Grateful for the Blue: Giving Thanks to the Ocean this Holiday Season

November always reminds me to slow down and reflect on what truly matters. This year, I’m endlessly grateful for the ocean — and for how diving continues to open new doors, new perspectives, and new connections beneath the surface.

With the holidays fast approaching, I find it helpful to manage the chaos of the season by staying grounded in gratitude — especially with Thanksgiving right around the corner. While this can be an undeniably stressful time of year (did I mention I also work in retail?), I have learned that taking a moment to reflect on all we have to be thankful for can do wonders for the spirit.

For me, that gratitude always leads back to the ocean. Diving has given me so much: rare and beautiful underwater experiences, a sense of calm I can’t find anywhere else, and an incredible community of people who share the same deep love for the blue.

Grateful for moments like these, in the deep, open blue.

I am grateful for diving because it has . . .

taught me to appreciate the little things.

To be honest, when I first started diving, I couldn’t understand why people were so obsessed with tiny sea slugs — “nudis,” as they called them. They were impossible to spot, let alone photograph. But over the years, my perspective vastly changed.

Searching for the smallest creatures forces you to slow down and really pay attention. The world narrows to a few square feet of reef, every color and texture holding possibility. It’s an all-immersive treasure hunt that rewards patience and awareness. Finding one feels like uncovering a secret — a reminder that magic often hides in the smallest details.

That lesson came full circle when I spent nearly an entire dive photographing a “Shaun the Sheep” nudibranch smaller than a grain of rice in the currents of Indonesia. It tested my patience, yes, but also my ability to stay calm and present — a gift diving continues to give me.

As for nailing the perfect photograph of one? Well, that is still a work in progress . . .

This tiny little “Shaun the Sheep” nudibranch is smaller than a grain of rice. I learned so much about patience and perseverance while trying to shoot this little one in limited visibility and current while in Indonesia.

Diving has also . . .

introduced me to the best community.

Ironically, while diving often feels like an escape from people, it’s brought some of the most genuine friendships into my life. There’s something special about the bond between divers — trust built through being a good buddy, laughter on surface intervals, and the unspoken understanding that we’re all just guests in this underwater world.

Through diving, I’ve met incredible people from around the globe, each connected by the same respect and wonder for the sea. It’s a community that transcends borders and backgrounds — united by a love of animals, being weightless in the water and a sense of adventure.

Diving has . . .

given me peace.

In a world that often glorifies busyness and quick fixes, diving reminds me to breathe — literally and figuratively. The moment my regulator slips beneath the surface, the noise of the world fades away. My thoughts quiet. My only focus becomes the slow rhythm of breath and buoyancy.

Diving has even changed my lifestyle; I rarely drink when I’m diving the next day, and I find I don’t miss it. The ocean itself provides the calm I once looked for elsewhere. After a full day underwater, that post-dive drink isn’t the source of relaxation — it’s simply a toast to it.

Diving calms me and fills me with a sense of wonder.

Diving also . . .

fills my life with adventure.

From drifting beside reef sharks to hovering eye-to-eye with an 800-pound goliath grouper, diving constantly reminds me that life’s greatest adventures often lie just below the surface. Each dive holds the promise of something unexpected — a flash of silver in the blue, a new species, a moment that makes you forget everything else.

Those encounters fuel my sense of wonder - pushing me to explore, learn, and protect this planet’s wild spaces, never taking my time in them for granted.

Tiger Beach - the ultimate adventure! I was nervous at first to get in the water with these massive tiger sharks, but by the end of trip, I was allowing them to invade my personal space like this - always ready with a calm redirect, of course.

And finally, diving . . .

connects me to something greater.

In the ocean, it’s impossible not to feel small — to stand in awe of its vastness, its power, its mystery. The sea has a way of putting life into perspective, reminding you that you’re part of something much larger. On land, it’s easy to forget how intertwined our lives truly are, how much we rely on one another and on the natural world that connects us all.

Moments like this shift your perspective. Coming eye to eye with a massive humpback whale is a humbling and life-changing experience.

Just last month, I had the incredible opportunity to swim alongside humpback whales in French Polynesia. The experience was emotional — at times intimidating, but above all awe-inspiring. We encountered a “singer” male whose haunting song was so powerful we could feel the vibrations reverberate through our bodies. We watched mothers breach just meters away, displaying both strength and tenderness as they protected their calves. It felt like having a front-row seat to one of nature’s most extraordinary performances — a moment I’ll never forget.

Whale Squad

I was so grateful to be able to experience Moorea with an incredible group of women. brought together through Kyalami and our love for the ocean and all its inhabitants.

When I found myself face to face with the humpbacks, I realized how small I really am in the grand theatre of the ocean. In that moment, the worries of deadlines and everyday stress simply dissolved. I felt like a guest in a world far older, far more vast than any one human life. That humbling experience reminds me how interconnected we all are — the whale, the water, the air I breathe, and the people I dive with. And from that place of connection comes a deep gratitude: not just for what diving gives me, but for the chance to participate in something far bigger. It was a tremendous trip that will stay with me for the rest of my life.

This Thanksgiving . . .

As I reflect on what I’m most thankful for, alongside my family and loved ones, diving tops the list. It’s shaped who I am, connected me with incredible people, and filled my life with awe and wonder.

So this season, I’m giving thanks to the blue — and to all of you who share its magic. Whether you’re logging your first dive or your thousandth, I hope you take a moment underwater to pause, breathe, and feel grateful for the gift of the ocean.

If you’re reading this, then you’re part of my community, my tribe, the Kyalami Family. Let’s keep the conversation going by sharing what you’re grateful for in the comments below.

Love you all and can’t wait to see you there on a dive soon!

-Grace

Even in colder temperatures, I am calm, peaceful and content when I’m under the water exploring.