Cocos Island, more than 500 kilometers off the coast of Costa Rica, had always been at the very top of my dream destinations. Thanks to the Rolex Scholarship, I had the once-in-a-lifetime opportunity to spend a full month living on the island with the Costa Rican park rangers. Cocos is one of the wildest and most remote places I’ve ever been: raw, beautiful, and alive with marine life.

I joined daily patrols with the rangers to monitor incoming dive boats and confront illegal fishing operations within the protected waters. These patrols showed me firsthand how underfunded and overstretched enforcement can be, even in a national park. Despite their passion and dedication, the rangers often lacked the resources to effectively protect the island’s waters from poachers.

I also worked on data collection for the sustainable tourism program, learning valuable methods to assess and manage human impact on marine environments. It was a lesson in the complexity of conservation: how science, community engagement, and enforcement all have to work together.

During my stay, I was invited to dive on the Argo vessel from Undersea Hunter liveaboards, and the experience was nothing short of epic. Immersed in strong currents and deep blue water, I witnessed massive schools of hammerheads, elegant manta rays, yellowfin tuna, dolphins, and awe-inspiring tiger sharks, truly unforgettable encounters that made every dive an adrenaline-filled dream.

On board the Argo, I had the honor of meeting Randall Arauz, a legendary Costa Rican conservationist and the founder of PRETOMA. We spent hours discussing conservation policy, and I helped deploy acoustic receivers to track shark movements around the island. Randall's perspective, that laws without proper enforcement are meaningless, really stayed with me.

My month in Cocos was a powerful reminder that protecting the ocean is not just about passion, but about collaboration, education, and providing sustainable alternatives to those who rely on fishing for their livelihoods. I will always be grateful to the rangers who welcomed me, to the team at Undersea Hunter, and to Randall for sharing his work and wisdom. I fell deeply in love with Cocos Island, and I hope to return one day to continue supporting the people and sharks that make it so special.