Since age eight, Rachel Watts dreamed of learning to dive. There was just one problem… she didn’t know how to swim! Despite the obstacle that lay before her, Rachel added scuba diving to her ever-growing bucket list and continued dreaming about the day she’d take her first breath undersea. Rachel had always been interested in nature, frequently exploring rock pools at the beach during her childhood summer holidays and marvelling at the vast expanse of ocean before her. Her fascination and curiosity fuelled her ambition – she was determined that someday, she’d become scuba certified.

Eventually, Rachel not only learned how to swim, she also fully realized her dream of scuba diving when she travelled to Maldives to take an introductory open water diving course. So enthralled was she by the beauty of the underwater environment that she went on to complete her advanced scuba diving certification during the same trip! Malta’s warm, crystal clear waters and abundant sea life stole her heart, and Rachel has never looked back.

Ever since that first diving course, Rachel’s love of scuba diving has motivated her interest in marine conservation and led her to become active in local ocean protection efforts. Her diving experience has shown her that enjoyment and protection of the underwater world are intrinsically linked.

Says Rachel, “Conservation, for me, goes hand in hand with diving.”

This passion has led Rachel to become involved with Project AWARE’s ocean protection work. Rachel is a 100% AWARE diving instructor and she teaches the Dive Against Debris™ specialty course. She spends much of her time with dive students raising awareness of the challenges the ocean faces, and empowering them to take action toward solutions. Ocean advocacy has become a part of her everyday life, which is why when she signed up to run the Malta Half Marathon, it was natural that she’d use it as an opportunity to raise awareness for ocean protection!

With a small group of friends, Rachel took part in the Malta Half Marathon on Sunday, February 28, 2016. The course was challenging, with winding paths through hilly countryside all the way to urban industrial areas, eventually leading to its coastal finish line. Powerful winds proved difficult for many of the runners, but with her friends by her side, Rachel finished strong. Through her efforts, Rachel not only generated much-needed funds for Project AWARE’s ocean protection programs, she also used the opportunity to raise awareness for ocean conservation and promote volunteerism amongst her local community. Thank you, Rachel, for your dedication to protecting our ocean planet!

To host your own fundraiser for marine conservation, visit Finathon.org.