Underwater Perspective
My Quest Launch trip experience
There are certain instances where you are hit with the realization that you are a small part of a very, very big world. One that continues to change with the relentless passing of time regardless of what you are doing in your own seemingly important life. These realizations can occur, as one recently did for me, at very inconvenient moments. In the middle of a snorkeling expedition, for example, while trying to fight against the current to get a better look at a Hawksbill turtle.
The fourth day of our trip to Bali was definitely one of my favorites. The previous day, we had visited a strip of coral reef that was perfect for viewing sea turtles, and decided to return in the hopes of spotting them once again. In our respective groups, mine being Team Manta, we slipped into the water wearing our life jackets. The current in this area was so strong, however, that it was almost easier to float along while holding on to the string of the life jacket instead. Several minutes passed like this, gliding over coral restoration projects and pointing out the various cool-looking fish on the reef. All of a sudden, Ellie, our Marine Mega Fauna Foundation representative and marine expert, gathered us around. “This looks like turtle territory,” she called out.
No sooner had the words left her mouth than we saw our first turtle, and the following minutes were absolute chaos. The turtles appeared one after the other, and I dove down to see every single one. It was a repeating cycle of taking hasty breaths, grabbing onto the loop of my life jacket rope, and struggling against the stubborn current to get closer to the magnificent sea turtles tucked amongst the coral. After my fourth duck dive, while I was hanging on to my life jacket to catch my breath, I was greeted by one of our Eco Field Trips representatives, Karen. She graciously offered to hold on to my life jacket the next time I wanted to duck dive, so that I could go a little deeper without the pull of my life jacket hindering me.
My opportunity came a few minutes later, when Ellie shouted out “Turtle!” once more. I dove down as far as I could, completely ignoring all the equalizing training we had done, and managed to get close enough to a large Hawksbill to see the distinctive markings on its shell. It was there, several meters below the surface of the water that I fully understood what people meant when they said that more than 70% of the Earth’s surface is covered by oceans. My grand epiphany was unfortunately interrupted by an ache in my lungs, reminding me that no matter how wonderful the ocean was, I would not be able to enjoy it without a refill of air.
The natural beauty I witnessed that day in the ocean is something I know will stick with me for many years to come. I’m someone who will always choose the mountains over a beach for a vacation, and despite being open-water diving certified, I had never appreciated the miracle that is our oceans as much as on that one snorkeling outing. It reminded me why so many people, such as Ellie, work so hard to protect what we have. Hearing people talk about the statistics and impact of rising ocean temperatures didn’t mean much to me until I saw the bleached coral on the reefs firsthand. The concrete and personal connections between cause and effect in the world are, I suppose, what our experiential learning trip was all about. Everything I have seen and learned in Bali, especially about our oceans and marine ecosystems, has resonated with me in a way I did not expect. I am extremely grateful for the opportunity to have started my school year by broadening my perspective of the world, and to Ellie for adding free diving certification to my bucket list.
