• Skip to main content
  • Skip to secondary menu
  • Skip to footer

THE VOICES COLLECTION

By Caroline Trudeau

  • CHAPTERS
    • ALL ABOUT LOVE
    • IRONMAN
    • THE CXO
    • THE SLALOM STORIES
    • 40 OVER 40
    • #itselectric
  • ALL THE WORDS
    • THE BLOG
    • THE GLOSS OVER PODCAST
  • About Caroline

Mexico: I Didn’t Go Down…

January 25, 2018 By Caroline Trudeau 1 Comment

I’m not gonna lie: I was scared.

Scuba diving was never a bucket list item.  I just knew I would be intimidated by the vastness of the ocean; I would be afraid of feeling alone; and let’s be real: I don’t like fish.

I found myself in Mexico with the opportunity to try it.  As it often goes, my FOMO (fear of missing out) on a bonding experience with my BFF Danielle was greater than that fear.  I signed up.  Pool training in the morning, 2 dives in the Caribbean waters off the Quintana Roo shores in the afternoon.

For background, I would categorize myself as pretty comfortable in the water.  I’ve been swimming since my early Canada days where Mom would trek my sister and I to the indoor pool in Saint-Lambert in the middle of winter to give us the gift of water safety (merci Maman).  I picked swimming back up as a fitness activity in the last decade.  I learned not to go out too fast at my first adult swimming event; I learned how to handle the difference between looking at the black line at the bottom of the pool and the murky waters of a Virginia lake at my first Olympic distance triathlon; and I learned how to overcome straight up panic at Ironman.  Breathe.

Wednesday morning, everything felt right, especially my connection with our dive master, Flor.  A beautiful young Argentinian woman, now immigrated to Mexico, following her dream, living her passion for diving every single day for the last 8 years.  Her love for diving is palpable and inspiring.  She switched on her professional spice within 5 or 7 minutes of arriving at our briefing place.   For ninety minutes, she educated us on breath, equalizing, gear, safety, what to expect, all the things: we left no questions unanswered, no stone unturned.  In the pool, the moment our eyes met under water, I knew I was in the best hands I could possibly be.   More than two and a half hours later, I was ok, satisfied with what we accomplished the pool.  I felt prepared.  Breathe.

Here is the situation: nothing could have prepared me for the theater production that is going out for the actual dive.  From walking on the sand to get to the boat to falling backwards into the ocean, everything is a carefully crafted scene.  Instructors and divers of all different experience levels dance around pounds of equipment, eagerly anticipating the moment they reach the bottom of the ocean.

Flor: “Girls, gear on”.  Me: “Shit, this is happening!”.  Breathe.

I closed my eyes, held on to my mask and succumbed to gravity. The warm ocean was a welcomed contrast to the pool’s frigid water.  I looked up at the horizon and smiled.  Then, it was time to put my head in the water.  Breathe.

Anxiety overcame me the minute I started to go down and saw the sea’s surface.  Suddenly, what was real cute in the pool was completely terrifying.  Breathe.

I started my descent and quickly lost control of the voices inside my head.  No matter how much I tried, I could not conquer this one thought:

“If something happens, I don’t have an out.”  Breathe.

I looked into Flor’s eyes and signaled I was going up.  In that moment, I remembered that support and encouragement can exist without words.  I was ok.  Breathe.

My diving experience would continue from the boat for the rest of the afternoon.  The warm sun on my skin, the waves rocking our boat, hilarious attempts at communicating with captain Felipe and first mate Raul, observing diving’s out of water etiquette, hearing the stories from divers returning on board, all of it made for an amazing practice.  I enjoyed every single moment and have absolutely no regrets.

In the end, I learned all over again that I am ok with just breathing.

—

Follow me on Twitter @SeriousCaroline

Reader Interactions

Comments

  1. sansovino says

    June 1, 2018 at 11:28

    There’s still one bed available for Bonaire over New Year’s. You’d be sharing with “Fluffy LaRue.” We rented a place on the Caribbean https://www.airbnb.com/rooms/6886489. We have 4+ certified divers and we’ll definitely be snorkeling in our “back yard.” – Chris N

    Reply

Say something, go ahead!Cancel reply

Footer

INSTAGRAM

#TBT to the last time I got together with @womenau #TBT to the last time I got together with @womenautomotivenetwork when I hosted their Annual Summit with 900 people in #Ludwigsburg and online. 🏁

And the best work day of my life, so far. 👏🏼

Today, I wish digital Winter Meet Up chairperson Imogen Bhogal the best of luck in her duties ✨

And I look forward to participating in the #event as an attendee. Sending love to everyone in the community 🫶🏼. 

Let’s #network!

📸 @4mediafilm 

#bettertogether #womeninautomotive #womenautomotivenetwork #host #emcee #facilitator #available #hireme #loveatwork
One of my favorite #micromoments of holiday season One of my favorite #micromoments of holiday season every year is the unwrapping of the next year’s planning #notebook. 🫶🏼

For 2024, it’s a #passion red weekly softcover Moleskine 🇮🇹 that will hold all of my most important declarations, dates and dreams. ✨

Are you ready for it?! #2024 🚀

#creativitytools #goalcrushing #loveatwork
About last night ✨
#Friendsgiving at Special K’s 🫶🏼 with the U of L ❤️
#lululemonalumni #happyholidays
@kmassaro23 @caroandfam @danaschwartzdesign @phancyphill @mfrisch @__just__jason__ @lululemon
From my newest photo shoot, here’s a #brand #por From my newest photo shoot, here’s a #brand #portrait reel ❤️⚡️

We did it at my place in #Reston. Because I wanted to show y’all where I did my best #work this year.  #2023 🫶🏼 

Despite the all the #stages, meeting rooms, and #Atlantic crossings of #workingfromeverywhere, #Virginia is where I land when it’s time to #create. 🇺🇸 #Club1670

We must have taken thousands of pictures, to find just 3 that would eventually make it to my #new #website. 🤓

Here’s to having #vision and collaborating with other creators to tell #stories and make #art together. ✨

To radical self expression. And a revolution anew. 🟡

📸: @ad79dave 
📍: Reston, VA. 
🗓️: March 17, 2023. 
Creative Director: @thisiscaro 🙋🏻‍♀️
Hair: @joyfulchair 
Project: www.caroline-trudeau.com
💻: @mortensen_designs 

#loveatwork #virginiaisforlovers #design #womenleaders
#electric #micromobility in #Virginia Beach ❤️ #electric #micromobility in #Virginia Beach ❤️
#vb #ev #virginiaisforlovers
Virginia Beach #Jeep Fest. ✌🏼❤️🌊 @jeep Virginia Beach #Jeep Fest. ✌🏼❤️🌊
@jeep @vabjeepfest #adventure #itsajeepthing #virginiaisforlovers ❤️🐥🫶🏼
The Atlantic. Always worth the drive. ❤️ #the The Atlantic. 
Always worth the drive. ❤️
#theatlantic #virginiabeach #virginiaisforlovers
About last night. #Reston #restontowncenter #vir About last night. 

#Reston #restontowncenter #virginia #virginiaisforlovers❤️
Books of 2023. Read the list on LinkedIn. Link in Books of 2023. Read the list on LinkedIn.
Link in bio @thisiscaro 
#loveatwork
#club1670
#scènesdeReston

CONTACT CAROLINE

  • Email
  • Facebook
  • Instagram
  • LinkedIn
  • WhatsApp

KEEP UP WITH THE VOICES

SEARCH

MEDIA

 

COPYRIGHT © 2023 · THE VOICES COLLECTION · SHOUT OUT TO 

COPYRIGHT © 2023 · THE VOICES COLLECTION · CAROLINE TRUDEAU