It is often joked that you end up diving less once you get involved in the dive industry, but with Buddy Dive Resort, their ethos is that everyone on the team embraces diving – and so recent marketing addition Naomi van der Pan flew out to Bonaire to take her first fin-steps into scuba diving
As someone who usually spends more time behind a screen than under the sea, doing the PADI Open Water Diver course for work felt like a leap into the deep… literally. But when you work in marketing for a dive resort, at some point… you kind of have to walk the talk (or swim the swim?).
I woke up on my first day in one of Buddy Dive Resort’s spacious apartments. Seriously, I didn’t expect it to feel so much like home already on day one. I had slept surprisingly well, despite the nerves. Breakfast is served early and will make you feel ready for your first dive. Whether you want eggs, fruit, toast, or yoghurt, you’re covered. I fell in love with the French toast and it made me feel 100% ready for my first encounter with diving.
Together with my two buddies, we met our instructor, Lars, and we were lucky enough to have a Divemaster with us as well. We started our session in the pool, which was an easy way to adjust to the feeling of breathing under water. By the afternoon, we were already gearing up for our first open water training session on Buddy’s Reef! I couldn’t imagine a better place to learn. It’s right off the dock. You just gear up, step in, and there you are – a calm, clear, living classroom.
Even in the training area, there were fish swimming around, and we could see coral nursery trees from the Reef Renewal Foundation Bonaire just a few fin kicks away. It was inspiring to realize that this wasn’t just about learning to dive – Lars really taught us how to dive responsibly, in a place that values the ocean.
What also stood out to me that first day was that there was no pressure. Everything went at our own pace. No judgment, no stress. I asked our instructor Lars approximately 29,474 questions (give or take), and not once did he make me feel silly for it. He was calm, kind, and totally in tune with each of us. It was a small group, which made it feel super personal. Underwater, I never felt alone, and never felt anxious.
By day two, things started to feel more comfortable. My breathing slowed down and the equipment didn’t feel so strange anymore. We even did our first real dive – not just skills practice, but an actual mini adventure! To be totally honest, I still wasn’t sure if diving was my thing. When underwater, I caught myself being more busy with all my equipment and breathing than to actually look around and enjoy the underwater world. But then…
Something changed on day three. I actually looked forward to getting in the water. I felt more confident, more curious. We started taking the lead a bit more, which at first sounded terrifying – me, leading a dive? But once we got going, it was so much more natural than I expected.
The final dive was bittersweet. On one hand, I couldn’t believe we had made it, that this was it! On the other, I kind of didn’t want it to end. We surfaced, high-fived, and there it was – PADI Open Water Diver certified.
Three days. A lot of air tanks. A few nerves. And one unforgettable experience. What I learned (aside from how to clear my mask when smiling) is that diving is just as much about how you learn as it is what you learn. The team at Buddy Dive Resort, especially Lars, made it feel safe, fun, and personal.
Marketing went diving, and came back not just with a certification, but with a totally new respect for the ocean, and for the people who protect it every day.
See you at the reef!
