Sharks are often misunderstood and feared, but they play a crucial role in maintaining the health and balance of our marine ecosystems. As apex predators, they regulate the populations of other marine species, ensuring that the ecosystem remains balanced and healthy. By preying on the sick, weak, or old, sharks help keep fish populations robust and diverse, preventing any single species from dominating and disrupting the ecosystem.
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Diving with Sharks: Embracing the Calm Beneath the Waves
As Shark Week approaches, I’m reminded of my first dive with sharks in the Bahamas back in 2020. This experience wasn’t about the adrenaline; it was about finding calm and stillness in the face of a stressful situation. A few years ago, I was struggling with stress and anxiety and wasn’t in the shape I am today. Jumping into the water with sharks and swimming towards them would have been unimaginable. But that day, I kept challenging myself to go deeper and stay down longer while my friends were there to watch my back.
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Discovering the Wonders of Starfish: Fascinating Facts About These Ocean Gems
The ocean is full of remarkable creatures, but few are as captivating as the starfish. Despite their name, starfish are not actually fish. They belong to a group of animals known as echinoderms, making them close relatives of sea urchins and sand dollars.
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Diving with My Dad: A Journey Back to the Ocean
I learned how to scuba dive with my dad, and though he stopped diving years ago, we recently had the chance to explore the ocean together again for the first time in almost ten years. 🩵🤿 We went diving in French Polynesia, creating unforgettable memories.
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How to Prepare your New Dive Mask Before Diving for the First Time
Burning a new dive mask I’m gearing up for a dive trip, and with my usual routine of packing two of everything in case of any mishaps, I've just added a new Cressi Super Occhio dive mask bag. Before I hit the water, it's time to prep this mask so it's ready for action.
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Unleash your inner mermaid with Neritic Diving
When it comes to freediving and spearfishing, having the right gear is crucial for a successful and enjoyable experience. My favorite brand for diving essentials is Neritic Diving. Their products are top-notch, offering both quality and performance that I can rely on during every dive.
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Discovering the Spider Conch in French Polynesia
One of my most exciting seashell finds in French Polynesia was the Lambis lambis, commonly known as the spider conch. This large sea snail, part of the Strombidae family, can be found near shore along sandy sea floors throughout the Indo-Pacific region.
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Diving with Humpback Whales in French Polynesia
Feeling tiny and humble next to these underwater giants 🐋 Diving with humpback whales in Moorea last September was an experience I'll never forget. There's something profoundly awe-inspiring about being in the presence of these magnificent creatures in the crystal-clear waters of French Polynesia.
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I Got Engaged!!! - A Magical Engagement in French Polynesia
On September 2nd, my life changed forever in the most magical way possible. After spending the night in a luxurious overwater bungalow at the Hilton in Moorea, CJ planned an amazing day that ended with our engagement, set against the stunning backdrop of French Polynesia.
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Diving in the Kelp Forests off Catalina Island
Kelp forests can be seen along much of the west coast of North America. Kelp are large brown algae that live in cool, relatively shallow waters close to the shore. They grow in dense groupings much like a forest on land. These underwater towers of kelp provide food and shelter for thousands of fish, invertebrates, and marine mammal species.
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Diving with Mola Mola in California: A Surreal Experience
Encountering a sunfish, or mola mola, was one of the most surreal diving experiences I’ve ever had. These fascinating creatures develop their truncated, bullet-like shape because the back fin they are born with never grows. Instead, it folds into itself as the enormous creature matures, creating a rounded rudder called a clavus. The name "mola" means "millstone" in Latin, describing the ocean sunfish’s somewhat circular shape.
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Diving in the Blue Hole in New Mexico
Diving in the Blue Hole in New Mexico is a unique and exhilarating experience that every diving enthusiast should try. Nestled in the high desert, this natural wonder offers a stark contrast to the typical ocean dives, providing a freshwater oasis in the middle of the arid landscape.
Read MoreBahamas Birthday Bash - Spearfishing for Hogfish
Celebrating my 31st birthday in the Bahamas was an unforgettable experience, filled with adventure, laughter, and the thrill of the hunt. Surrounded by friends, we embarked on an exciting spearfishing trip, targeting the elusive and delicious hogfish.
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Diving with Kelly Young in Key West | Hand Spearing fish in murky water (catch, clean & cooking over primitive fire)
I went diving with Kelly Young a few weekends ago in Key West. I was busy taking pictures of mangroves and crabs but she was hand spearing mangrove snappers in murky water and the made dinner over the fire in the backyard! She prepared it with pineapple and Valentine Thomas’ Bahama Mama blackened spice mix and it was 🔥
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Free Dive For Longer! Must Know Exercises & Tips For EVERY DIVER
Salt Life Video - Let me walk you through my most effective exercises to free dive for longer. I focus on breathing techniques, stretches, exercises for depth, and more. Make sure your buddy knows what to do and stay safe- happy diving!
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Welcome to My Life in Shades of Blue!
Gabriella Gerbasi - Ocean child passionate about ocean conservation and sustainability. I’m a waterwoman living life in shades of blue. Whether it’s freediving, spearfishing, scuba diving or boating I try to spend as much time as I can in the water.
The sea is my second home. The ocean is central to my existence, it is where I go to exercise, to explore, to fish and feed myself. For me, the ocean is a source of energy and power. It calms my mind and recharges my body. When I’m in the water, I experience joy and contentment. I delight in the sea, I can taste the life in the water.
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Happy Father's Day
Happy Father’s Day! I was amazed by scuba diving, the fact that I could spend up to an hour underwater looking at squid, turtles, stingrays, colourful fish and shipwrecks sounded too good to be true. At 12 years old, I got my PADI Open Water Diver certification in the Cayman Islands so dad and I would be able to dive together around the Caribbean. I haven’t been able to get the ocean out of my head and my heart ever since.
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The Daily Salt - Get to Know Me Better
‘‘The Salt Life has always come naturally to one of our newest team members, Gabriella Gerbasi. The French-Canadian native and self-proclaimed “ocean child” has been diving for as long as she can remember. She first became a PADI-certified junior diver at the age of 12, and by 14, Gabriella had a full open-water certification.’’
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Sisters of the Tide
We all come from the sea, but we are not all of the sea. Those of us who are, we sisters & children of the tides, we are bound by sand, salt, sea and we must return to it again and again 🧜🏼♀️🌊
I love how diving and the ocean forms bonds with people. Ocean people are my people. We still like to play just like when we were kids meeting after school. We look outside in the morning and when the weather’s nice and the water is calm, we make plans to spend time outside, no phone, no distractions. Just friends, nature and stories to tell.
Read my Interview with Salt Life on Cold Water, Warm Water, and my Mermaid Diving Bucket List
Read my Interview with Salt Life on Cold Water, Warm Water, and my Mermaid Diving Bucket List
It seems with every passing year more and more people are taking up diving as a hobby, and for good reason! The ocean is absolutely breathtaking and the creatures that live below the surface are equally as fascinating. Many divers have their sights set on warmer waters such as those in Cozumel or Belize, but often forget you can also dive in colder waters.
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