As the water closes in over Susan Mtakai‘s head, she can’t help thinking about how the depths she’s about to descend to are so very alien to the life she was once used to. Born in the highlands of Taita, a county inland from the coast, her early experiences were of a landscape of hills and verdant forest. Growing up far from the sea was hardly what one would expect of someone who was to become a professional diver.
Yet, in the deep waters of the Indian Ocean, Susan Mtakai is a calm and considerate team leader. Donning a well-worn dive suit that bears traces of countless missions, her eyes show focus and confidence; the underwater world is now a familiar space for the rescue diver.
