Charli Petersen, 2021 graduate of West High School, found her freedom beneath the cool ocean waves on the island of Bonaire. There, she spends her days under the Caribbean sea, guiding tourists through iconic dive sites as a PADI Scuba Diving Instructor. According to Petersen, “Underwater, everyone feels equal; it makes you feel free.”
Petersen first ignited her passion for diving nine years ago. Right here in the Cedar Valley, she found her diving community alongside PADI Instructor, Jenn Burns Knox, of Iowa Scuba & Swim. “She was always eager to learn and gain dive experience,” said Burns Knox. “I’m so honored to be her friend and mentor, and am incredibly proud of the woman and scuba instructor she is today.”
After taking courses at the Waterloo Career Center, Petersen said she learned how to take learning into her own hands, enjoying paths that allowed her to choose an education at her own pace. Thankfully, PADI programs operate much in the same fashion, allowing student divers to tackle the different levels of diving courses in their own time. Every PADI certified scuba diver starts with their Open Water certification which allows students to do classwork both online and in-person. After completing this initial certification, divers can continue growing their skill sets, completing Advanced Open Water, Rescue Diver, Master Diver, and Instructor certifications.
After earning her Open Water certification, Petersen traveled to Utilas, Honduras, where she completed her Instructor certification. Now working as a licensed PADI Instructor in Bonaire, she says she loves working in the industry as a professional. “You do this job for all the incredible people; you meet folks from all over the world.” 2022 marks her first anniversary as a scuba diving instructor, and she says she’s thankful for the past 365 days, and her 100 plus students.
Whether she’s prepping the boat for a morning dive, guiding divers through the coastal reefs, or helping customers at the dive shop, Petersen enjoys the daily exploration in her new home of Bonaire. Thankfully, she still sports her WCC tumbler with her, each step of the way.
