They Dove Into Love in Mozambique

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The couple in their current home of Costa Rica. (Photo: Donna Rogers)

Who: Donna Rogers and Clive Sherer

Where: Mozambique

When: 2004

Relationship status: Married

(As told to Brittany Jones-Cooper)

Since I was a young girl, the ocean has intrigued me. I grew up in the landlocked country of Zimbabwe, so I fondly remember the first time I saw the ocean and how it made me feel. As I grew up, my career would lead me to the sea, and to a man who shared my similar passions.

I moved to Mozambique in 2004 to get my dive masters, and that’s when I met Clive. I was hanging out at bar where a lot of divers congregated, and my friend Dennis introduced us. From the instant we met, there were sparks.

Clive, who is from South Africa, and I immediately bonded over our shared interest in diving and adventure sports. We had both just come out of long-term relationships, so I was nervous to start something new. As we sat around a large beach bonfire that night, Clive leaned in for a kiss, but I leaned back because I was nervous about jumping into another relationship.

Clive and Donna with friends on the beach in 2005. (Photo: Donna Rogers)

So instead of making him my boyfriend right away, we became the best of friends. From that night on we were almost inseparable, hanging out regularly and essentially embarking on an old-school courtship.

Everyone around us could see that Clive and I were meant to be together, but we had put each other in the friend zone, so neither of us was giving the other person anything to work with.

Related: I Found Love on My Second Day in Holland

Still, before anything happened, I remember telling my mom that he was the kind of guy that I could marry. Clive has such a gentle nature — he is always the most calm guy in the room. Everyone who meets him, loves him — and he’s also easy on the eyes (smile).

About two months later, everything changed. One evening we met up at a beach party, and the flirtation had gone to another level. There was no denying the chemistry between us, and as we were standing on the beach, we looked at each other and shared our first kiss.

The couple sailing in the eastern Caribbean. (Photo: Donna Rogers)

For the next five months we dated and grew closer everyday. Then I had to go to Zimbabwe to do some photography for a friend. At the same time, Clive started a new job in Mozambique. The six months we spent apart was tough, and it was frustrating to be apart. Then to my surprise, the dive school Clive worked at needed a new instructor and he was able to bring me on board.

We lived and worked together in Mozambique for two years, which was absolutely beautiful. Then he got a job in the Seychelles, and we had to spend another six months apart. Like in Mozambique, a spot opened up, so I joined him and we worked together at the North Island Resort for 18 months.

Up next we moved to South Africa to work at the Thonga Beach Lodge Beach. On New Years Eve of 2009, we headed out on the dive boat and one of my customers was crying. I thought she was a nervous diver, so I tried to comfort her. In reality, as I would later find out, she was emotional because Clive had told everyone that he was going to propose to me during the dive and they had to play along.

Once we were under the water, Clive knelt on the sea bed, and held up a series of signs that said “Will you marry me.” I was 100% surprised, and I of course said yes!

On their wedding day in May 2010. (Photo: Donna Rogers)

We did not waste any time arranging our wedding, and on May 15, 2010 we said our vows in front of 90 friends and family on Blithdale Beach in South Africa. After fives years together, it felt amazing to marry the man of my dreams.

We are currently living in Costa Rica, managing a surf school at Tropic Surf at the Four Seasons. We’ve been here since 2011, and things are going along smoothly.

Loving and working in Costa Rica. (Photo: Donna Rogers)

People always ask us how we survive living and working together, but honestly, it’s not an issue for us. We both feel lucky that we’ve found a partner who shares our interest and thirst for adventure.

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I never imagined that I could have the life that I have, but when I met Clive, everything just happened naturally. We’ve seen the world together, and have shared so many amazing memories and adventures.

One day we want to have some dogs, and eventually settle down. We have some land around Mozambique where we met, and we would love to one day move there and open up a dive school.

But in the meantime, the company we currently work for has 15 bases all over the world, so we are open to potentially moving somewhere new.

We plan to stay movers and shakers, bringing the party wherever we go, and diving around the world together.

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