If there’s one thing that all of us humans want to do, it’s travel. There’s a near phenomenon about going somewhere new that stirs something deep inside of us. A something that makes us giddy and like young children again. The destination and the people all work together to create an atmosphere of wonder and freedom. Something that makes us live again.
Jessica Nieusma, now a senior at Monarch High School in Louisville, Colorado, is no stranger to traveling. For her, the thrill of travel, exploration, and an undying sense of adventure stems from the ocean, and more specifically, scuba diving.
“I live for diving,” Nieusma said. “I’m so excited to see where it can take me.”
For her, and many others, the ocean is almost like another world.
“It’s incredible to be down there, completely surrounded by water.” she said. “It’s an incredible place that only a few people get to discover in their lifetime.”
Nieusma got her scuba certification in Grand Cayman and has done dives there as well as St. Lucia, St. Maarten and St. Thomas in the Caribbean, and Oahu, Hawaii. While many may refer to them as another island, each one has it’s own distinct personality.
“Each island had a different feeling to it but a lot of the people had the same mentality of trying to respect the ocean and not totally damage it. Some people really connect with it. They understand the tide, they take care of the reefs. But some people ignore the ocean, some only go to the beach once a year.”
From large scale resorts to large cities to rural towns, Nieusma’s search for clear waters has not only shaped her underwater abilities, but her views on the world around her.
“What gets me out is the anticipated experience of people,” she said. “The city will always be there, but it's the people who put their art there, who put their music there, and that's what shapes the feel.”
Scuba diving as a sport is one that is constantly changing like the currents they rely upon. Nieusma talked about the connections that she has created with the dive masters and other divers, how a culture has formed around that revolves around respect for both the ocean and each other.
“Scuba diving is the type of thing that builds upon itself. We’re always learning... anything and everything happens. Everyone is laid back and has their own rules, but in a heartbeat [the divemaster] will be the person who can save your life, and it’s cool to see so many sides of a person.”
But to her, the ocean is more than just a body of water.
“For me, it’s a second home.”
