Sabine Kerkau

An Interview with Sabine Kerkau

Tell us about yourself?

Hi! I am Sabine Kerkau and I have been diving since 1985 and have been an instructor since 1996. Soon after my training, I realized that I was very interested in exploring and discovering the oceans. That is why I started my training as a techincal diver in 2001. I have taken part in many wreck and cave expeditions worldwide ever since. Among my most spectacular projects were the exploration of the wreck of the HMS Victoria in the Lebanon and of the HMHS Britannic (sistership of the Titanic), as well as participating in the Mine Quest II Project in Newfoundland. In collaboration with universities and museums, my team and I have found, documented and identified uncountable shipwrecks worldwide. Protecting the ocean and its hidden stories is very important to me. I am Co-Founder of the Baltic Sea Heritage Rescue Project, Member of the Women Divers Hall Of Fame, Class 2019, New York and active member of „pharmacists without borders

What got you started in diving?

Water has always been “my” element. I am happy and feel free whenever I am on or under water. My passion for diving has changed my whole life and has had a great impact on all areas of my life in the past 35 years. I am very grateful that I have had the luck to discover diving as a sport for myself.

How has diving changed your life?

Diving has taught me the calm and strength to master any situation and has helped me to improve my self-esteem and to gain confidence. Thanks to diving I have been able to meet many people, discover new cultures and to experience great adventures. My diving career has started in the Maldives and I quickly discovered that being a recreational diver who enjoys warm waters and watching colourful fish was no longer enough. I absolved my training as a professional diving instructor and was fascinated by all the interesting things I learned.

What kind of diving do you like to do?

My favorite subject at school was history and I loved reading adventure novels. These interests might have been the reason why I was so fascinated by wreck diving. Since I really wanted to explore pristine shipwrecks, the next logical step was to get certified as a trimix diver. The first wreck I was able to explore diving Trimix 20 years ago was the Albania in Croatia. I still remember every single detail of this dive today. It was the first time I had seen a wreck that almost looked the same as it had when it had sunk. That was the moment I realised which direction I was going to take in my diving career. It was my goal to take part in expeditions to historically important and pristine wrecks in order to document them, discover their fates and to tell their stories. The protection from lootings and destruction of these “witnesses of gloom” has become a matter of great importance to me as well. It took a lot of time, patience and luck to achieve that objective. The past 20 years were indescribable. I still have not reached my goal and am curious about what else is going to happen in the future. That is exactly what I find so fascinating about diving.

If you had to pick one of your most amazing experiences underwater, what would it be?

If you have been diving for 35 years and have seen pretty much everything in between of the Arctic and Antarctica, this is not an easy question to answer. I consider every single dive to be special in its own way. The weightlessness, the calm and the certainty that you never know what is going to happen is what makes every dive a unique experience.

Of your list of accomplishments in your diving career, what are you most proud of?

I am proud of being able to contribute to the protection of the oceans together with my team and our engagement to our projects.

What are some of your favorite places underwater?

Any place that nobody has discovered before me.

What is your advice for someone considering diving?

Try it! Diving is a fascinating and unbelievably versatile sport. It is an adventure but also very relaxing. You can interact with fantastic animals and spend time in an environment that was actually not meant to inhabit human beings.

Why do you think we should encourage more people to dive?

70% of earth is covered by water. Most people only know the surface and do not appreciate what lies underneath. Everybody should get the chance to experience the beauty and versatility of living beings they miss out on when they only spend their time on the surface.

What would you tell people about the oceans?

We all want to protect the things we love and our seas and oceans are in great need of protection. I would also tell them about the feeling of freedom, weightlessness and calm that could nowadays replace some therapy in our hectic lives.

What is your favorite thing in your dive bag?

My Scubapro G260 regulators. They allow me to breath underwater and help me spend time in the underwater world I love.

Why is SCUBAPRO your choice for dive equipment?

I have been trusting the quality of SCUBAPRO regulators for 35 years. They have never let me down, no matter whether I have been diving in the Arctic or Antarctic or have spent hours of time diving in caves at a depth of 150 meters. I use a lot of SCBBAPRO equipment because I appreciate their quality and I like their design.

What does diving mean to you?

Diving is an important part of my life which I do not want to miss out on and for which I would do almost anything. I love diving and the sea.

Follow Sabine on Instagram: @sabinekerkau