From the Desert to the Reef, Finding my Home - My Journey to becoming Kyalami's Resident Underwater Photographer

Greetings, my name is Grace Pempek and I am a scuba addict.  Well, if this blog post was written by my husband, I am sure he would begin that way. 

In my happy place.

But seriously, I am a lover of all things underwater and I find scuba diving to be the most relaxing thing on the planet. The intimate connection with nature, the silence, the lack of media and what feels like a constant bombardment of digital distractions in the surface world, the fact that diving requires constant presence of mind and your full attention - for obvious reasons - all these facts and so many more is why I chose to spend almost all my free time (the most valuable resource) under the water. Let me tell you how I got there. . .  

I have been fortunate to be able to explore and share the beauty of our local reef system through my photos for the past 4 years.  But I haven’t always lived in this tropical paradise . . . in fact, I grew up far from it. I am originally from Joshua Tree, CA - pretty much the exact opposite of where I spend my time now. 

Visiting home. Hiking in Joshua Tree National Park.

Growing up in the Mojave desert was just as you may imagine it - hot, dry, with lots of dirt. Moving to Florida almost 10 years ago opened up new realms of possibility for me, a tropical paradise with a warm, inviting ocean. I began snorkeling along the shallow reefs in places like the Keys where I could passively observe a buzzing world on top of the reefs beneath me. But I wanted more - I wanted to be down there, I wanted to get a better look, I wanted to be, well - part of their world (cue in the Little Mermaid). 

A couple years later, I became scuba certified and fell immediately and hopelessly in love. As much as I cherished the thrill of being underwater I am not going to lie, I was terrified at first. It is not something that necessarily came easy or naturally to me. I am, after all, a desert girl by birth. The thought of breathing underwater and everything that could imaginably go wrong - like possibly being eaten by a shark - induced quite a bit of anxiety in me. But more on that topic later. Ultimately I was curious enough to push past these initial fears to get my certification. 

Can you pick me out of this open water class? I don’t think you ever forget your first instructor.

After becoming certified I would dive here and there, sporadically and when I was given the opportunity. As much as I loved it I didn’t have consistent buddies, I was a new mom working an all-consuming full-time job and life just kept getting in the way. It wasn’t until moving to Jupiter 4 years ago that I became fully committed to fine tuning my dive skills, and eventually picking up a camera. I stopped using the excuse of having no buddy and not having the time - I decided to find the time, and finally made it a priority in my life. 

Fast forward to present day and I dive our beautiful reefs consistently, as conditions allow - at least 2-3 times per week. I still have the high profile, demanding corporate job and I am blessed to have the sweetest 8 year old son. My life is as full and as hectic as ever but I have made the conscious decision to make diving a priority because it is truly where I find my peace. And that to me is invaluable. 

Where I find my peace.

By consistently being in the water and fine tuning my dive skills - advancing all the way to become a PADI divemaster in 2022 - my experience and training has allowed me to layer on the additional task of confidently using a camera underwater. I feel so fortunate to have built up a portfolio of images that showcase the immense beauty of our underwater environment here in south Florida. 

Last year I made the transition from customer to crew with the Kyalami Family and am so grateful I am on staff with them as their resident underwater photographer. They have given me so many opportunities to share my work with a broader audience. I provide them with content for social platforms, I do private photo guides on the boats in both Jupiter and Palm Beach (Kyalami and Kyalami Too, respectively) and offer personalized photo sessions at the world-famous shore dive site Blue Heron Bridge. 

At the bow of Kyalami in Jupiter, FL, my home away from home.

Working for Kyalami has turned my pastime into a profession that I find more fulfilling than you can ever imagine. I am starting this blog to share some of my adventures from the boat, some behind-the-scenes stories of my photos, and to generally connect with more ocean-minded people with a passion for protecting what we love. The word “Kyalami” means “my home,” translated from Zulu, one of South Africa’s official languages. I can’t think of any more fitting name for this company that I’ve become a part of - my Kyalami Family. Each time I giant stride into the water from one of their boats, I truly feel the peace of being at home. 

Thank you for taking the time to read - I can’t wait to see where this journey takes us. From my home to yours . . .Hope to see out with Kyalami soon. 

Safe Diving, 

-Grace

@grace_underwater