There are stages that are more than just additional qualifications.
They are changing the way we view diving, teaching, guidance and the role of each individual underwater.
Obtaining my certification IAHD (International Association for Handicapped Divers) Instructor Level 2, which is dedicated to helping people with disabilities discover and take up scuba diving, is one such step.
Of course, it is a qualification. It requires a framework, skills, procedures and a rigorous focus on safety. But for me, it represents much more than just another line on an instructor’s CV.
It ties in directly with what I’m trying to develop with Diving Aware : a more mindful, more attentive, more human approach to diving.
Diving as a space of freedom
For a long time now, I have regarded diving as a special world.
Underwater, our usual points of reference change. The body is no longer subject to exactly the same physical demands. Silence takes on greater importance. Breathing becomes central. Movement changes. Our relationship with ourselves, with others and with our surroundings becomes different.
For many divers, this experience is already quite intense.
But it can be even more so for someone whose body, mobility, sensations or sense of orientation are different in their day-to-day life.
Underwater, some boundaries may become less distinct. Others do not disappear, but they can be approached in a different way. The instructor’s role, then, is not to force the diver into a single model of diving, but to work with them to identify the conditions that make the experience possible, safe and fully enjoyed.
It is this idea that moves me deeply.
Diving is not just an activity. It becomes a space for adaptation, for building confidence and, at times, for rediscovering freedom.
A defining memory
This stage also brings to mind an old memory that has had a profound impact on my life as a diver.
In the winter of 1993, in Saint-Pierre, Martinique, Michel Météry, then director of the UCPA centre, suggested that I accompany him on a scientific project being carried out with a medical team from the Metz Regional Hospital Centre (CHR). The project involved supervised diving sessions for children with cystic fibrosis, in a controlled environment with close observation and medical monitoring.
I hadn’t yet found the words I use today. I wasn’t yet talking about mindful diving, adaptation, inclusion or accessibility. But something clicked that day.
I realised that diving could be much more than just a technical or exploratory activity. It could become a space where the body, breathing, trust and guidance take on a special significance.
That experience was a real eye-opener. It has stayed with me, even as my life has taken different turns.
A different approach to support
Training and supporting people with disabilities does not mean simplifying the diving experience or lowering the standards.
On the contrary.
This requires more listening, more observation, more preparation and the ability to adapt without ever improvising at the expense of safety.
Every person arrives with their own story, abilities, needs, concerns and resources. It is not a question of focusing on what is missing, but of understanding what is possible, what needs to be adapted, what needs to be made safe, and what will enable the person to truly make the most of their immersion.
This approach is based on several key principles:
- listening;
- trust;
- accuracy;
- adaptation;
- respecting everyone’s own pace;
- safety;
- the quality of the relationship.
It’s a different way of teaching. A more nuanced approach. One that’s more attentive. Less focused on a single standard, and more on the diver themselves.
Do not reduce the difference to a mere obstacle
In the world of diving, we often talk about levels, privileges, depth, equipment, performance or experience.
It is necessary to a certain extent. Diving remains a technical activity, with rules, risks and requirements.
But diving cannot be reduced to just that.
A person cannot be defined solely by a physical, sensory, cognitive or psychological limitation. Nor can they be defined solely by a set of adaptive measures.
Above all, she is someone who wants to discover, learn, feel, explore, share, breathe underwater and enjoy the experience.
Supporting inclusive diving means recognising differences without pigeonholing them. It means refusing to deny them, but also refusing to automatically treat them as insurmountable obstacles.
It is about finding the right path.
A path where accessibility is not just a slogan, but a reality.
A path where inclusion does not mean lowering standards, but rather adapting support in a serious and thoughtful manner.
A path where safety remains paramount, without detracting from the human aspect of the experience.
A natural progression from Diving Aware
This certification is naturally well suited to Diving Aware.
From the very beginning, Diving Aware has been based on a simple idea: diving mindfully is not just about seeing the marine environment in a different light. It is also about being mindful of how we behave underwater.
- Attuned to life.
- Be mindful of our breathing.
- Mindful of our impact.
- Mindful of the person diving alongside us.
Mindful diving cannot, therefore, be limited to the ecology of the dive or marine observation. It also concerns human relationships.
A buddy isn’t just someone you dive with. It’s someone whose pace, signals, needs, limits and capabilities you need to be able to read.
When diving with people with disabilities, this consideration becomes even more crucial.
- It can help you to slow down.
- it helps you to see things differently
- listen more.
- To break out of routine.
- To regard each immersion as a unique encounter.
That is exactly the direction in which I want to take Diving Aware.
Accessibility and high standards
Making diving more accessible does not mean making it any less serious.
This is a key point.
Accessibility must never be confused with a mere approximation. On the contrary, it demands a higher standard: better preparation, better assessment, better communication, better safety measures and better support.
It is not a question of promising that anything is possible under all circumstances. That would be irresponsible.
It is a matter of taking an honest look at every situation, every person, every environment and every objective, and then devising an appropriate response.
- Sometimes, that will open up a possibility.
- Sometimes, it will take longer.
- Sometimes, this will require a very specific framework.
- Sometimes, this will mean giving something up or putting it off.
But in any case, the decision must be based on care, competence and respect.
What water has to offer
There’s something special about water.
It supports. It envelops. It slows you down. It transforms your relationship with weight, movement, balance and silence.
For some people, this can be a very powerful experience: feeling their body in a different way, discovering a new range of movement, experiencing a sense of freedom, and entering an environment where their usual points of reference change.
I don’t want to idealise this experience or claim that it is the same for everyone. It isn’t.
But I firmly believe that diving can offer precious moments, provided it is guided with skill, humility and respect.
It is in this spirit that I wish to move forward.
The next chapter
Certification is not an end in itself.
It’s a starting point.
We must now continue to learn, practise, meet people, listen, gain experience and gradually develop the right approach.
I hope that this new expertise will enable Diving Aware to broaden its scope of activity: not only to raise awareness of the protection of marine life, but also to help make the ocean more accessible to people who might not otherwise have considered it, or who might not have imagined that such an experience could be possible for them.
For me, mindful diving then becomes a more fulfilling experience.
It is not just about the way we observe the ocean.
It also concerns the way in which we enable others to encounter him.
Conclusion
Achieving this IAHD Level 2 Instructor certification marks an important milestone in my career.
It reminds me that diving isn’t just about technique, depth or exploration. It’s also about relationships, listening, trust and adaptability.
Underwater, everyone has their own story.
Our role, as instructors, is not to force everyone into the same mould, but to find the right framework to ensure that the experience is possible, safe and fully enjoyed.
With Diving Aware, I want to continue along these lines: slowing down, observing, understanding and respecting all living things, but also providing better support for people.
Because diving mindfully also means recognising the person diving alongside us.
Diving Aware
Slow down. Observe. Understand. Respect. Support.