By Emily Deans
I’ve been a water baby my whole life. I did competitive swimming, moved into competitive water polo, and then found myself on a big mental health journey, looking for a hobby.
I’d been in the water my whole life, and I’d done versions of freediving without really realising it was freediving.
Then I found a free diving course, and I was like, “Wow, I want to do that.” So, I did my Level One and loved it. I found I was a bit of a natural.
Then they announced a swim with whales’ trip, and I was like, “How do I do that? Sign me up, I want to do that.”
Looking Into the Eye of a Whale Changed Everything
That trip was a big step outside my comfort zone. It was the first time I travelled overseas by myself, and it was just incredible.
It was the catalyst for this big recovery and healing. Connecting with an animal that’s so much bigger than I am and looking into the eye of a whale was just the most emotional experience. It also gave me this momentum to be like, “Okay, I can curate the life I want.”
It created a ripple effect: I delved into conservation, got more involved with the ocean, and pursued freediving more.
Becoming a Whale Guide
I love the work I do, travelling to different places and seeing whales, orcas, and tiger sharks all over the world, but being able to do it in my own blue backyard with whales is just next level.
So, when I saw the job advertisement for Whale Tales on Instagram, I was just like, “Oh my goodness.” I went for it and was lucky enough to get the role.
Helping People Fall in Love with Whales
So many Sydneysiders don’t know that we have our very own humpback highway.
We often get people saying, “I’ve never done this before. Quite frankly, I didn’t realise we had the number of humpbacks we do.”
It’s super special when you can connect Sydneysiders with what’s going on.
The whole premise is that you protect what you love. The most rewarding thing for me is watching people build a connection to these animals and then, all of a sudden, go, “Right, how do I protect these animals?”
I think it’s incredible to watch these experiences connect people in ways that prompt people to ask, “How do I do my bit?”
It’s this ripple effect of seeing conservation take off through connection with an animal. That’s why these experiences are so important. They can be that fire starter for people.
Adventure and Connection with Whale Tales
Working as a guide has confirmed for me that people are looking for connection points and want an adventurous aspect to the experience.
The smaller boat, the speed, the adventure, and then that connection with the animals all come together.
I love seeing kids’ curiosity. Sometimes it’s hard to keep their attention, but when you put them on a boat with wild animals in front of them, it just ignites something. They ask questions, they’re jumping, they’re squealing, and they’re saying it’s the best thing ever.
It’s also been really special seeing how accessible these experiences can be. We’ve had support workers come on board with people with disabilities, and we’ve had elderly people come out and get these incredible views. It’s been really nice seeing the diversity of people we get to show our blue backyard to.
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What’s Next
I want to show people how diverse our marine life is in different places around the world, harness more of my leadership skills and keep growing.
I’m 23, and I feel like my world has suddenly just opened. I’m just trying to be guided by my heart, chase opportunities, and keep growing into leadership.
Curating Your Own Journey
It’s definitely a hard world we’re living in. It’s a hard world to find motivation while sitting behind a screen.
I hope that seeing our beautiful wildlife and our blue backyard inspires people, because getting out is the first step. Any sort of action is the antidote to anxiety. Just putting one foot in front of the other.
I think people get caught up in believing they have to leave school, go to university, start a family and chase a certain job. I try to be an example that you don’t need to do that if you don’t want to.
You’re allowed to curate your own journey. You’re allowed to chase what you love. You’re allowed to chase your passion. You’re allowed to have time to work it out and explore the world around you, because that’s what builds inspiration.
We don’t always need a five-year plan. As young people, we’re constantly changing, we’re having new experiences, and those experiences open our worlds.
When people talk to me, I hope they realise they might be able to pursue an exciting career that fulfils them. They don’t have to be slaves to a corporate world.
Sometimes you have to put yourself out there. Sometimes you have to be brave and stray from the mundane. You’re not a failure for chasing what you love.
Source: Jesse MullerÂ
