Jan 05, 2020 - National Geographic Orion
Most expedition days are full of surprises. That’s the beauty of an expedition. Particularly when it comes to wildlife, one can never expect anything. Today’s wildlife experience was nothing short of spectacular and has certainly changed everyone’s idea of whale-watching forever. Today was a day that I feel lucky to say that I will never forget.
Maya was born and raised in Southern California, where her curiosity for the natural world was encouraged from an early age. Relocating to Sydney, Australia with her family at 11 years old, she learned to scuba dive, eventually becoming a PADI Instructor. Her fascination for the underwater world undoubtedly fueled her interest to study marine biology at James Cook University. Working as a professional guide in some of the world’s top dive destinations, including Palau and Mexico’s Guadalupe Island and Revillagigedo Archipelago, Maya realized a passion for sharing her love for the ocean with others, and the value of citizen science in the dive industry.