Beneath the Surface: How Scuba Diving Is Shaping Youth Environmental Leadership in Nusa Penida

What if sustainability wasn’t first taught in a classroom —but felt 18 meters underwater?

In Nusa Penida, a group of high school scuba divers discovered that the ocean is more than a dive site. It is a space of transformation.

This story is inspired by a peer-reviewed action research study conducted in the Nusa Penida Marine Protected Area (MPA) but what emerged goes far beyond academic findings.

It is about youth.

Embodiment.

Empathy.

And belonging.

🤿 When Learning Happens Through the Body

Underwater, there are no lectures.

There is breath.

There is silence.

There is pressure in your ears.

There is the sound of bubbles rising to the surface.

The research explored the idea of embodied knowledge the understanding that we come to know the world not only through thinking, but through lived physical experience.

For these young divers, learning unfolded in three layers:

First, the physical — seeing coral reefs stretching wider than imagined, adjusting buoyancy to avoid touching fragile ecosystems, navigating currents that demanded attention and humility.

Then, the emotional — fear during descent, confusion when managing equipment, awe when encountering manta rays, and quiet peace in the rhythm of breathing underwater.

Finally, the cognitive — the realization that the world above and below the surface are deeply interconnected.

They did not begin with theory.

They began with immersion.

And through immersion, understanding emerged.

The participants 'acting' what's in their mind about the ocean.

💛 From Observation to Empathy

Something shifts when a diver sees plastic resting beside living coral.

Something softens when a manta ray glides silently overhead.

The ocean stops being scenery.

It becomes relationship.

The study identified different dimensions of empathy developing through scuba diving:

• Affective empathy — feeling concern for marine life and ecosystems

• Cognitive empathy — understanding how human behavior impacts the environment

• Associative empathy — shared emotional experiences that create solidarity among divers

The buddy system — the rule of never diving alone — reinforced trust, interdependence, and collective responsibility. Divers learned that safety, awareness, and care are shared practices.

In this way, empathy extended beyond human relationships. It expanded to include coral reefs, marine species, and the fragile balance of the underwater world.

The ocean was no longer “out there.”

It was part of who they were becoming.

🌺 Sustainability, Rooted in Local Wisdom

During one creative reflection session, a participant connected scuba diving to Tri Hita Karana — the Balinese philosophy of harmony between people, nature, and the divine.

Suddenly, sustainability was no longer an imported concept.

It was cultural.

It was local.

It was lived.

Scuba diving became a practice of balance:

Trust between dive buddies reflects harmony among people.

Respect for coral reefs reflects harmony with nature.

Humility in the vastness of the ocean reflects harmony with something greater than ourselves.

Sustainability, in this context, is not only about protecting resources.It is about nurturing relationships.

🔄 Action and Reflection: The Rhythm of a Dive

Every dive follows a simple rhythm:

Briefing.

Dive.

Debrief.

Plan.

Act.

Reflect.

The research process mirrored this same cycle.

Young people were not treated as subjects receiving information. They were co-researchers, actively shaping questions, sharing experiences, and co-creating meaning.

Through creative dialogue, reflection exercises, and collective discussion, they moved from “I” and “you” toward “us.”

Learning became collaborative.

Knowledge became relational.

And sustainability became something they defined together.

🌍 Why This Matters for Nusa Penida

Nusa Penida’s economy depends heavily on marine tourism. Yet only a small number of dive professionals on the island are local.

Many young people grow up beside the ocean without being included in conversations about its future.

This study shows what becomes possible when youth are:

Trusted.

Respected.

Invited into dialogue.

Given space to act.

They grow not only as divers —but as environmental leaders.

They begin to see themselves as embedded members of an interconnected ecological community.

Not visitors.

Not outsiders.

But guardians.

🌊 Beneath the Surface Is Where Change Begins

Sustainability cannot rely only on awareness campaigns.

It requires connection.

When young people immerse themselves — physically, emotionally, culturally — protection becomes personal.

At Terra Segara, we believe conservation must be locally rooted, youth-led, and grounded in lived experience.

This research affirms what we witness every day: when young people are trusted with responsibility and invited into meaningful dialogue, they rise — not only as divers, but as stewards of their island.

The ocean raised this generation.

Now they are rising to protect it.

📖 Read the Full Research Publication

This blog is inspired by the peer-reviewed journal article:

Resolute, P. (2025). Immerse beneath the surface: A cooperative inquiry of young scuba divers’ embodiment and empathy for sustainability in Nusa Penida, Indonesia. Educational Action Research.

You can access the full publication here:https://www.tandfonline.com/doi/full/10.1080/09650792.2025.2541357

✨ About the Author

Prisilia Resolute – Author & Co-Founder

Prisilia Resolute, the author of the paper and co-founder of Terra Segara Indonesia.

Prisilia Resolute is the author of this research and the Co-Founder of Terra Segara Indonesia. A PADI Staff Instructor and SSI Assistant Instructor Trainer, she is also the visionary behind Penidacology. With a background in development practice, she designs educational programs that connect environmental awareness with expanded career opportunities for local young people. Through her work, she bridges academic research and hands-on marine education, ensuring that youth empowerment and ocean conservation move forward together.