Charlene Stenton-Dozey

Scuba instructor writing about fear, confidence, marine life and the lessons we learn underwater and beyond. Still love reading, travel, music and wine.

[Charlene Stenton-Dozey @CSD_Diver]

I thought scuba diving was just going to be an expensive hobby.

I didn't realise it would change where I lived, what I did for work and even who I married.

[Charlene Stenton-Dozey @CSD_Diver]

I used to think scuba diving changed my life.

Looking back, I think it was curiosity.

It's taken me to Antarctica, Galapagos, Madagascar, Hong Kong, Japan, Mauritius and more.

And I don't think it's finished yet.

[Charlene Stenton-Dozey @CSD_Diver]

Years after a course, some former students still ask themselves:

“What would Charlene do?”

Two divers recently helped me understand why.

[Charlene Stenton-Dozey @CSD_Diver]

My parents got tired of answering my questions.

They bought an encyclopedia set and told me to look things up myself.

I don’t think they realised what they were starting.

[Charlene Stenton-Dozey @CSD_Diver]

An experienced diver told me he remembered how to deploy a DSMB.

The problem started when he actually had to do it.

[Charlene Stenton-Dozey @CSD_Diver]

The divers who worry me most usually aren’t the nervous ones.

They’re often the loudest and most confident divers. Within minutes, everyone knows how many dives they’ve done and where they’ve dived.

[Charlene Stenton-Dozey @CSD_Diver]

I was an Advanced diver in name only

I knew I had forgotten things underwater.

I didn’t realise how much.

[Charlene Stenton-Dozey @CSD_Diver]

https://t.co/FnxfSOBMaD

[Charlene Stenton-Dozey @CSD_Diver]

Purple scorpion leaf fish are surprisingly easy for divers to spot.

Their prey would disagree.

[Charlene Stenton-Dozey @CSD_Diver]

Most divers don’t realize they’re behaving like predators underwater.

Marine life does.

Here’s what to change to see more.

[Charlene Stenton-Dozey @CSD_Diver]

Follow for more stories and observations from the underwater world. I write about diving, marine life and human behaviour.

[Charlene Stenton-Dozey @CSD_Diver]

Many divers are embarrassed to admit they feel nervous before a dive.

Change that to excitement because nervous divers are often the ones who:
• pay the most attention
• communicate best
• take the least amount of risks

Here’s why:

[Charlene Stenton-Dozey @CSD_Diver]

Nervous divers have some behaviours that will see them become excellent divers as they gain experience and confidence.

They:
• observe more
• communicate early and often
• take less risks

All qualities that are great in any diver!

[Charlene Stenton-Dozey @CSD_Diver]

Missed seeing that octopus (or other sea life) that others saw on the dive?

- slow down
- look all around you
- watch what the other fish are doing as they often give away hiding places
- peek in the holes and under ledges

Did I mention “slow down”?

[Charlene Stenton-Dozey @CSD_Diver]

Some marine life seems surprisingly selective about which divers they approach underwater.

After multiple encounters where rays and dolphins appeared to ignore other divers and swim directly toward me, I’ve started wondering if maybe we become familiar to them too.

[Charlene Stenton-Dozey @CSD_Diver]

Many divers are embarrassed they feel nervous before a dive.

These divers are often those who pay the most attention, communicate best and take the fewest risks.

[Charlene Stenton-Dozey @CSD_Diver]

One Divemaster quietly avoided practicing mask removal skills for years because she was uncomfortable doing them underwater.

Until the day her mask came off during a dive and she panicked.