving, seemed like an impossible hurdle. Added to that, I had struggled with my weight for my entire adult life, and the physical demands of diving made me doubt whether I would be able to succeed.

Then, one day, I saw a flyer for a Coral Reef Gardening course. Something clicked. This wasn’t just an opportunity to dive again, it was a chance to give back to the environment in a unique way, to help rehabilitate one of the Earth’s most important ecosystems. It felt like a personal challenge and an act of environmental responsibility all at once. I decided it was time to confront my fear head-on.

The training was intense, pushing me in so many ways I hadn’t anticipated. The first day focused on developing the foundational skills required for diving, skills that would eventually enable me to work with coral reefs. We started with all the PADI Open Water skills, which took place during a closed water session in the pool. I had to relearn basics such as:

• Clearing my mask underwater

• Removing and recovering my regulator

• Maintaining proper buoyancy

• Sharing air with another diver during emergencies

  
  

These skills tested my endurance and patience, but every step forward was a personal victory. We then moved on to shallow water training, which involved:

• Gearing up and removing equipment while in the water

• Underwater navigation exercises

• More buoyancy control drills

  
  

  

  
  
  
  

The shallow dives gave me a taste of what I could expect in the open ocean, and it filled me with both excitement and nerves. By the time I completed two open water dives that day, with a break in between, I had already overcome so much of the fear that had held me back for years.

Day two was even more challenging but equally rewarding. We went on two boat dives where we continued to refine our buoyancy, practiced underwater navigation, and learned the specific maneuvers we would need to manage the coral reefs. Every dive felt like progress, both in terms of my diving skills and my confidence. It wasn’t just about overcoming fear anymore; it was about proving to myself that I could handle the physical and mental challenges of diving.

After two tough but transformative days, I’m proud to say I’m now PADI certified, and I’ll be starting the coral reef gardening portion of my training soon. I couldn’t have done it without the incredible support of James and Kerry Walker, the owners and dive instructors at Dive Antilles, and a big thank you to Marcel P. Morris, my instructor. His patience and encouragement made all the difference, especially in those moments when I doubted myself.

It’s incredible to think that something I feared for so long has now become a passion and a way for me to contribute to the environment, while supporting my goals to live a more active lifestyle. I’m looking forward to starting the next chapter of this journey, working to restore coral reefs and protect the underwater world that I now feel so connected to.

If you're thinking about trying something that scares you, whether it's diving or anything else, I hope my story inspires you to take that leap. You never know what’s waiting for you on the other side of your fear.

Dive Antilles Contact Information:

• Dive Antilles, St. Vincent & the Grenadines

• Owners, Instructors, Boat Captains: James & Kerry Walker

• Instructor: Marcel P. Morris

• Website: Dive Antilles

• Phone: +1 (784) 527-3406 | +1 (784) 527-3410

• Email: info@diveantilles.com