They were blue, green, purple, pink – changing and glimmering in all the colours of the rainbow. Some with shiny patterns as if a creative child had let the fantasy and the coloured chalk flow free. Some were shy, others came close and the feeling that we were the ones being watched, and not the other way around occurred several times – who were looking more at whom?

Jellyfish were floating around mindlessly with their long burning tails hanging behind. Under us more neutral-looking and well camouflaged fish were hugging the large rocks hoping that prey would come by and realise the danger too late. A fish swam by and suddenly a long white tongue was pointing at me – odd!

Glowing spider-like crabs, picturesque starfish, massive pointy sea urchins and tiny little fish that glinted like diamonds or stars on the night sky, that at even the smallest threat elegantly, swiftly and with synchronised precision fled as a shoal. Suddenly, out of nowhere, a barracuda swims close by us and disappears back into the mysterious waters.

The dive instructor asks with hand signals if I'm okay – and yeah, I am okay. I am more than okay – I am almost euphoric, because I have stepped over a line I didn't think I would be able to cross. I have taken another step that seemed impossible and larger than I ever thought possible for me to take. The view has grown and the horizon expanded. Dream it and then do it!

I am thankful and happy for every day until now that I have had on board this yacht with the amazing people I am so lucky to be to sailing with. The diving experience on Madeira is yet another experience that we can add to the list of things that we can look back on in the future with joy and hopefully talk about after we have come home.