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WINTER 2016
T
he United States is home to
extraordinary dive experiences.
From reefs to caves, there are rich
underwater adventures to be had
all across America.
As a Texan I felt compelled
to share our local underwater
treasures when I flew over the Deepwater Horizon oil
spill and saw the Gulf of Mexico burning in 2010. I felt an
obligation to use my talent as a designer and underwater
photographer to inspire others to learn about, care for
and protect our natural places. So in 2011 I set out on a
quest and became the
first woman to dive all
50 states.
LOGISTICS OF A
CROSS-COUNTRY
EXPEDITION
Embarking on an
adventure across 3.8
million square miles took
a great deal of time and
resources. I personally
funded the project while
working a full-time job
as a senior graphic designer. This meant I was short
on both money and time at the outset. Breaking the
large goal into smaller achievements helped me to
successfully complete the mission.
I carefully planned my travel time by dividing my
vacation days among 10 states per year. This allowed
me to plan a five-year odyssey that included several
trips each year over long weekends. By the end I had
driven more than 72,000 miles and taken 80 flights.
Fellow Texan Ben Castro joined me for the first 27
states of this adventure. We both learned a lot about
cold weather and long drives. The schedule I created
meant driving as many as 16 hours per day, often for
several days in a row, and typically returning to work
the day after travel.
To make trips more affordable, we camped in state
parks when possible. Since equipment for freezing
temperatures was hard to come by in Texas, I ordered
cold-weather clothing, a tent and a sleeping bag online
(thank you, Internet reviewers!). Having the right tools
is important for safe diving and camping.
I kept my project quiet until 2015 so I could create
unbiased imagery and have an authentic experience. By
self-funding, I could decide what story needed to be told.
I successfully completed my expedition because I am
passionate about sharing
our underwater world.
The journey led me on
419 dives with 73 buddies,
who through their support
and expertise contributed
to my success.
NEW PLACES
I started my adventure
with 15 years of
dive experience, 22
certifications and
a background as a
photographer, so I already had begun to take people
— through my imagery — to places they might never
visit. But I was not (and am still not) an expert in every
type of diving. I believe in diving within my training,
so when I found myself wanting to reach new places, I
trained more.
To showcase as many different environments as
possible, I completed four more certifications during
the journey. These enabled me to go deeper, enter small
places, go farther and dive under ice.
Trimix training for depths up to 220 feet helped me
reach the decks of the USS
Oriskany
and enter deep cave
systems. Sidemount training not only helped me squeeze
Text and photos by Jennifer Idol
MY JOURNEY TO
DIVE ALL 50 STATES
AARON BATES