During the ongoing COVID-19 pandemic, providing care has involved interventions, such as ventilators and vaccines. Narratives are also central to care. Especially in contexts where physiological and pharmaceutical interventions are less effective, Frank (2007) argues that care can be about “helping people find their stories.” We find comfort in telling stories and in hearing them. In the context of illness, narratives and metaphors help us to turn the object of our fear, such as a new disease or variant, into something more familiar. Through storytelling, we recognize ourselves in another’s tale, allowing us to find meaning in our own suffering.

This paper offers an artistic sequel to an article on health professionals early experiences of COVID-19 (Olson et al., 2021). Invoking visual engagement with often used water metaphors, it tells the narratives of health professionals and COVID-19 in Australia, Brazil and New Zealand. The paper begins with COVID-19’s genesis, then continues on through reckoning and resolution to resurgence. Throughout, metaphors of tidal waves, sea voyages, underwater exploration, rising flood waters and submersion attend to the danger, loss and uncertainty woven into health professionals’ stories. Such metaphors, however, also serve to make these stories more familiar and aid in our search for security and predictability.

On our metaphorical oceanic expedition through COVID waters unknown, care is important. As we struggle to acclimate to this voyage, we must for care for patients, but also care for clinicians. Stories are central to providing such care. In silence, fear and anger proliferate. Through storytelling, “fear and loss become actors in [our] drama,” and we become “capable of directing that drama” (Frank 2007: 389). In this way, stories take care of us, allowing us to take control of our emotions and share them. In addition to naming and containing our fears and uncertainties, stories – however well-travelled and cliché – allow us to recognise ourselves in the unfolding and familiar tale, reflect on who we are and how we want to be.