Coming Home to the Ocean: A Journey of Rediscovery and Purpose

By Kadek Laksmi Satyawati (2025 Blue Roots Scholar)

Bali is where I was born, raised, and where I always return. It’s a place full of cultural richness and deep personal meaning. The ocean has always played a central role in our community’s daily life through ceremonies and livelihoods. As an island nation, Indonesia is defined by its vast and diverse coastlines. Yet despite growing up surrounded by the sea, I often felt distant from it.

In the first quarter of 2025, I assisted a research project on wastewater treatment aimed at protecting coral reefs in Nusa Lembongan, an island in Bali renowned for its vibrant underwater life. It was my first time feeling truly connected to the sea, not just as a beautiful backdrop, but as something deeply intertwined with daily life, culture, and nature itself, moving together in a harmonious rhythm.

I watched tourists from around the world travel thousands of miles just to witness the marine beauty of my home island. That experience sparked a new curiosity in me: What is it about this ocean that draws so many people from across the world to it? What does it mean to me, someone who calls this place home? And what can I do to help preserve this precious ecosystem?

With a background in Environmental Engineering, I’ve always been passionate about environmental protection. But marine conservation, this intimate relationship with the ocean, remained a world I hadn't yet explored. I had never learned to dive or have the opportunity to snorkel by the corals. I often wondered, how can I truly understand or protect what I’ve never experienced from within?

When I discovered the Blue Roots Scholarship by Diverseas and 30x30 Indonesia, I felt an immediate calling. It was a program designed to introduce young women to scuba diving and marine conservation, an opportunity to connect more deeply with the ocean and with a community of changemakers. I knew I had to apply. It felt like the doorway I had been waiting for.

During the program, I find myself constantly in awe of what I’m learning, not only about marine ecosystems but also of the incredible people I have had the chance to learn from. Listening to inspirational speeches from conservationists, advocates, and journalists opened up a whole new world of possibilities. They didn’t just share knowledge, they shared stories of passion, persistence, and deep connection with the sea. And amidst all of that, what truly cracked open my perspective was my first scuba diving experience in Tulamben.

The morning started early, filled with nervous excitement. Putting on the gear, feeling the weight of the tank, and adjusting my mask for the first time felt both intimidating and thrilling. We began in the pool, a controlled and calm environment where I could focus on understanding the basics, such as how to breathe, how to move, how to trust the equipment, and my body. That first session helped ease my fears. 

Our next session took us straight into the open sea. At first, everything felt hazy. The mask blurred slightly, my breath echoed loudly in my ears, and the pressure of the water wrapped around me. But slowly, with each descent, the ocean began to reveal itself. Fish darted past in flashes of color. Soft, colorful corals swayed with the current. The water, once unfamiliar, started to feel like a second skin. I was no longer just looking, I was a part of it.

The first stop was a sunken ship. As I hovered beside it, surrounded by silence and movement, I felt incredibly small, yet it made me more connected to the vast ocean. The next diving spot is the Coral Garden, where we planted corals and observed the structures built to restore the reef. I remember touching a coral frame with my bare hand and thinking about the future life it could support. Our deepest dive that day reached 9.6 meters, but more than the number, it was the feeling of being immersed in wonder that stayed with me.

Each dive felt like entering a magical world, one that had always been there, quietly thriving beneath the surface, waiting to be seen. I now understand why people travel from across the globe to experience Bali’s seas. It’s not just the beauty, but the deep sense of connection the ocean offers when you truly allow yourself to enter its realm.

This experience sparked something within me: a desire to share what I’ve seen and felt. To tell stories to my community, especially those who’ve grown up near the ocean yet never had the chance to know it intimately. I want to create awareness, to inspire action, and to remind others that the ocean is not a distant entity, it’s part of who we are.

This journey has reminded me that coming home doesn’t always mean returning to what is familiar. Sometimes, it means rediscovering the very place you come from, through new eyes, new depths, and a renewed sense of purpose.