Under the Sea

"From birth, man carries the weight of gravity on his shoulders. He is bolted to Earth. But man has only to sink beneath the surface and he is free."

-Jacques Yves Cousteau

As a child, nothing inspired me to dream more than when I took trips to the ocean. My senses were overwhelmed with the scent of sea air, the sound of crashing waves and the feel of salt drying on my skin. I'll never forget the first time I dipped my face below the surface of the sea in Key Largo, Florida and watched a whole new world of colorful fish, ornate invertebrates and geometrically beautiful coral thriving together. My time spent as a marine biologist is deeply rooted in sights my parents showed me through the polycarbonate lens of my snorkeling mask.

Over the last week, I had the amazing experience of sharing these same experiences with my two oldest daughters. While we spent plenty of time relaxing on the beach and soaking in the south Florida sunshine, I feel most blessed and energized to have passed on the wonders of snorkeling in the Florida Keys to my kids. Hopefully they'll find inspiration, beauty and questions about the ocean that will carry with them into their adult lives.

Isabel and Hannah insisted that we take our snorkel trip on a sailing catamaran so we could say we have sailed in the Keys, if only briefly. They've always both liked the look of the big cruising cats (think Lagoons and Leopards) and have wondered what it would be like to ride on the bow trampolines while under sail. Well, we can consider that itch scratched now too.

Anyway, here's a few pictures from our time under the sea...