Written by Danica Wolf, 2022-23 Latitudes Student
Would you believe me if I told you my biggest fear was the ocean? When I signed up for the fall 2022 semester in Southeast Asia, I was not excited about getting my open water certification because I had been terrified of the ocean for years. However, after completing the certification, I found myself utterly calm diving. In fact, I felt more fear at the surface than I did underwater.
With this newfound confidence, I decided to continue my diving journey, which led me to the beautiful town of Bayahibe, Dominican Republic. I have been here for a little over two months, working to obtain my Dive Master Certification at Coral Point Diving. During this time, I have completed my Advanced Open Water Certification, Rescue Course, and Emergency First Responder. I am quickly approaching the finish line of my Dive Master certification, and with each dive, I fall more in love with diving and all the beautiful things the underwater world has to offer us.
Aside from diving, I have enjoyed meeting people from all over the world who share the same passion for diving at Coral Point. It is fascinating how diving can bring people together, even those who might never have met otherwise. I have also made fast friends with my colleagues at Coral Point, and I always get excited when we get to dive together.
Before diving, I never knew much about fish or anything ocean-related, but now, I feel more informed about this crucial thing for the health of the earth. I notice every week that I am getting better and better at my buoyancy or spotting interesting creatures on dives. Just a few days ago I was guiding my first ever dive and I spotted a stone fish. Moreover, I have a newfound passion for saving our oceans and especially coral reefs from being destroyed. It made me realize that if more people knew how beautiful the ocean is, they would try much harder to protect it.
Furthermore, I have had the opportunity to volunteer at Fundación Del Estudios Marinos, where I get to assist in local coral reef restoration and manatee rehabilitation. Just a few weeks ago, I was brought to help them do manatee monitoring with a drone, but I had been told that seeing them does not happen often, maybe every few weeks. But just as we were about to leave from the first sight we saw one, Remi, who they have become familiar with here in Bayahibe. I was so excited and could not believe I saw one. We went out again at around noon to a different location and boom there were two more a mom and its baby swimming around. The volunteer I went with said he could not believe how lucky I was to see this many. For the last two monitorings of the day at around 5 o’clock, I went with a different volunteer, towards the end of the flight she spotted the mom and baby, they had swam from one location to the other and we watched them eat for like ten minutes, it was so cute. I was so excited I got to see them again. Lastly, right as we landed the drone, we spotted Remi again. Once we got back to Fundemar everyone was saying I was some sort of lucky charm and the girl I went with hugged me because she was so excited we got to see them. That day was one of the best days here, not only did I have the privilege to see so many manatees that day I also was able to learn about monitoring them and in the process make stronger connections with the people at Fundemar. This experience has taught me so much about coral and marine conservation, and I am grateful for the chance to contribute to such a vital cause.
Lastly, before coming to the Dominican Republic, I already knew how to speak Spanish, but I needed to improve it, and within a few weeks of being here, I hit major milestones. Being bilingual has allowed me to connect with locals and open up my world to more people. Every day, I see familiar faces on the street or in the supermarket, and I’m beginning to build connections with restaurant owners and shopkeepers. I never realized how nice it is to stop and chat with someone while running errands or going to work. Overall, my time in Bayahibe has been an incredible journey, and I look forward to the experiences and opportunities that lie ahead.
Inspired by Danica’s gap year? Learn more about the Latitudes Year and carve out your own journey!
