If you’re reading this, you’ve found my headline intriguing enough to click and take a peek. My name is James Barrett and I’m a travel journalist. My work has taken me on adventures I couldn’t imagine—from scuba diving off a private island in Fiji to exploring penguin colonies in Antarctica, to staying at a grizzly bear camp in Alaska, and camping in a 1987 Vanagon in Olympic National Park—and that’s just scratching the surface.

Though I’ve traveled extensively as a journalist since 2019, I had a late start as a globetrotter. Growing up in New Jersey, my exposure to travel was limited. My family drove to Hershey Park every summer, but by the time I left for college, I had flown on an airplane less than a dozen times. I didn’t have a stamp on my passport until I was 27 years old when I traveled to London for work. Prior to that, travel and adventure were just fantasies that lived on my desktop background, social media feeds and in the books I read.

A Change of Plans—Thanks to Grandma

Becoming a journalist certainly wasn’t in my five-year plan either. I was working as an art director at a New York City advertising agency when I was first inspired to write. In 2015, I began writing about my grandmother and her battle with Alzheimer’s. I was inspired to share my own experience, which contrasted with the thoughtless jokes about having Alzheimer’s I so often heard. I wanted to give her a voice when people thought she lost hers, so I spent two months writing a single article to submit to HuffPost. Sitting alone in my room, rereading each word aloud until it felt right. To my surprise, they published my story, and from there my career quickly snowballed into all topics of travel and lifestyle.

Writing that first article changed my life in ways I couldn’t fathom. By taking the chance and working for myself for the last five years, I somehow managed to pull off a total career change. I truly owe my writing career to my grandmother and our story on Alzheimer’s, and I’d like to think that every adventure has been because of her. I lost my grandmother in 2019 yet she continues to inspire me. Since that first story, I’ve written more than 200 articles for nearly 30 different publications. She always encouraged me to embrace the unknown, and I try to carry her message with me, especially now.

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My Introduction to Scuba Diving

After losing my grandmother, I started saying yes to opportunities that scared me. This brings me to the next chapter of my life—one I never expected to write. Was I afraid? Of course, I left a job that I thought I’d spend many years at and changed my career. But finally, I was living life unplanned and fully leaning into the unknown—and it was exhilarating. One of those opportunities came in the form of a giant air tank, fins, a mask and a regulator.

The opportunity to learn to dive came in April 2022 in Bonaire. Honestly, the thought of scuba diving terrified me, but through my travel work, I have become more open to environments that once frightened me. Bonaire quickly became one of my all-time favorite places to visit. It’s a Dutch Caribbean island that’s known for its surreal shore diving and it has more flamingoes than people! It was the perfect place to begin my underwater journey.

A year later, I traveled to Kokomo Private Island in Fiji for my PADI Advanced Open Water Certification. Two months prior, I ran out of air 70 feet below the surface diving in St. Barth. I’ll never forget that moment—the panic rising, my mind racing as I quickly signaled my buddy for help. We surfaced safely, with my dive buddy’s secondary regulator, but it shook me to the core. I’m glad I overcame this misfortunate dive and found my way back to the ocean.

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A Whole New World

In just over two years, I've been diving in nine countries: the United States (Hawaii, Florida and California), Bonaire, St. Lucia, Saudi Arabia, Fiji, St. Barth, Mexico, Galapagos and the Bahamas. I also traveled to Bora Bora for some mermaiding fun, which will be an article for another time …

I’ve currently clocked in about 30 dives. It’s peaceful and exhilarating all at once to explore below the surface. I’ve met dive pros and fellow travelers who have thousands under their belt and continue to inspire me.

I may still be a newbie, but I’m not scared anymore. In fact, I’m unofficially and proudly the captain of the Underwater Newbie Club (no, not a real club, but check out PADI Club.) Are you ready to come along for the ride? Here’s to many more laps in the deep, blue, mesmerizing waters!

Are you a new diver? What do you want to learn? What scares you? What gets you excited about exploring below the surface? Email James at hey@jimmyrox.com and follow him at Jimmy Rox.