Davina's Open Water Diving Experience!

From 7-9 June, our Kaia Initiative Open Water Diving contest winners Davina and Xingyu took their PADI Open Water course and became certified Junior scuba divers!

Let's hear from Davina about her experience as a 14-year-old student who took the Open Water course at S.E.A. Aquarium, and how diving felt for the very first time!

Hi, I am Davina (a very cool person). I'm one of the winners of Kaia Initiative's Open Water Diving Contest which I made a really awesome video for.

The moment I got the message that I won, I was through the roof and bouncing up and down with joy. I didn't think I'd ever get to go diving at my age (14), it was like a faraway dream, something I could only do in the future, when I was older. But at that moment I realised I could actually become a diver, I was so happy but also pretty scared because it's diving, something I wasn't familiar with. 

I didn't know anyone that had gone diving in my family, it was totally new.

It's exciting but there are risks and dangers with it. I was really dedicated during the eLearning, as someone who doesn't have the longest attention span, it wasn't the greatest for me. But there were many videos which made it easier for me (personally, reading all day sucks), the videos also made it easier to understand certain things. Like showing the steps to do certain things instead of just trying to visualise things.

I was so excited at the week leading up to my actual course day, a few days before I completed my eLearning! I was dedicated to studying it, and not to brag, but I got 96% on the test!

On the first day I was really nervous but the instructors — Suanne, Aidan, and Chip — and my fellow classmates were amazing and so nice. The instructors were really helpful, to be honest I was scared of actually diving at first, and it all felt surreal to me.

However, on the 2nd day, I fell in love with diving.

Watching all the different marine life inside the tank, swimming with them was amazing. It was so amazing to be in S.E.A. Aquarium's Open Ocean Habitat, with more than 40000 marine animals! I got close to a shark, and I couldn't believe it. At one point I was swimming with a manta ray which is crazy! It honestly felt like a fever dream, felt like I was in another world. I got to say hi to people outside the tank which was cool too! 

I loved every moment (except accidentally drinking salt water, which I don't recommend at all).

By the end of the 3 days, I left with new friendships, an unforgettable experience and a PADI Open Water diving certificate!!! 

I could go on and on about this, I'm gonna miss y'all, the best trainers Suanne, Aidan and Chip. Hope we can go diving one day Xingyu (the best buddy), Kyla, Gloria and Matthew.

-Davina