Carianne | SSI Advanced & Deep Diver

Hi, I’m Carianne!

I came along to Curaçao in February 2026 to accompany my friend Leonie during her second period at Porto Mari. The idea? Just come along, see how I like it, maybe help out a bit. I didn’t have any diving experience yet. But well… if you’re in a place where everyone dives, what do you do?

So I started — with no experience at all — a sort of pre-Divemaster internship. First, of course, my Open Water. That started off a bit bumpy, with some ear problems during the course. A bit of doubt, a bit of perseverance. But after that, things went quickly. Very quickly. From Open Water to Advanced and beyond, as if I’d never done anything else.

Like Leonie, I’m from the Hoeksche Waard. There, I work at an agricultural contracting company and I’m often behind the wheel of a tractor or other large machinery. Operating big machines isn’t new to me — only, underwater, everything is just a bit lighter and more elegant.

In my free time, I do figure skating. Moving over ice is wonderful, but water in liquid form is just as much fun. And let’s be honest: falling hurts a lot less there.

Underwater, I quickly felt right at home. But also above water, in and around the shop, I found my place. Besides diving and helping with daily tasks, I also helped set up the shop’s TikTok channel and made the first videos. Something a bit different from plowing the land with a tractor — but just as much fun.

Sometimes you just have to go along with a friend. Before you know it, you’ve added a whole new chapter — with salt in your hair and a dive mask on your head.