Rowan Mintz

By admin on February 1, 2011 in Rowan Mintz

The question honestly is, “Why would you not want to be a dive instructor?” It stems 29 years back to when I was in the womb.  Born a Pisces, water has always been a part of my life. It courses through my veins, urging to find that ultimate feeling of weightlessness that is not to frequently found with us terrestrial mammals.  I began swimming at a young age, and my passion for the water turned into what some would call an obsession.  My mother created a monster.

My father was a fisherman, where  I was born by the Long Island Sound. Now I find myself living on the bay in Santa Cruz, CA, opening up my laptop to find ways to make a career of something I hold so dear to my heart. I don’t like being caught up in the fast paced life so many consider normal.  I have experienced life on a boat, and that it is exactly where my souls yearns to be.

Now that I have that passion…I can’t stop.  The urge for diving starts in my navel, growing up my sides and down my legs, tickling me with a euphoric sensation. Goose bumps take over making the hair on my arms stand at attention.  As this feeling creeps up my spine and into my brain, all I can think about is one thing; “The shortest path to the ocean.” The world beneath the surface and the waters from which we all have come.

Descending down into the ocean and relying on tanks to supply your air also comes with risks. I am like a sponge ready to absorb the multitude of knowledge that keeps you safe and aware of any perils that I can pass on to others. The ocean is so much larger than us and deserves our respect.

We are the future.  We are the ones who can save our oceans from destruction by simply sharing our love, knowledge and enthusiasm to those we come in contact with. I want to be a part of saving our waters for future dreamers. I want to be the person to reveal to others the wonders of swimming the depths in the radiant underwater illuminescent gardens of coral.

Becoming a dive instructor is the first step in making this dream become a reality.  Being able to learn and teach in an environment that I hold sacred, while living in one of the most spiritual places on earth is what I am working towards. This path I have wanted for years. Even now, as I close my eyes…I can see the excitement on people’s faces after a good dive. That alone is enough to make me smile.