Outdoor Diva Leah Harmon
My diva's outdoor history is rooted in her childhood: skiing, riding horses, and white-water rafting from her backdoor in Colorado. Seeking new adventures, Leah joined the Coast Guard and set sail across the North Atlantic on the 3-masted ship USCGC Eagle when she was just 18. Now she also excels at activities such as surfing, kayaking, free-diving, sailing, and triathlon. Despite her land-locked upbringing, her intrigue of the world’s oceans led to a degree in Marine Biology and a commission in the NOAA Corps. In service to the country and global marine-conservation issues, she's spent years at-sea as a commercial fishing vessel Observer and as Navigation Officer of a research vessel. How many Outdoor Divas do you know that can drive a 200 ft ship or derive nautical routes across the ocean? With over 600 SCUBA dives to her credit, she's also clocked considerable time beneath the water. In her current assignment, she conducts Reef-Fish Census and Habitat Assessment dives throughout the Florida Keys and Caribbean, contributing to our understanding of these fragile marine environments. Additionally, she serves her community as a Dive Medical Technician and instructor of CPR and First Aid. She is an accomplished world-traveler, having visited 48 states, 10 countries, and some of the most remote islands. Central to her travels, she strives to share her compassion for marine ecosystems so that others may be inspired to explore and protect them.
Her favorite gear is her trusty Mountain Hardwear sleeping bag, which kept her toasty during 3 months trekking around New Zealand. She owns no furniture, only a sailboat that doubles as home, 4 bikes, and lots of outdoor toys/gear. Embodying a passion for all facets of Mother Nature, this Mountain-Diva-Jack-Cousteau lives to scan distant horizons where mountains meet the sea.
Nominated by Gus Coll
