Life began in water.

By this I mean that the first things that could be called cells, the first self-replicating DNA strands enclosed in a protective lipid membrane, were aqueous. They likely evolved near hydrothermal vents, fueled by the heat and chemical energy in the water pouring out of the chimney-like structures. All life eventually evolved from these humble origins. We still carry salt water in every cell, a reminder of our ancestry.

Scuba tanks on a boat as we pass an island moored in teal waters.

Perhaps that’s why my first scuba diving experience felt like coming home. As we (I, three other student divers, and the instructor) dropped beneath the waves – one, two, three feet, eventually coming to rest on the sand about eight feet under – my brain seemed to slow its racing thoughts. My breathing became relaxed, with every inhale accompanied by a hiss, and every exhale, a column of bubbles reaching up to the glittering surface. I could barely follow the instructor’s signals, I was so enthralled in the experience.

There really is nothing quite like it. Snorkeling and diving in a pool don’t even come close. Nothing compares to seeing a massive coral right in front of your face, swarming with tropical fish like birds flitting around a tree. Nothing compares to soaring and twisting through the water with only the slightest of effort, somehow unencumbered by the ungainly inflatable vest and air tank. I never wanted to leave – but of course, as the air in the tanks hissed into our lungs and bubbled into the ocean, we were forced to turn back.

A bird’s eye view of the reef surrounding one of the Fijian islands. The breaks are caused by the influx of fresh water and sediment brought in by the rivers.

I think it goes without saying that I am very much looking forward to my next dives.

– Delphine