Welcome to my little corner of the ocean, where diving and mindfulness come together in everyday life in Playa del Carmen. I share stories from beneath the surface, personal reflections, and simple ways to slow down and be present. Each month, you’ll also find updates on diving conditions, marine life, and what’s happening around town. More than anything, this is a space to reconnect—with the ocean, with yourself, and with the moment you’re in.
I was fortunate enough to have many dives in March. One dive I didn't count on was the one where I got separated from my group.
I actually wrote a blog post about this experience.
When you do something you love every day, sometimes the magic fades. Diving every day can become monotonous if you forget to enjoy the moment fully.
Other times, magic finds you when you least expect it and reminds you just how wonderful this world is.
Lately, we've been seeing juvenile drum fish everywhere. These tiny little fish are a fan favorite, so we're always sure to point them out to other divers. On this particular dive site, there are 5 distinctive nests of juvenile drum fish. We've been watching them grow over the past few weeks.
This dive was nothing spectacular. The visibility wasn't the best, and the large schools of fish seemed to be hiding. The dive guide and I had a ball pointing out baby drum fish every few meters.
After my recent experience getting lost, I have been paying extra careful attention not to spend too long getting distracted by the camera. I carefully found a spot where I could safely take my time photographing the juvenile drum fish. I showed the dive group the tiny fish one at a time as I positioned my camera. Finally, all of the divers left the area, and the sand settled.
I took my shots of the drums and was putting the camera down when I noticed movement in the coral above. It looked like a piece of sponge was moving.
I've heard rumors of frog fish in the Caribbean, but have never seen one myself. Surely, this walking sponge can't be the elusive frog fish?
But it was!
I saw eyes and the telltale shape of his fin. He was walking along the coral with his little frog foot-shaped fins. He wore all black, making his eyes nearly invisible. No bigger than my thumb and camouflaged nearly perfectly to match the sponge behind him.
With one eye on my dive group swimming away, I clicked 'record' in hopes of capturing any form of proof of what I'd seen. The tiny 3-inch creature didn't stand a chance of being picked up by my wide-angle lens on my big camera.
Without risking being separated from my group, I kicked away from the reef, knowing I'd never be able to properly capture this beautiful moment. The tiny frog fish waddled his way behind a section of hard coral, and I knew I'd never find him again.
Overwhelmed with gratitude, I rejoined my group. I might've had to clear my mask a few times on the way 🥲
Finding something so rare and precious made me realize just how beautiful this world we live in is. There is no shortage of miracles in this life. We really are so lucky to live at the same time as so many amazing creatures.
The biggest takeaway: stick close to the photographer if you want to see the coolest stuff on a dive trip ;)
Frog Fish - Not my photo.
April in Playa:
Dive Conditions
Air temps: 25-29 °C
Water temps: 27-28 °C
Waves: Light to moderate
Current: Moderate to light
Animals in Season
Sadly, the bull sharks have officially left the area. Stay tuned for November when they make their annual return to Playa!
Lately, we've been seeing lots of baby fish as we head into spring, including drum fish, damselfish, and Caribbean reef squid!
Events
Semana Santa "Holy Week" - March 30-April 6
The week leading up to Easter is filled with festivals. Mexican families flood the streets and beaches to enjoy music, food, and religious rituals and festivities.
Before I close this newsletter, I hope to share a bit of much-needed mindfulness with everyone. Take a moment to reflect on this, or even pull out your journal if you feel so inclined:
Inhale 4... 3... 2... 1...
Hold 4... 3... 2... 1...
Exhale 6... 5... 4... 3... 2... 1...
How do you feel? Are your shoulders relaxed? Your jaws softened? Your heart settled?
Use this breathing technique throughout the day to come back to yourself.
We often don't realize how much stress we hold throughout the day. Breathing patterns like this lower blood pressure and reestablish a parasympathic state - the "calm" state of your nervous system.
If this message resonates, stick around for next month - where I'll share more diving stories, what it's like to live and dive Playa, and more.
How is summer going so far? Here in Playa, the sticky heat of summer mixed with fewer tourists has slowed things way down to proper Caribbean time. I've been spending my days working in the office on underwater photography editions when I'm not on the boats diving. I've also been spending more time off the clock doing fun things with my community here. Recently, I've taken over a Tarot reading group which has been such a fun new medium to learn. I've also been doing LOTS of acroyoga and...
June, so soon! Welcome to my little corner of the ocean, where diving and mindfulness come together in everyday life in Playa del Carmen. I share stories from beneath the surface, personal reflections, and simple ways to slow down and be present. Each month, you’ll also find updates on diving conditions, marine life, and what’s happening around town. More than anything, this is a space to reconnect—with the ocean, with yourself, and with the moment you’re in. Monthly Update In May, I...
Breathing My Way Through May How has your month felt so far? For me, May is flying by too quickly to process. In between all of the underwater adventures, I have been advancing my meditation practice by learning all about breathwork. I've noticed that being intentional with my breath has actually made my diving better. My buoyancy feels more reliable, and I find myself staying calmer underwater in situations that normally would've increased my stress response or, in all honesty, made me a bit...
