24/05/2026
I had psyched myself up so much after watching loads of TikToks last night on mask removal and refresher dive tests, but honestly, nothing could have prepared me for the feeling of being back in the ocean and facing that fear again for real.
I had to override the panic and trust my mind, trust my body, give myself the chance to rewrite a new history, one where I remember that I am safe.
The reality is, itās extraordinarily rare for a mask to come off during a dive, but if it ever did, I now know I could calmly remove it and return it comfortably. It might feel uncomfortable, but itās not dangerous as long as youāve got your regulator in. And even if your regulator comes out, thereās an easy way to recover it, plus youāve always got your secondary there too.
I felt extraordinarily emotional at different points during the dive because I remembered just how much I love being in the water. Seeing an octopus, beautiful little fish happily sharing this world with us⦠it honestly touched my heart.
So now, a very emotional Daniela Mallozzi is signing out after facing a fear that lived in my nervous system for years.
Iām excited to dive again.
Iām deeply grateful.
And Iām really proud that I didnāt listen to the part of my brain telling me to get out.
Instead, I trusted my instincts.
I trusted my body.
And because of that, I got to experience something truly beautifulā¦. āUnder-da-seaā