The ocean is a place where I can live and let go, where I have the most fun and feel the most happy, but above all that, it's where I feel the most connected.
Growing up, I always felt that the ocean was a big mystery that I could only start to explore on holidays or through the adventures of others on social media. When I moved to the Cape, the close proximity to the sea compelled me to start my own adventure, to get my own firsthand experience of everything I can find in this infinite underwater world.
From exploring the Western Cape's rock pools to being introduced to the wild flavours of our local seaweed. What an incredible experience it was to learn how to treat the delicate ecosystem with respect. We learned the sustainable way of harvesting a variety of seaweed and about the rich abundance of food found along our coastlines.
Our group of Career Development students were given the opportunity to accompany our instructors, Marius Wolfaardt and Mari van Wyk, along with divemasters Katia Theron and Jaco Greyling, to the annual PADI Forum. The forum took place at the Two Oceans Aquarium Oceans Aquarium.
Hi, my name is JJ, and I was born and raised in South Africa. As a child, I always had a fascination with the natural world and spent much of my time exploring our bush felt and coastline. It was this love of nature that ultimately led me down the path of becoming a field guide.