Learning to See: Diving with REEF in Raja Ampat
I recently returned from Raja Ampat, Indonesia, one of the most biodiverse marine ecosystems in the world. The region is known for its extraordinary concentration of marine life, healthy coral systems, and staggering number of fish species.
For the past several years, I have been volunteering with REEF, the Reef Environmental Education Foundation, an organization that trains divers to identify and document fish populations for conservation and scientific research.
Most people often assume scuba diving is simply for fun. And certainly there is a lot of fun in it. But after years of diving, I realized that simply observing marine life without understanding what I was looking at no longer felt like enough.
REEF changed that for me.
Through REEF surveys, divers are trained to identify fish species and log population data that scientists later use to monitor ecosystem changes, migration patterns, biodiversity shifts, and environmental health. It transforms diving from passive observation into active participation
And it requires a surprising level of attention.
In Raja Ampat, I spent three to four hours a day underwater conducting surveys. Because the region is so species-rich, every dive involved constant observation, documentation, and photography. Many fish species have multiple color morphs, juvenile stages, or sexual variations, so identification requires precision. By the end of the trip, I had accumulated over 1,500 photographs to review and verify before finalizing my logs.
There is something deeply grounding about that level of focus.
To accurately identify species, you must become present. You notice patterns, movement, behavior, habitat, subtle distinctions. You begin to understand not just the animals themselves, but the larger ecosystem they inhabit.
In many ways, it reminds me of both veterinary medicine and playwriting.
As a veterinarian, observation is everything. My animal patients cannot tell you what hurts. You learn to notice behavior, posture, rhythm, subtle changes in movement or expression. The smallest details matter.
As a playwright, the process is not so different. Writing begins with watching. Human relationships, emotional undercurrents, silence, conflict, connection. Stories emerge from paying attention. It’s like writing about a character vs. inhabiting that character. I became much more aware of the nuanced underwater life and its perturbations..
REEF has become another extension of that way of seeing.
One of the most encouraging parts of this recent trip was witnessing healthy coral systems and thriving marine populations. The hotel and its associated foundation where we stayed partners closely with local communities and indigenous groups to protect the surrounding waters. Years ago, destructive fishing practices and shark finning had severely damaged portions of the ecosystem. Today, because of conservation efforts and community stewardship, the reefs are recovering.
And perhaps most exciting of all, I saw sharks!
For divers, seeing sharks in areas where they had largely disappeared is both thrilling and hopeful. We encountered blacktip reef sharks and whitetips throughout the trip. Beautiful, prehistoric animals that still manage to quicken your pulse, even when you know they are basically harmless to humans.
To me, they represent something larger: evidence that ecosystems can recover when people choose stewardship over extraction.
Whether through veterinary medicine, conservation work, or theater, I’ve always been interested in relationships between living beings and the environments they depend on. REEF offers a way to contribute to that relationship in a very tangible way.
The diving itself is wonderful. But having purpose attached to it has made it profoundly meaningful. And that is true of most things worth doing.
