Into the Bluest Flame 🦈

There’s something wild and humbling about diving into the open ocean for the first time—especially when it’s not just for the view. After getting certified in freediving back in Austin (shoutout to the freshwater lake sessions and exam-day jitters), I finally got to put those skills to the test in the big blue. Hawaii didn’t just deliver—it changed the game. 🌴

I went freediving with sharks, no cage, just breath and trust. The ocean was alive, raw, and so different from the still lake waters I trained in. There’s a heartbeat out there, one that pulses through coral and current, and I found myself syncing with it, one dive at a time. 🍹

Then came spearfishing. First time actually practicing it—and yeah, I caught fish. Not just for the sport of it, but to taste the result of the effort, the stillness, the aim. We had them cooked right after, and honestly? The fruit of labor has never tasted better. There's something primal and beautiful about eating what you’ve earned from the sea. 🦈

Surrounded by a solid crew—amazing coach, new friends who feel like old ones—it felt like life slowed down and sped up at the same time. One lyric from Selena Gomez’s Bluest Flame kept echoing in my head:
“You light the match, I'll fan the flame / We'll never be the same.”
That’s exactly it. Hawaii lit something in me I didn’t know I needed—something fearless and calm all at once.

And when I wasn’t in the water, I was cruising through lush jungles and winding mountains in a Mustang convertible, wind tearing through my hair, music loud, heart full. Some drives change your perspective. This one burned it into the horizon.

Hawaii, you were magic. And I’ll carry that flame with me. ☀️ 🏖️