Many children are afraid of the sea.

Not because they don’t love nature. Not because they aren’t curious. But because the sea is vast, deep, and unknown. The idea of wearing a mask, seeing seaweed moving below them, or imagining creatures in the water can feel overwhelming, especially on holiday in a place like Ibiza, where the Mediterranean appears endless and powerful.

On one of our Family Boat Trips in Ibiza, I met a little girl who was completely petrified of going into the water.

Not just nervous. Petrified.

She was afraid of the depth. Afraid of not seeing what was below her. Afraid of the seaweed brushing against her legs. Afraid of creatures she imagined might attack her.

When we slipped gently into the water, I felt her tiny hands gripping my shoulder. Her nails pressed into my skin with real fear. She didn’t trust the sea. She didn’t trust what she couldn’t control.

So we didn’t rush. We stayed close to the boat. We moved slowly.

Little by little, the Mediterranean began to reveal itself. Silver fish glided past us. Seaweed swayed softly with the current. Sunlight filtered through the blue water in calm, dancing patterns.

We swam small laps around the boat. Then slightly wider ones.

Gradually, the grip on my shoulder began to loosen.

Her breathing softened. The panic faded. Underwater, there was only silence: that peaceful, suspended kind of silence that happens when fear starts to dissolve.

And then, quite casually, as if we were standing on land talking about nothing in particular, she said:

“Do you know I’m the only one in my family who didn’t get any mosquito bites this holiday?”

I looked at her, surprised. She smiled. Calm now, almost proud.

When I lifted my head toward the boat, her mother was watching us. She was smiling too. But I saw a small tear running down her cheek.

In that moment, it wasn’t about snorkeling. It wasn’t about fish or seaweed or depth. It was about something much bigger. It was about confidence.

It was about a child discovering that the sea was not something to fear, but something to understand.

At Meet the Sea, we believe that helping children overcome their fear of the sea is not about pushing them into the water. It’s about patience. It’s about trust. It’s about moving at their rhythm.

Because when a child learns to feel safe in the sea, something shifts. Not just in the water, but inside them.

And sometimes, that quiet moment of courage becomes the most important memory of the entire holiday in Ibiza.