Breathing Underwater at 62: My Caribbean Snorkel Adventure

I stood on the dive platform of the Seven Seas Splendor, dangling my feet over the turquoise water, and seriously questioned every decision that had led me to this moment. My husband Mike nudged my shoulder playfully. "You're not chickening out now, are you?" he asked, already adjusted to his mask like he'd been born in it. I wasn't chickening out—I was legitimately terrified. At sixty-two years old, I'd never snorkeled before. Never even tried. I'd spent forty years finding reasons: too cold, too expensive, bad knees, didn't know how, afraid of fish. The excuses came easily. But when our travel agent mentioned that Regent Seven Seas offered complimentary snorkel lessons during Caribbean itineraries, something clicked. This wasn't a "someday" moment anymore. This was happening. The Seven Seas Splendor is the kind of ship that makes you feel like you're traveling in someone's private mansion instead of a cruise ship. With only 750 guests, there's an intimacy that bigger ships can't match. As I'd wandered the ship that morning, admiring the all-suite accommodations and the way even the casual dining felt upscale, I'd told myself: if you're going to learn something new at your age, d…