I was in the open ocean with a group of freedivers, kilometres away from the coast. I looked down and could only see endless blue beneath me. I took a deep breath and dove down to immerse myself fully into the ocean. While the surface was wavy and rough, the ocean was calm and beautiful as soon as I slipped under. It was surreal.

All of a sudden, a group of manta rays appeared. I dove down, trying to be as quiet as possible to not to frighten them and soon I was surrounded. I dove between them and observed them for a while. Their elegant wings made them look like they were flying. The exact feeling that I felt in this special moment is hard to describe.

Little did I know that it would become even better when a whale shark cruised by. It had such calm nature when it passed us. I was able to approach it closely to film it but I ended up forgetting about filming entirely when I looked into its soft little eyes. I felt like being in a different world. Time and space became one and I become one with the present moment and the ocean. It was magic.