Help Young Marine Biologist Replace her Underwater Camera

Hi!


My name is Agathe, and I’m a 22-year-old marine biology master’s student with a deep passion for the ocean and underwater photography. I share this passion on my Instagram account @scubawithaggie, where I post photos from my dives around the world.

But today, I need your help.

What happened?

On Saturday, May 3rd, I lost my underwater camera (worth €800) during a dive at Porto Mari in Curaçao, where I’m currently doing my internship in coral restoration with the NGO BRANCH Coral Foundation.

I’ve spent the past week doing everything possible to recover it: posting in Facebook and WhatsApp groups, putting up signs on the beach, and spreading the word among the local diving community. The response has been incredible—but sadly, despite everyone’s help, the camera hasn’t been found.

Why it matters

This camera wasn’t just a personal item with memories of my dives from the past 3 years—it was an essential work tool. It contained valuable research data I collected for my master’s thesis, and I was using it daily to document the health and growth of coral fragments in the coral nursery I’m helping manage.

It was also the lens through which I shared the beauty of the underwater world with friends, family, and a growing audience on instagram. Losing it is not only a setback for my studies, but a major personal and professional loss.

Why I need your help

To continue my internship and complete my project—which ends in late June—I urgently need to replace the camera.

I am therefore appealing to your generosity to help me raise the funds needed to buy an identical camera, an Olympus with a waterproof casing worth +/- 800€.

I’m raising funds to buy the exact same setup:

* Olympus TG-7 camera – €485

* Underwater housing – €319

* Total – €804 (plus shipping to Curaçao)

As a student self-funding my internship, I simply can’t afford this cost alone. I can contribute about €200 from my savings, but I need help covering the remaining amount.

A bit more about me...

I fell in love with diving and marine life in 2019 and have completed over 130 dives since then. For my 20th birthday, my family gifted me my first underwater camera, and I’ve been capturing and sharing the magic of the ocean ever since through my instagram account (@scubawithaggie).

I’m currently pursuing a Master’s degree in Ocean Sciences, Conservation, and Innovation at Université Côte d’Azur. My internship project with BRANCH Coral Foundation focuses on restoring the endangered Brain Coral (Diploria labyrinthiformis). Part of my role is to photograph coral fragments weekly to monitor their health and growth—and without a camera, I can’t do this crucial work.

How you can help

I’m reaching out to ask for your support—every contribution counts, no matter how small. If you're not able to donate, even just sharing this page would help tremendously.

If you can contribute anything at all, whether just a few € or even just sharing my fundraising page, that would be greatly appreciated.

What I can offer in return

As a thank you, I’d love to give back in any way I can:

* A personalized thank-you message

* A copy of my (saved) underwater pictures ️

* Your name included in the acknowledgements of my final scientific report

* Help with scientific outreach, blog posts, or social media assets for your organization (I have experience in outreach with kids, social media management, etc)

* Presentations or talks about marine conservation and my experience in the field

If you’ve read this far—thank you so much. Your support means the world to me, and to the future of the ocean I’m working so hard to protect.

With gratitude and hope,


Agathe (aka Aggie) 
@scubawithaggie