A Diver’s Story; Individual passion fuels collective action
The individual passion of some is enough to fuel the collective action of many. This was never more evident than during Divers For Climate’s “Snorkel-Out for Climate” event on March 16th. As I floated below a sea of people - snorkelers, divers, and ocean lovers alike - I felt the weight of what we were doing. It wasn’t just about making a statement for climate action; it was about showing that when individuals come together, their shared passion can create waves of change.
This experience made me reflect back on my own experience and how it led me here…
For as long as I can remember, I’ve felt an unexplainable pull to the ocean - an ever-present force that has shaped me as a person. Some of my earliest memories are snippets of old VCR tapes of the sea-life of Sydney Harbour: temperate reefs swaying with kelp, weedy sea-dragons and cuttlefish seeking refuge in the shadows. While other kids my age were watching teletubbies, my parents would sit my older brother and I down to watch these tapes, immersing us into this alien world.
Some parents pass down family heirlooms and artifacts - mine gave me the ocean. Both divers themselves, they introduced me to the wonders of the underwater world, a gift that would define the entire course of my life. I won’t lie, my love of diving wasn’t instantaneous. I was apprehensive at first, unsure of what lay beneath the surface. But the more I immersed myself in this watery world, the deeper my connection grew.
That connection soon became a driving force, pushing me to seek a deeper understanding of the ocean. This led me to study marine biology at university, where I not only expanded my knowledge but also became acutely aware of the threats facing our precious ocean ecosystems. It was during my studies that I developed a fascination with coral reefs and the dream of one day working on the Great Barrier Reef as a marine biologist.
Just a year after completing my studies, that dream became a reality when I found myself working on the Great Barrier Reef, immersed in its extraordinary beauty. However, what I soon witnessed was nothing short of heartbreaking. In 2024, the GBR experienced its fifth mass bleaching event in just eight years, leading to widespread coral mortality. I will never forget a particular survey dive when my team and I visited our most vibrant reef - the first time we’d been able to reach it after Cyclone Kirrily. As soon as we descended, we were met with a vast expanse of Acropora, bleached stark white. My dive buddy and I later recalled shedding tears in our masks, and we were silent for the entire boat ride home.
Witnessing the bleaching firsthand ignited something deep inside me - a sense of urgency and determination that has driven my journey as an ocean advocate ever since. I knew that in order to protect these ecosystems, I needed to learn more. That’s when I made the decision to travel to Indonesia and obtain my Divemaster certification. It was an opportunity to venture deeper into the ocean, and to work in environments where I could continue to witness the impacts of climate change and pollution firsthand.
While in Indonesia, I had the privilege of diving in seemingly untouched reefs, such as those in Raja Ampat and the Komodo Islands, where I encountered extraordinary marine life and a stunning diversity of corals. However, I soon witnessed that even these pristine ecosystems were not immune to the pressures of the Anthropocene ocean, struggling under the weight of human impact.
All of these experiences, from witnessing the devastation on the Great Barrier Reef to seeing pristine reefs in Indonesia suffering from human impact, led me to an undeniable conclusion: individual passion is vital, but it must be part of a larger collective effort.
Throughout my career, I’ve been told countless times that “one person can’t make a difference”, however, I’ve also seen firsthand how one person’s passion can inspire others and spark change. Take, for example, a researcher and friend of mine in Raja Ampat who identified the cause of cyanobacteria blooms leading to coral bleaching on their reefs. Through the sharing of her story, a friend working in the Maldives realised that her reefs were facing the same problem.
These stories show that the work and passion of one person can have far-reaching effects, and when we combine our efforts, we create momentum that drives real change. Collective action is powerful, and it’s the only way forward in the fight to protect our oceans.
Watch the Divers For Climate’s “Snorkel-Out for Climate” here: https://www.facebook.com/share/v/18v8SY1BSS/
