The INSPIRATIONS behind She Down There

 

I started writing SHE DOWN THERE in the early 1990's while working as a marine biologist in British Columbia, Canada. After going out to SGaan Kinghlas (Bowie Seamount) as a fisheries observer, spending time on and under the waters of Haida Gwaai and other parts of the west coast, I became fascinated with Canadian First Nations culture and mythology, and I wanted to weave all of this into a story about being in love with the ocean. But the inspirations for the book also come from earlier experiences: my frequent childhood visits to my relative's farm in the Karoo; my time in the South African Navy as a reluctant conscript in the 1980s; my wonderful times in Tofo, Mozambique; and my underwater experiences as a master diver, photographer, researcher and writer - in many parts of the world. A lot of research went into the writing of SHE DOWN THERE and these knowledge journeys and people (source) stories - many of which were quite magical for me - are also shared on this page.

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SPOILER ALERT - If you haven't read SHE DOWN THERE yet perhaps come back to this page when you have. Enjoy!