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Mindful Scuba Diving with Marina

Spring is in Full Swing in Playa del Carmen

Published 3 months ago • 3 min read

Can you believe it's already May?

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.

April has been a busy month for me! I've had so many dives and gotten to experience so much of Playa del Carmen!

I also launched a Facebook group for those of us who find mindful moments in the water. Mindfulness and Diving is for everyone looking for a deeper connection about how the water changes our body, mind, and soul.

If you didn't know, I blog about all things diving and Playa del Carmen. My site went through a pretty big upgrade this past month. Click the link below to check it out!

April's Best Underwater Moment

Historically, I’ve used this section to talk about one moment on a specific dive.

This month, I have really been focusing on finding gratitude. I realized there is a moment on every single dive where I truly cannot believe we have created a way to breathe underwater. This makes every moment we have down there sweeter.

Part of this realization has made me more aware of everything underwater.

Today, I want to share about juvenile drum fish.

Drum fish typically live in coral outcroppings and are territorial of their areas. Juveniles, similarly, tend to hang out in the same little outcropping where they started their lives.

At the end of April, we noticed loads of juvenile drum fish at our most common dive site. Not only was seeing 20+ baby drums a super great way to spend a dive, but we actually got to watch their progress over the last several weeks!

When we first found them, they were barely bigger than a grain of sand.

Now, they’re proper little fish of 1-2 inches long!

Watching them grow and develop all this time really made me feel more connected to them.

I witnessed as one little coral cubby dwindled from 6 to only 1 drum fish inhabitant.

I watched with pride as the survivors grew bigger and started taking up more space.

In a few more weeks, they will be fully fledged adults, ready to take on the underwater world.

Witnessing this transformation has made me realize a few things.

  1. Life is so unpredictable - all of a sudden, there is a burst of new life, new beginnings. And just as unpredictably, so many little lives are sacrificed to the food chain without reason or order.
  2. I am so grateful to witness this - I wonder how many things needed to fall into place for me to be right here, right now, to have this experience.
  3. Shared experiences harness connection - of all of the divers I've taken to see the juvenile drum fish, all of them say it is their favorite part. After this experience, we feel more connected as a dive unit because we found not only a shared passion but also a moment that only those of us who were there will ever experience.
    ​

Juvenile Spotted Drum

Adult Spotted Drum

May in Playa:

  • Dive Conditions
    • Air temps: 27-30 °C
    • Water temps: 27-28 °C
    • Waves: Light to moderate
    • Current: Moderate
  • Animals in Season
    • Juveniles continue to thrive in these warmer temperatures! Caribbean reef squid and various species are loving this season.
  • Events
    • 05-05-2026 - Cinco de Mayo; this is actually more of an American holiday than Mexican! You'll find lots of expats' parties, but most Mexicans treat it as any other day.
    • 05-10-2026 - El Dia de la Madre (Mother's Day)

Marina's Mindful Moment

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:

Take a deep breath and settle into exactly where you are.
​
What blessings surround you?
Can you see anything in front of you that is a result of hard work?
Can you see anything that was given or created with love?
What can you hear?
Is there anything to be grateful for in those sounds?

We get so used to our everyday lives that sometimes we forget how many blessings we really have. Practicing gratitude every day for what you do have grounds you in the present moment. You can't be grateful for what you used to have, or what you want to have, only for the things that already are.

This is a special type of magic that makes every day just a little bit sweeter.

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.

Think your dive buddy will like this? Send them this link

​https://marinatoone.kit.com/newsletter​

Mindful Scuba Diving with Marina

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