Maybe you experienced this feeling on a moonless night at the beach, when you first noticed the sea’s darkness was deeper than the sky’s.
Or was it when you first appreciated the melancholy settling of morning mist on the surface of a pond?
When was the first time you found yourself on a natural body of water – a river, lake, or even the ocean – and thought to yourself…
There’s a whole other world beneath me.
Did you feel terrified?
In awe?
A yearning to explore?
I don’t care where you’re from, where you grew up, or even whether you’ve had the chance to spend much time in the water at all. If there’s a deep love in your bones for the earth’s aquatic realms, then Tide Trek is for you.
Tide Trek is for Adventurers and Stewards, not Tourists and Consumers
Being a good person, someone who tries to be mindful about the consequences of their thoughts and actions, seems to get more difficult each year. When we have a break from the daily grind, it’s so easy to slip into passive, mindless consumerism. Why? Because we’re always exhausted! How do you make space and time for formative experiences?
I love water sports. Few activities give me that paradoxical combination of calmness and excitement. Whether snorkeling, SCUBA diving, freediving, surfing, paddle boarding, or kayaking… Being with and in the water brings a unique kind of peace. How do I make space in my life for these soul-nourishing adventures? How do I explore while minimizing the destructive consequences of that exploration on the earth and myself?
If there’s a straightforward answer I certainly haven’t found it.
However, there’s one thing I do know for certain: The right knowledge will always guide you towards the best choices and opportunities.
Knowledge about water sports, yes, but also…
Knowledge about aquatic ecosystems, plants, and animals; how the oceans move and how the earth turns; how the breath in your lungs right now gives you life.
And perhaps most important of all, knowledge about how to be kind to the other lives, human or otherwise, on this earth with you.
Though the world is full of atrocities, your humanity is something you can still hold on to. And what are the best things about humanity? You will get many different answers to that question, but for me, humanity’s best qualities are our capacity for kindness and curiosity.
If any element embodied kindness and curiosity, it would have to be water.
Water is nourishing. Water is life. But the ocean is also vast and mysterious.
I suppose life is vast and mysterious too!
Space may be the final frontier, but there’s nothing final about water. Water is full of potential, constantly cycling and circulating, just like life itself.
Personally? I’d much rather trek the tides than the stars.
Tide Trek’s Continuing Mission…
Tide Trek is a personal lifestyle blog where I write about my biggest passions in life: aquatic adventure and aquatic science. That includes articles about snorkeling, diving, equipment, traveling, marine biology, diving physiology, and even silly stuff sometimes, like water-themed movies and games.
I’m not exactly sure what Tide Trek will become, as the site is still quite young. What you can count on is this: Nothing I write about is superficial. Whether I write about how to choose a snorkeling mask or how whales can hold their breath for hours, I like to go deep into details!
Essentially, Tide Trek is a place I can explore the subjects and activities that mean the most to me, while also sharing my journey with you. Maybe from what I’ve written here so far, you feel like you might be on a similar journey as I am?
Tide Trek’s Commanding Officer…
I’m Sarah, and I’m a marine biologist. Specifically, I’m a whale biologist who specializes in evolution. Over the course of my recreational and professional life, I’ve been lucky to have a wide variety of aquatic experiences. But there’s a lot I still don’t know, and a lot I’d still like the chance to try (provided I can afford all my dreams someday!)
What are some of the water activities you’d like to try, or explore in greater depth (no pun intended) if you got the chance?
For me, freediving and surfing are sports I’ve only had the briefest of opportunities to experience, but they captivated me immediately.
Join the Tide Trek Crew!
Though Tide Trek is just a burgeoning project, I’d be thrilled to have you on board with me!
Tell me about a water adventure you’ve had or always wanted to have on Twitter or Facebook. Browse some of my Pinterest boards full of inspiring underwater-themed images and articles I’ve collected.
You can also sign up to my mailing list for monthly round-ups of curated aquatic content.
Maybe do all of the above!
Or don’t! No hard feelings and I’m happy you stopped by anyways ^_^
I hope your life is full of adventure, beauty, and mystery, whatever that may mean for you!
